oil leak cure - HM oil vs Stop Leak Additive

[vet]

My 98 Subaru at 75K is developing a slight oil leak, probably from the front seal. For a quick fix would you recommend trying a HM oil or one of the stop leak additives, like Bars Leak for engines, or both? I've been using Rotella syn 5W-40 and also thought I would try switching to a non-synthetic which may tend to leak less.

 

[Curious Kid]

Short of lifting my engine and tranny out, I too would like to here what other's may have found. I suppose though it's just a holdover to the inevitable, but then again something unforseen may happen to the vehicle until such time (not that I'm asking for it).

 

[biscuitboy]

vet, I've had very good success with Pennzoil HM oil, 10W-30, in a 90 Camry 4 cyl.

That said, I am trying the Bar's additive in a 12 year-old GM 3800 V6 with multiple leaks. Too soon to know for sure but seems to be helping.

 

[TurboJim]

I too had multiple leaks - from the valve covers on down in my '89 Toyota V6 truck. I tried several stop leak products and none made a difference. When I switched to Valvoline MaxLife oil the leaks were cut in half, but never went away.

After reading about the chance for success with Auto-RX I ordered a couple of bottles. Within the first 150 miles I could tell that it was making a difference. I'm not quite finished with my second rinse phase but at this point I'm down to maybe one oil drip every other day. This compares with a pool of oil that always maked my driveway before.

 

[biscuitboy]

After about 3 weeks I am very impressed with Bar Stop Leak. Leaks have slowed considerably and no longer produce smoke from under the hood after the engine has run a bit. Happy camper with this, so far.

 

[Cadude]

I also had good results with Vavoline's Max Life. From early 2000 through July, 2004 my daily driver was an all original '65 Fleetwood that had been in storage for the preceeding 22 years. It had small leaks around the front cover and rear main. I don't believe miracles come in a can but I'll try some things. They generally aren't all that expensive and you just never know. However, none of the traditional additives helped. The leaks weren't so bad as to bother me but I decided to try Max Life and it pretty much solved my leaks.

 

[TallPaul]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cadude:
I decided to try Max Life and it pretty much solved my leaks.

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That's great news to me. I have a 1990 motorhome with a rear main leak and have had Maxlife in it for the last 9000 miles. I suspect the Maxlife cleaned things off, which may have worsened the leak, but over time should condition the seal and eliminate the leak. Will see.

 

[bulwnkl]

vet,

if you're going to change the oil soon anyway, I'd try the HM oil. Otherwise I'd just add a seal sweller to the oil you have.

Take comfort in the fact that if it is a front crank or cam seal it's not very hard (expensive) to replace.

If the leak is a cam tower seal, head gasket, or crankcase seal, neither the HM nor the seal sweller will help particularly in my experience (1991 Subaru XT-6).

 

[Spector]

Will a higher viscosity oil help reduce a head gasket leak? Most products only work on seals and thoughts on the head gasket

 

[ecu50]

in my car (89 mustang 5.0, 204k miles) i used to run valvoline maxlife or castrol HM depending on which one i wanted to buy. never had a problem with either and couldnt tell a difference. but i had barely any leaks on the motor and the only two i did have was a lower intake gasket leak from my stupid *** puttin it on wrong and a rear main seal which was the original one from 89 im certain. definetly recommend them to lots of customers at my job. they helped with my oil consumption and now that ive been running delo and M1 mix i burned 1 qt of oil in 700 miles when it would take me 3k miles to burn half a quart of HM of maxlife.