Oil leak, which motor oil should I use?

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Hello everyone, this is my first post here and I would like some opinions on which oils are better for engine leaking/burning oil?

My car is 95 Camry 2.2L LE Auto, has 147K miles on it. Owners Manual shows should use 10W-30, that's what I have been using.

I am using valvoline maxlife synthetic blend right now, it help slow the leak but not that much. I just wondering is Mobil super high mileage better for leak? Or some other brand?

Other question: I don't want to go full synthetic since leak, compare conventional oil vs synthetic blend high mileage, which one is better for oil leak/burn?

My driving style is easy on the car, about 50/50 Mix driving. The owners manual shows like my normal driving can change oil every 7500 miles but I usually just change it every 5000 miles. For valvoline maxlife synthetic blend + Purolator Classic Oil Filter, should I change oil every 3000, 5000 or 7000 miles?

Thank you in advance.
 
In the summer time use Pennzoil High Mileage and if its coming from a seal that will slow it down or stop it most of the time... If its an oil sender replace it and make sure your valve cover is not leaking if so try to tighten it it that don't work replace the gasket.
 
Originally Posted By: HKPolice
Fix the leak. You're wasting money topping up oil all the time.


Forgot to mention, I already replaced the engine gasket which fixed some leak but there's still other leak, it will cost too much to fix the rest of leak compare the car value.
 
How many miles on the current fill of MaxLife?

I would go through two oil changes with the Maxlife before I would switch to something else.

No Mobil Super High Mileage will not work any better than MaxLife. At least it did not for me.

From UOA's that I have seen, Maxlife can do 5k and more.
 
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Check if it's the valve cover gasket leaking, look around it. I just replaced my Camry 2.2L's valve cover gasket last week. Gasket cost $20 and it took 30 minutes to replace.
 
Quick thing to check is if your vehicle requires an oil drain plug gasket aka a washer on the oil plug. If it doesn't try what Nick1994 suggested.
 
The 2.2L valve cover gaskets usually leak in the back so you'll need to use a flashlight to look. They leak in the back due to the slant of the engine, leaning backwards.

I'll even write up replacement instructions for you for the valve cover gasket.

1. Take the spark plug wires out
2. Remove the hose on the driver's side of the valve cover
3. Remove the 4 30mm nuts on top of the valve cover (where the spark plug wires were)
4. Use a flathead screwdriver to pry up the valve cover off of the head. There's a prying spot right in front.
5. Pop off the valve cover
6. Clean the sealing surface, there is probably some old gasket maker on the edges.
7. Apply new black RTV gasket maker to the 4 corners, not exactly the corners. On each end of the head there is a half circle of steel that sticks up. On each edge of that apply the RTV (hard to explain, you'll understand when you see it)
8. Remove the spark plug tube seals from the outside of the valve cover, they may stick to the nuts that mount the valve cover on.
9. Stick the new gasket into the valve cover. It'll hold itself in there.
10. Pop the valve cover back on, it may need some wiggling to get it into place.
11. Stick new spark plug tube seals in and screw the nuts on
12. Torque to 33 foot pounds.
13. Install the spark plug wires and that small hose on the drivers side

If you don't have a torque wrench, you can rent one at O'Reilly Auto Parts or another parts store, you can also rent a 30mm socket. They give you your money back when you return them.
 
It could be the oil pump seal too. Extremely common where I am at, like one out of 20. Pita to do as well, as a t belt needs to come off.

But yes check the valve cover/ oil sender/drain plug gaskets first. There isn't much better then maxlife or penz gold for stuff like that.

I did stuff super tech 20w50 into a pt with a bad crank seal that i had to drive 300 miles. Oil leak went from 120 miles per gallon to over 200.
 
Just find your car on YouTube and watch a video on what your looking for,,saves money. My son fixes his 4 wheeler, old sentra, and his suburban doing this. Even many auto shops are using YouTube to fix cars, its better then a manual sometimes. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to do this.
 
Originally Posted By: MightMirage
Hello everyone, this is my first post here and I would like some opinions on which oils are better for engine leaking/burning oil?

My car is 95 Camry 2.2L LE Auto, has 147K miles on it. Owners Manual shows should use 10W-30, that's what I have been using.

I am using valvoline maxlife synthetic blend right now, it help slow the leak but not that much. I just wondering is Mobil super high mileage better for leak? Or some other brand?

Other question: I don't want to go full synthetic since leak, compare conventional oil vs synthetic blend high mileage, which one is better for oil leak/burn?

My driving style is easy on the car, about 50/50 Mix driving. The owners manual shows like my normal driving can change oil every 7500 miles but I usually just change it every 5000 miles. For valvoline maxlife synthetic blend + Purolator Classic Oil Filter, should I change oil every 3000, 5000 or 7000 miles?

Thank you in advance.


you may have a cam seal leak, where is the leak
 
Of all the HM oils, I have had the best leak stopping experience with Mobil 1 even though its a synthetic.
 
MaxLife seems to work as well as any HM motor oil. Try supplementing it with LiquiMoly Motor Oil Saver. LiquiMoly is a well-regarding German company and this product really works - not snake oil like you see in Auto stores here.

It's available on Amazon and is about $10 for 300ml. It needs to be replaced at each oil change but I found after the initial 300ml dose, 150-100 ml does the trick in subsequent changes.
 
How much is It leaking?

If it is a quart every couple hundred miles in using the cheapest oil I can find, since it will all end up on the ground anyway.

If its a quart every few thousand, then use whatever you want or whatever slows the leak the most.

Try an oci of every one you can find until you find one that works. Of none slow the leak down, then just use whatever fits into your budget.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Check if it's the valve cover gasket leaking, look around it. I just replaced my Camry 2.2L's valve cover gasket last week. Gasket cost $20 and it took 30 minutes to replace.


valve cover gasket already replaced. Thank you for your time and writing the detail replacement instructions.
 
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Originally Posted By: BigD1
How many miles on the current fill of MaxLife?

I would go through two oil changes with the Maxlife before I would switch to something else.

No Mobil Super High Mileage will not work any better than MaxLife. At least it did not for me.

From UOA's that I have seen, Maxlife can do 5k and more.


For right now it has about 2500--3000 miles on the current fill of MaxLife and it's the first time use Maxlife. Used to is pennzoil high mileage
 
Originally Posted By: MrJhynx
Quick thing to check is if your vehicle requires an oil drain plug gasket aka a washer on the oil plug. If it doesn't try what Nick1994 suggested.


Thank you. I have to check this, it does require gasket. Should I just replace the gasket or oil drain plug too?
 
Just change the gasket. If the bolt is rounding off, I would change that too. Otherwise don't fix it if it's not broke.

NAPA stocks a combination metal and rubber gasket. Dorman makes one too, and the NAPA brand is probably the same as the Dorman.
 
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how much oil do you loose? if its less than a litre every 600 miles and you dont want to fix the leak i would suggest not trying to slow it down with oil. buy the oil you want irrespective of the leak and just top it up every time you gas up, or every 2 weeks, or whatever it takes.
i had an engine that burned 1L every 600km (1qt/370 miles) and i just added a litre every time i gassed up. at the time the oil i bought costed $2/L so i didnt worry about the cost.
 
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