Maxlife worsened leak - temporary?

[Towncivilian]

I recently changed the oil in my 2001 Nissan Pathfinder 3.5L (first oil change myself, woo!) from an unknown oil with Lucas Stop Leak added, to Valvoline MaxLife blend 5w30. The car has a slow leak coming from what I think is the rear main seal that has worsened since changing the oil. I've read in other posts here that this is temporary and the leak should slow or stop within the next couple oil changes. Is this correct? I will post some pictures of the amount leaked and the leak location when I get home.

Also, I was unable to remove my old (also unknown brand) oil filter (a buddy and I spent several hours trying to remove it with no success), and as I had to drive back home I simply filled with the new oil and drove home as it was getting late. Is there any adverse effect to not changing the filter at the same time as the oil? I bought an oil filter wrench and I plan on installing a genuine Nissan OE filter within the next few days; anything wrong with that, or should I just wait until the next oil change to do that?

 

[Errtt]

quote " from an unknown oil with Lucas Stop Leak added, to Valvoline MaxLife blend 5w30. "

If you don't know what oil was used, can I assume you don't know the oil weight (grade) either?
The MaxLife may take a few rounds, but your comparing an unknown oil with a slug of Lucas Stop Leak to just MaxLife 5w30.
Filter? - you didn't say how many miles of use on the filter and unknown oil.

 

[opus1]

I would change the filter. It's possible that the attempt to remove it loosened it or damaged it slightly and you may have another leak to deal with.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
The car has a slow leak coming from what I think is the rear main seal that has worsened since changing the oil. I've read in other posts here that this is temporary and the leak should slow or stop within the next couple oil changes. Is this correct?


It's hard to predict for certain, of course, but I think you made a good choice with the oil. It was very effective in my straight six in my F-150 before it was rebuilt. It didn't do its "magic" instantly, either. In the summer, I ran 15w40 and the winter I used what you're using, and the MaxLife equaled the performance of the HDEO for slowing the leak. Anything else was simply terrible for leaking.

In my particular application, the MaxLife leaked less than 50% of what any other 5w30 or 10w30 leaked. I was suitably impressed.

 

[Towncivilian]

I don't know the grade of the previous oil or when the filter was replaced, but I shall check maintenance records to try to find out when the filter was last changed. Most oil changes previously done were done by independent shops (i.e. Total Tire, etc), never owner done (this car was my mother's previously). One of those shops tightened the filter too much, greatly beyond the 2/3rd of a turn beyond resistance felt recommended in my owner's manual. Hope the $8 oil filter wrench from Wal-Mart I bought earlier tonight is able to get it off.

I put about 2500 miles on the unknown oil + Lucas. Oil before that was also unknown, I think done at Total Tire.

 

[Lowcountry]

Congrats on the 1st change!!!

Definitely replace the filter when you get a chance. Remember to top off the oil after changing, since you're going to loose some.
Change the oil and filter around every 5k or so and you should be good to go.
From what I've read, maxlife is the best for sealing up leaks.

 

[Errtt]

Originally Posted By: Errtt
quote " from an unknown oil with Lucas Stop Leak added, to Valvoline MaxLife blend 5w30. "

If you don't know what oil was used, can I assume you don't know the oil weight (grade) either?
The MaxLife may take a few rounds, but your comparing an unknown oil with a slug of Lucas Stop Leak to just MaxLife 5w30.
Filter? - you didn't say how many miles of use on the filter and unknown oil.


[Later] - okay I'm back. Wife made the wash-up call (dinner) and I don't mess around when chow is ready - I'm short of tossing the laptop across the room.
Anyway, if you made an attempt to remove the filter and wasn't unable to, I wouldn't leave it on any longer than necessary. I'd get it change out when I could, especially if you collapsed the canister beyond "a little dented". Even if it wasn't dented, I'd change it since the oil was changed - just me. Or run a short OCI and get the oil & filter the next round, but I would prefer not to do that.

 

[Towncivilian]

Old filter canister was not dented visibly, just outside scratched from cheapo tools stripping and failing to unscrew the filter. I'll probably swap out the filter on Sunday since I'll be dropping the transmission pan to change filter/fluid.

 

[Errtt]

Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
Old filter canister was not dented visibly, just outside scratched from cheapo tools stripping and failing to unscrew the filter. I'll probably swap out the filter on Sunday since I'll be dropping the transmission pan to change filter/fluid.

Changing the filter would offer a piece-of-mind.
I usually would start out with a rubberized strap wrench, then move up to more aggressive filter removal tools - if by hand doesn't work. Filter pliers...adjustable end-cap... to screwdriver through the can

 

[Towncivilian]

Friend and I tried rubberized wrenches but due to a terrible filter location, we weren't able to get it to work. I bought some filter pliers which I think will work.

 

[number_41]

Another idea is to insert sand paper between filter wrench and filter. Makes it tacky and works sometimes.

 

[Towncivilian]

Here are photos of the leak and its root:





And an older photo of the leak, from the oil change directly before the one with Lucas additive:



With Lucas additive the leak slowed, but was still present.

 

[Lowcountry]

How long did it take to leak that much?
That looks like a pretty fast leak...Oil can only do so much.

 

[Towncivilian]

Originally Posted By: Lowcountry
How long did it take to leak that much?
That looks like a pretty fast leak...Oil can only do so much.


That was after sitting in the garage for around 18 hours.

 

[Towncivilian]

Leak seems to have slowed, no drips after a ~30 min drive. I still see oil collecting at the leak's origin, but there were no drips on the floor. Will have to keep parking in the garage to verify.

Also haven't replaced oil filter yet, I asked a Total Tire shop and they said that they must drain the oil to change the filter. Since I had just changed the oil 150 miles ago and the filter was changed at the last oil change (the one with the Lucas Stop Leak) I'll wait a while and do an early oil change around 2000-2500 miles and just bring some oil and the filter to a shop and ask them to not overtighten the [censored] filter this time.

 

[pavelow]

Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
I recently changed the oil in my 2001 Nissan Pathfinder 3.5L (first oil change myself, woo!) from an unknown oil with Lucas Stop Leak added, to Valvoline MaxLife blend 5w30. The car has a slow leak coming from what I think is the rear main seal that has worsened since changing the oil. I've read in other posts here that this is temporary and the leak should slow or stop within the next couple oil changes. Is this correct? I will post some pictures of the amount leaked and the leak location when I get home.

Also, I was unable to remove my old (also unknown brand) oil filter (a buddy and I spent several hours trying to remove it with no success), and as I had to drive back home I simply filled with the new oil and drove home as it was getting late. Is there any adverse effect to not changing the filter at the same time as the oil? I bought an oil filter wrench and I plan on installing a genuine Nissan OE filter within the next few days; anything wrong with that, or should I just wait until the next oil change to do that?
The leak got "worse" because the Lucas was not added to the fresh oil change. The Maxlife is a good oil, but the seal conditioner it contains is no comparison to the Lucas stop leak. As for the filter, I'd get it off of there and replace it as soon as possible. Easiest way to get a seized filter off is to drive a longish screwdriver through it and use that to spin it off.

 

[Towncivilian]

No, the Lucas Stop Leak was added at the shop with the oil change in that instance.

And the car dripped overnight, somewhat less than the previous picture though.