Old English cars, VW air beetles and any other split case engine. The rest don't even come close to the these.
which cars leak the most oil?
- Thread starter edwardh1
- Start date
- Status
Jeep 4.0 and Cadillac Northstar.
My Northstar used more oil by burning and leaking than any vehicle I have ever owned. Ran great though.
1977 Oiler
Air-cooleds.
I've owned GM products, Chrysler products, Ford products (with engines made in North America, England and Germany) two Renaults, an Austin and two Japanese bikes, and they all leaked from somewhere or other far, far before the mileage I have on my non-leaking '08 Impala with ~234,000 kilometres on it.
I wash the engine regularly summer and winter — as I did with most of my cars — so I can spot any leaks easily, and I check it from underneath whenever it's on a hoist.
Rightly or wrongly I attribute this to using nothing but synthetic oil (in my case 5W-30 Mobil 1) since I bought the car in 2010, thereby helping to keep the seals near pristine. I won't switch to the high-mileage version of the oil until there is evidence of a leak.
But now that I've posted this, I expect to go out and see the car sitting on a giant puddle of oil.
I wash the engine regularly summer and winter — as I did with most of my cars — so I can spot any leaks easily, and I check it from underneath whenever it's on a hoist.
Rightly or wrongly I attribute this to using nothing but synthetic oil (in my case 5W-30 Mobil 1) since I bought the car in 2010, thereby helping to keep the seals near pristine. I won't switch to the high-mileage version of the oil until there is evidence of a leak.
But now that I've posted this, I expect to go out and see the car sitting on a giant puddle of oil.
Last edited:
EVERY Chevrolet Powerglide transmission made.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,558
Originally Posted By: gman2304
Old Volkswagen Beatles.......by a mile! I’ve owned three Maximas, 1981, 1986, and 1992. None leaked oil. The 1981 would talk to you!
My 1986 300ZX turbo would talk to you in this sexy female voice
Old Volkswagen Beatles.......by a mile! I’ve owned three Maximas, 1981, 1986, and 1992. None leaked oil. The 1981 would talk to you!
My 1986 300ZX turbo would talk to you in this sexy female voice
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Originally Posted By: Billy_D
And they still keep buying FCA vehicles??
Most of the leaks with the Patriot and Grand Caravan started at the same time, 2 years ago.
My grandfather has the Grand Cherokeeand needed a 4x4 that was easy to get in and out of, no other vehicle choices available, and it started leaking from the radiator 3 days after he bought it. He bought it last January.
And they still keep buying FCA vehicles??
Most of the leaks with the Patriot and Grand Caravan started at the same time, 2 years ago.
My grandfather has the Grand Cherokeeand needed a 4x4 that was easy to get in and out of, no other vehicle choices available, and it started leaking from the radiator 3 days after he bought it. He bought it last January.
Anything pre mid '70's, until the first emission regs came out there was no real intention to control oil leaks. Road tube breathers, rope rear main seals, and labyrinth seals. The Hillman engine never had a timing cover oilseal, just a reverse screw, the BMC A Block never had a rear main, just a slinger. Until HC emission came under control, it didn't matter.
I remember the old Buick Nailheads barely had a O ring for the intake valve seal (some also had none) and none on the exhaust valves.
It was designed that way so oil cooled the stem and lubed the guides. Some guys installed umbrella seals on them in hope of curing the little blue puff of normal smoke in the morning.
They burned valves and wore guides out real quick on these engines, left the way they were designed they ran unbelievable well for that time and didn't use much oil. Rope seals were used on these and the 430/455 engines, they also that used no exhaust valve seals either.
It was designed that way so oil cooled the stem and lubed the guides. Some guys installed umbrella seals on them in hope of curing the little blue puff of normal smoke in the morning.
They burned valves and wore guides out real quick on these engines, left the way they were designed they ran unbelievable well for that time and didn't use much oil. Rope seals were used on these and the 430/455 engines, they also that used no exhaust valve seals either.
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
In my family's experience, FCA vehicles of the last 6 years.
2012 Jeep Patriot 2.0L
Leaking oil pan gasket
Leaking timing chain cover
Leaking CV boot
2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.6L
Leaking oil pan gasket
Leaking timing chain cover
Leaking transmission pan gasket
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L
Leaking radiator
Leaking radiator hose (opposite end)
Leaking rack and pinion
That's disappointing. I've been trying to watch Caravan as I don't want to pay Sienna prices. But I'm guessing the cost of those repairs is still less than the difference between them.
In my family's experience, FCA vehicles of the last 6 years.
2012 Jeep Patriot 2.0L
Leaking oil pan gasket
Leaking timing chain cover
Leaking CV boot
2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.6L
Leaking oil pan gasket
Leaking timing chain cover
Leaking transmission pan gasket
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L
Leaking radiator
Leaking radiator hose (opposite end)
Leaking rack and pinion
That's disappointing. I've been trying to watch Caravan as I don't want to pay Sienna prices. But I'm guessing the cost of those repairs is still less than the difference between them.
Anything VW aircooled.
Anything with a BMC A-series engine such as old Minis and Morris Minors.
Anything with a BMC A-series engine such as old Minis and Morris Minors.
There's an old computer joke: Why aren't the British known for making computers? They couldn't figure out how to make them leak oil.
My MG is good at marking its territory, between crank seals that don't, valve cover gasket that oozes, and the transmission doesn't have a seal on the input shaft. I like to think they purposely let a controlled amount of oil leak to try to reduce the rust
.
My MG is good at marking its territory, between crank seals that don't, valve cover gasket that oozes, and the transmission doesn't have a seal on the input shaft. I like to think they purposely let a controlled amount of oil leak to try to reduce the rust
When my mostly-original 1968 L36 Corvette Roadster doesn't leak that just means there is no oil in it.
Originally Posted By: Dave Sherman
There's an old computer joke: Why aren't the British known for making computers? They couldn't figure out how to make them leak oil
I know Ireland isn't part of England, but work with me on this one
I've had a couple of liquid cooled PowerMac G5s. Apple made these(or at least did the final assembly) in two different plants-one in the US and one in Ireland. The liquid cooling system is notorious for leaking, but I've had good luck with mine. Of the half dozen or so liquid cooled ones I've had, the only leaker was made in Ireland
BTW, my MGB needs rings and for the time being it's going through a lot of oil. The tappet galley covers-in particular the front one-are also a known trouble spot on this engine. The front one serves as the crank case vent, and it's hollow and filled with a steel mesh to act as an oil separator. If it's tightened a bit too much(it doesn't take much-somewhere around 20 ft-lbs is the book spec) the cover ends up distorted and it leaks like a sieve. I gave up on buying gaskets for it, and instead just slap on a bunch of Permatex Form-a-Gasket-that seems to keep it from leaking. Absent that, I've had better luck with the old style thin cork gaskets than the big thick rubber ones that are now on the market.
There's an old computer joke: Why aren't the British known for making computers? They couldn't figure out how to make them leak oil
I know Ireland isn't part of England, but work with me on this one
I've had a couple of liquid cooled PowerMac G5s. Apple made these(or at least did the final assembly) in two different plants-one in the US and one in Ireland. The liquid cooling system is notorious for leaking, but I've had good luck with mine. Of the half dozen or so liquid cooled ones I've had, the only leaker was made in Ireland
BTW, my MGB needs rings and for the time being it's going through a lot of oil. The tappet galley covers-in particular the front one-are also a known trouble spot on this engine. The front one serves as the crank case vent, and it's hollow and filled with a steel mesh to act as an oil separator. If it's tightened a bit too much(it doesn't take much-somewhere around 20 ft-lbs is the book spec) the cover ends up distorted and it leaks like a sieve. I gave up on buying gaskets for it, and instead just slap on a bunch of Permatex Form-a-Gasket-that seems to keep it from leaking. Absent that, I've had better luck with the old style thin cork gaskets than the big thick rubber ones that are now on the market.
Last edited:
My vote is
Northstars- Crankcase halves known to leak, some had block porosity issues so the oil would leak right thru the casting. I thought it was cute how they would pull the head bolt threads out of the block.
4.0l Jeep- Rear mains always leak, along with just about everything else. I owned one and by 60k miles everything was leaking. Junk. Tough, fun, but junk.
4.3L gm- oil cooler lines
I haven't turned wrenches in almost 15 years so my experience is dated.
Northstars- Crankcase halves known to leak, some had block porosity issues so the oil would leak right thru the casting. I thought it was cute how they would pull the head bolt threads out of the block.
4.0l Jeep- Rear mains always leak, along with just about everything else. I owned one and by 60k miles everything was leaking. Junk. Tough, fun, but junk.
4.3L gm- oil cooler lines
I haven't turned wrenches in almost 15 years so my experience is dated.
- Status
