Leaking oil with AutoRX

T-Keith · Jun 4, 2004

I started my autoRX treatment on Sunday. Unfortunately I noticed an oil spot on the driveway when I got home. I've leaked 3/4 of a quart in the first 400-500 miles. I'm worried about loosing all the AutoRX before the treatment is over(1500 miles). My capacity is only 3.5 quarts.

It's leaking at the oil plug/filter cover. It's never had a problem before and I even replaced the gasket a couple oil changes ago.

I was hoping to get a good before and after example of AutoRX, and this apears to be screwing things up.

Any ideas?

-T

JohnBrowning · Jun 4, 2004

Temp. fix. Clean the drain plug area very well with a fast evaporateing solvent. Take some RTV and pack it around the drain plug with it in place. This might not fix it but it is worth a try.

Are you sure it is not cross threaded and that it is snug? Maybe and extra 1/8of a turn is it is not already over tight could also solve it.

I would not sweat it too much. The origanal instruction for AUto-Rx only called for 500 miles anyway so it is not like it is a total waste.

T-Keith · Jun 4, 2004

It's a 2&1/2 inch dia. plug, it can't be crossthreaded. I tried tightening it, but it was already very tight.(12" long, 15/16" wrench) I still bothers me that it's leaking, since this is somthing it really hasn't done before.

I may actually try the RTV thing. Here's my before pics BTW:

http://www.lesabret.com/rx1s.jpg
http://www.lesabret.com/rx2s.jpg

-T

427Z06 · Jun 4, 2004

I'm a little slow this morning. What is an "oil plug/filter cover"? Is this similar to the old Chevys that had a cartridge filter that fit into a canister that had a bolt through the center of canister which bolted to the oil filter boss on the block?

Does it have a washer under the head of the bolt aka oil plug? Maybe this washer is missing or damaged and the AutoRX penetrative abilities are now exploiting this?

By the way, how about a little history to go along with your pictures. Thanks in Advance.

T-Keith · Jun 4, 2004

It's an 88 Pontiac 2.5. The oil filter is a cartige type in the oil pan. There is no other plug, the oil is drained by removing this plug.

Here's a picture of the plug:
http://www.secureleadercom.com/fsstore/prodpics/64483.GIF
Here's a picture of the oil pan:
http://www.secureleadercom.com/fsstore/prodpics/64674.GIF
Except mine lacks the extra plug.

The car has 191,000 miles, it's had 3,000 mile oil changes since I got it. The rockers arms look worse in the picture, than the probably are, I took these pics on Sunday when replacing the valve cover gasket, before changing the oil and adding the Auto RX.

-T

T-Keith · Jun 5, 2004

No it's a Pontiac engine. here's a link
http://www.k12.nf.ca/gc/Staff/Teachers/Crummey/fiero/IronDuke.htm

-T

JohnBrowning · Jun 5, 2004

The old iron duke was a durable engine but lacked power. The engine does not look bad at all. THeir is no thick sludge at all just a thin layer of either hard varnish and some light sludge ont op of that. Vrnish lacks carbon once you have carbon or other third party abraisve in it I call it sludge. For 191,000 miles I would say that it look ok. You can see GM cast into that head! It could look better but this is actualy rather typical of a well maintained GM product from that time frame.

427Z06 · Jun 6, 2004

I thought this engine was derived from the 4 cylinder Nova engines of the '60s?

http://1320pi.com/ahra/art/nova.htm

[ June 06, 2004, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: 427Z06 ]

427Z06 · Jun 6, 2004

I think there's a lot of confusion on this one.

http://www.jeeptech.com/engine/gm151.html

T-Keith · Jun 6, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by 427Z06:
I thought this engine was derived from the 4 cylinder Nova engines of the '60s?

http://1320pi.com/ahra/art/nova.htm

Your thinking of the 153, the 2.5 in my car is a 151. They changed numerous times over the years, but the info on the jeep site is correct, it is not the Chevy engine.

-T

427Z06 · Jun 6, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by T-Keith:

quote:

Originally posted by 427Z06:
I thought this engine was derived from the 4 cylinder Nova engines of the '60s?

http://1320pi.com/ahra/art/nova.htm

Click to expand...

Your thinking of the 153, the 2.5 in my car is a 151. They changed numerous times over the years, but the info on the jeep site is correct, it is not the Chevy engine.

-T

My understanding is, Pontiac used the original Chevy 153 cid as a basis for designing the Pontiac 151 cid version. If you look at the bore and stroke dimensions, those are typical (not exclusive to) of inline and small block Chevys. I'm thinking this is in the same league as the Range Rover pushrod engine...a '60s Buick design bought by Range Rover and used in the '80s and '90s. It just doesn't sound like GM to approve a completely new design of a pushrod 4 cyl engine of essentially the exact same dimensions internally and externally.

However, I'm not positive on any of this so enlighten me if you are.

T-Keith · Jun 6, 2004

There's not alot of info out there on the Iron Duke, but here's a good page with some info.

http://webpages.charter.net/imsa_gtu/docs/HRM-SD4article.htm

The Chevy was based off an I6. The Chevy V8 came in so many configurations that they probably match up to alot of engine. To note, the Pontiac 301 has the exact same bore and stroke as the Duke.(4" bore x 3" stroke)

Yes rover bought the Buick V8 from GM since GM had a more economical alternative(the V6), they actually modified it very little, and Land Rover(owned by ford) is still using it this year.

Anyway, we may be getting a little

here. Anyone know how this will affact my rinse phase?

-T

427Z06 · Jun 6, 2004

Wow. I never messed with these 4 bangers and didn't know such a thing was used on Chevy engines. I'm assuming this is the Chevy 4 banger of years gone by.

427Z06 · Jun 6, 2004

I apologize T-Keith, my bad. I have no personal experience with AutoRX, but as a suggestion, did you try emailing Frank(?) of AutoRX to get his advice?

raynorway · Jun 6, 2004

Why not just drain out everything in a clean bucket, fix the gasked and put it back in ?

DavoNF · Jun 7, 2004

That seems the logical thing to do.

T-Keith · Jun 7, 2004

It's very hard to change the oil without spilling and without getting contaminents in. A 3" plug makes for a quick drain and it often bounces out of the pan. You would think that the dozens of times I've changed the oil in these engines would have tought me how to do it. But apparently not.

It seems to have slowed now, I'll check it again tonight.

-T

T-Keith · Jun 7, 2004

On a second note. When you buy a new plug($15+) it says to change the gasket every time you change the oil. Yet after calling around to every place in town, only one had it. And thet're $4 a pop. I got one from NAPA, but I remember the last one didn't fit very well and that's probably why it's leaking.

The dealers in my area are horrible! They aren't open on weekends, they close very early weekdays and I can never call their parts department without being put on hold forever.

-T

T-Keith · Jun 11, 2004

After closer inspection I've discovered it's not the pan gasket, but the rear seal. I replaced the flywheel not too long ago and it was dry, but now it's leaking badly. The area around the front seal is pretty wet too, it might also be leaking now.

-T

salsahh · Jun 11, 2004

Everything that i read about ester based products are that they are highly stable for high heat and viscosity index but were hard on seals REDLINE uses esters in their oil and alot of guys i've spoke with are having similar leakin issues.

Leaking oil with AutoRX

Similar threads