Do gaskets and seals leak when a car sits in the garage not driven?

[The motor guy]

Like let's say a c5 corvette thats 23 years old and only 23,000 miles on it. Its safe to say it sat in the garage most of its life id say

 

[Vercingetorix]

If it’s British or Italian most assuredly.

 

[JMJNet]

yes

 

[zfasts03]

Yes, my 03 Z06 is leaking some, (engine and transmission) seems to slow when driven more, as I guess the seals swell some with use.

Not bad enough to fix, but a little annoying.

 

[blufeb95]

If it’s British or Italian most assuredly.

If it's not leaking it's not really a Jaguar now is it.

 

[eljefino]

Seals more than gaskets. You gotta keep them moist from rubbing fluid on them. If you don't they get dry and "tear" on a molecular level when you start rotating your shaft again.

Gaskets get pretty far gone and still work, a 23 year old Vette would need them regardless or not if it was operated regularly. I do plenty of valve cover gaskets on 15 year old beater cars and to a rule the old ones chip off like they're made of plastic.

 

[Hirev]

Don't really know for sure but I can tell you my 2007 Corvette 24K just started weeping a little the last few years. I change the oil once a year. Just went from Mobil syn to valvoline synthetic high mileage to see what it does.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Yes, definitely. I had a 65 VW that I amazingly had not leaking oil. I quit driving it often and leaks started showing up after a number of years

 

[Lawnman23]

If it's not leaking it's not really a Jaguar now is it.

“If it leaks oil, it has oil” as the window stickers say.

 

[Dave Sherman]

Yes. I've dealt with that on my MG, and now on the Lincoln. Both sat unused for long periods. If they aren't visibly leaking while sitting, don't worry, they'll start leaking soon after you resurrect them. Seals get dry, they can crack, and they can be abraded by shafts that got some corrosion.

 

[Jetronic]

Yes. I've dealt with that on my MG, and now on the Lincoln. Both sat unused for long periods. If they aren't visibly leaking while sitting, don't worry, they'll start leaking soon after you resurrect them. Seals get dry, they can crack, and they can be abraded by shafts that got some corrosion.

the shafts wouldn't have corroded if it was parked up with a leak.....

 

[Kurtatron]

I’ll theorize it depends on what seals. Cam seals won’t leak if there’s no oil draining onto them, so only when the engine was running recently.

Only seals and gaskets that can be submerged in pooled oil will leak long term.

But when you turn on a car that’s been sitting for years, all those bad seals will get a rude awakening. When it rains, it pours.

 

[Marcozi]

If it's not leaking it's not really a Jaguar now is it.

Corollary: when does a British car stop leaking oil? when it runs out of oil.