engine oil stop-leak additives

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hpracing10

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2003 silverado halfton 5.3L engine, 200K miles. I have been keeping a close watch on a leak towards the rear of the engine. It seems to be the rear main seal, but it isn't leaking enough where it is leaving spots on the ground, nor do I ever have to add oil between oil changes. It is leaking enough just to keep the back/bottom of the oil pan wet with fresh oil. I don't see it as being a major issue, but I was wondering what are some good stop leak additives I could try to see if it would slow down the leak or stop it? I don't plan on keeping the truck more than another year, as soon as I graduate college I am buying a new one. So, I can't justify fixing the rear main seal for this slow of a leak.

Anyone tried that Lucas engine oil stop leak? What about Bar's Leak Rear Main Seal additive? Any other options someone can comment on or share their experience? Thanks.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Try Maxlife 5W-30 high-mileage engine oil. Should help.


Ditto. Try Maxlife before any of the stop leak products.
 
yes maxlife is valvoline, and its senthetic blend, currently at advance auto part, you can get 5 quart with pure 1 oil filter for 20 buck, very good deal.
 
How many miles would I be safe to run this oil before an oil change? I currently do about 8K with Mobil 1 5w-30.
 
Originally Posted By: Boss302fan
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Try Maxlife 5W-30 high-mileage engine oil. Should help.


Ditto. Try Maxlife before any of the stop leak products.


If I were OP I would be tempted to go with the 10W-30 MaxLife Syn.

And do 10K oci if not severe service.
 
I may actually try the Mobil 1 HM, just because I have been using M1 with no problems besides the small leak. In your guys' opinions, in my situation, is it better for me to run a high-mileage oil with seal conditioners, or to use a seal conditioner additive? For the most part, I am against additives in my engine oil. I am just wondering if the actual high mileage oil is very effective when it comes to leaks like this.

Also, I read on M1's website that their HM oil has extra wear additives and extra cleaning agents, would this benifit my truck having 200K miles? Thanks
 
Run a HM oil - better to run a fully formulatd oil than play 'chemist' and mixing different chemistries....

The latter won't hurt anthing, but the former might work better...
 
For only one year, leave it alone. Use the High Mileage oil or an additive product. I am not a big oil additive guy, but in this case, the additive may be better than the high mileage oil.
Why? Well, the oil has some special additives, and the stop leak products mentioned above are an additive that is guarantied to work!
But in my experience, when people who come in the shop and say, "Just fix it as cheap as possible- just temporary - we're going to sell the car." - this means they will have it at LEAST two years more! Never fails!
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
......But in my experience, when people who come in the shop and say, "Just fix it as cheap as possible- just temporary - we're going to sell the car." - this means they will have it at LEAST two years more! Never fails!


I've been saying this for 7-10 years now.
grin2.gif


I tell the counter people at Autozone this all the time. It spares me from having to listen through their [censored] pitch trying to sell me "better grade" parts.
 
Originally Posted By: Familyguy
I have tried this product recently on rear main seal leaks on cars that were "beaters" and it wasn't worth dropping the transmission to change the seal. It worked each time.

http://www.barsproducts.com/1050.htm


I was looking into trying that in my beater. Do you add it at each OCI as they suggest?
 
Added to both vehicles on their most recent oil change, but I don't plan on adding it again when I change the oil. I'll be curious to see if the leaks return. Neither one was "gushing" and would leave about a silver dollar sized stain on the pavement overnight. They're both bone dry now and the leaks seemed to vanish within a week of putting the stuff in the crankcase.

Best,
 
Thanks Family Guy. I grabbed a bottle read it, and it said use at each OCI which was a turn off. I might just do exactly what you did, and see, I'll wait till next OCI. I did a 50/50 mix of Pennzoil HM oil and Yellow bottle this time. I had a few stray qts of YB I wanted to use up, and didn't want to run all HM oil.
 
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