Main seal seepage

[Patrick0525]

I was preparing for an OC until I noticed a main seal seepage. Had to shelve the HPL for another time.

What is the current high mileage 5w-30 recommendation? Valvoline or Mobil 1?
Do I need to add ATP 205 seal conditioner?

Now I have to stop using HPL 5w-30 euro with VII
This was the 10K run on the Toyota 14 Venza 129K mi. I was looking forward to another 10k HPL run until this event. :-(

 

[shortyb]

Obviously, the best fix is to replace the seal. However, if it's a small seepage, you can prolong it for quite a while, maybe for the time you own it, with HM oil or an additive. I have tried a couple oils and additives myself in various cars (mine and other's) and the best ones were Valvoline MaxLife (red bottle) and AT-205. The MaxLife basically stopped the driveway drips for quite some time with the colander of an engine in my old Passat. I stopped using it and the drips came back, but not as bad (I have all the seals and parts to stop the leak now). AT-205 worked in a few cars, one to the point the leak stopped for all intents and purposes. LM Motor Oil Saver was a total waste both times I tried it. Hope this gives some insight.

 

[Learn Ya]

I have an old Jeep Cherokee with 220,000+ on the clock. I stopped chasing leaks a long time ago. I just keep the fluids topped off and look away. Oil leaks provide great rust protection! LOL

 

[Trav]

I was preparing for an OC until I noticed a main seal seepage. Had to shelve the HPL for another time.

What is the current high mileage 5w-30 recommendation? Valvoline or Mobil 1?
Do I need to add ATP 205 seal conditioner?

Now I have to stop using HPL 5w-30 euro with VII
This was the 10K run on the Toyota 14 Venza 129K mi. I was looking forward to another 10k HPL run until this event. :-(

Is it the rear main seal? How bad is the seepage, is a just weeping or is it leaking? Leaving spots on the floor or oil getting all over the place under the car is a leak. Personally I would not use sealers (they call them conditioners) that are seal swellers and will swell every other seal in the engine. If you want to stop it replace it or if it is very minor live with it and use a HM oil that has much less potent additives that pure solvent additives.

 

[webfors]

If it's a relatively dry speapage, ignore it and drive. It's wet and/or dripping, time to replace it. Subarus have driven millions of KMs with their seaping head gaskets... if I could turn back time I would not have done my head gaskets on the Sub way back in the day and just let her seap until she was junked.

 

[Patrick0525]

Pics for assessment. It was about to put a drop on the driveway. A lot of carbon pick-up.
Is it dry or wet seepage?
Not sure.

I usually change my own oil. I don’t now exactly when seepage started. Maybe in the last 8 months.

 

[repairman54]

That is road dirt sticking to the oil, not carbon.

 

[Patrick0525]

Obviously, the best fix is to replace the seal. However, if it's a small seepage, you can prolong it for quite a while, maybe for the time you own it, with HM oil or an additive. I have tried a couple oils and additives myself in various cars (mine and other's) and the best ones were Valvoline MaxLife (red bottle) and AT-205. The MaxLife basically stopped the driveway drips for quite some time with the colander of an engine in my old Passat. I stopped using it and the drips came back, but not as bad (I have all the seals and parts to stop the leak now). AT-205 worked in a few cars, one to the point the leak stopped for all intents and purposes. LM Motor Oil Saver was a total waste both times I tried it. Hope this gives some insight.

I heard u shouldn’t mix HM and ATP 205.

Did the ATP 205 stop ur leaks?
What was ur oil mixture recipe?

 

[oldcodger]

If stains on the garage floor bother you buy one of the drip pads that are for this very thing and park over it when in the garage.

 

[Lubener]

I would only worry about it if there are spots left on the driveway.

 

[Patrick0525]

Changed the oil and bought Valvoline 5w30 EP ultra max life and cleaned the pvc too. Crossing my fingers.

 

[meep]

I’ll go with cardboard on floor as long as I can before changing oil chemistry. Then a HM oil, or even just a partial mix of HM oil. One dose of AT-205 solved a notorious Subaru seal leak for 30k before it returned, and at 106k none of the other seals showed any signs of trouble. If it’s a younger motor, I’d favor the oil over the 205 but that’s mostly based out of fear than anything else. You could just run it as is until it makes sense to spring for a seal replacement.

 

[Patrick0525]

I’ll go with cardboard on floor as long as I can before changing oil chemistry. Then a HM oil, or even just a partial mix of HM oil. One dose of AT-205 solved a notorious Subaru seal leak for 30k before it returned, and at 106k none of the other seals showed any signs of trouble. If it’s a younger motor, I’d favor the oil over the 205 but that’s mostly based out of fear than anything else. You could just run it as is until it makes sense to spring for a seal replacement.

I went with the Valvoline EP HM 5w-30