Need a seal softener

[old-leroy]

I have a 98 Subaru that is starting to seep from the cam seals during cooler weather.
I am not a big fan of additives,but I do know there has to be something out there that will work. I dont want to play the hit and miss game until I find it.
The cam seals in the head {I have 4 of them} located in the front as it is a double overhead cam boxer engine is going to get rather messy soon as at least 2 are starting to seep now...Further since my timing belt is just in front of the leaking area,there is a cause for concern..puddles are already hitting the ground.
It is an interference fit engine that will destroy itself in the event of a timing belt failure..so it is imperative that that the cam seals are softened back up.
I am using German Castrol engine oil 00 30. I stocked up about 4 years ago..I am now down to one quart.
So I have no problem switching to another motor oil which may soften my seals...I dont know anything about Max life or its effectiveness...I do know that I used to beat down conventional Valvoline oil rather quickly which would show in a reduction in oil pressure at less than a thousand miles.

I am fond of oils that have the ACEA A3 rating ,so would like to stick with that if possible..if not I want an oil that will that will not be beat down very fast..something that will go 10 thousand miles plus and stay in specs....And is known to have seal longevity in mind.

 

[mechtech2]

Not all seals are of the same material -trial and error may be your real option.
High Mileage oils contain decent seal softeners, but take time.

 

[old-leroy]

I was thinking the same thing..possible different seal materials by different manufacturers..one type may respond to a certain conditioner while the other may not.
I am not sure of my seal material and what it will respond to. I am hoping someone has ran into a similar situation and knows what will work with the seals from my era.

 

[NHGUY]

I wonder how "Seal Lube" would work?

 

[old-leroy]

I cant find much information on it.

 

[OldCowboy]

You need to bite the bullet and replace the seals.

 

[old-leroy]

I would as a last ditch effort...its rather complicated as I have four cams..so each one has a mind of its own if not held in place..they will actually rotate forwards or backwards causing the valves to hit each other....I can lock the cams with homemade tools while doing a belt..but dont know how to lock them with the pulleys removed...none the less I am sure a Subaru shop would want about 1500 to put in new seals..Since I would already have them there just as well reseal my external oil pump well that would entail a new pump I am sure..I suspect the bill would be about 2 grand after finished..So biting the bullet is eating a cannon so to say.
Since it does not leak when its warm this gives me the indication that the seals are not cracked but only are losing pliability when cold.
I know some conditioners do work..I used some about 10 years ago on rear main on an Oldsmobile..I was skeptical as most stuff is Hokus Pokus...The stuff actually worked..I drove the car 3 more years and about 60 thousand more miles..leakage had been reduced to a quart about every 600 miles to a very occasional drip..basically stopped as I would go 5 k ..then be down a quart then change the oil.
But I dont remember the name..but did get it at walmart.

I am not wanting a miracle here...Just advice on a high mileage oil that does keep seals pliable..as well as an additive that can soften them back up some.I know a torn or cracked seal will leak regardless and cant be fixed.

I do know that different chemicals react with seals rubbers etc..A fine example a kohler engine of mine that I drop the carb bowl once a year to dump it...the seal that went in between the body and bowl swelled making assembly a chore...I never had the problem again...but something in the fuel caused the problem for one year.
I have seen o rings grow for example as well as shrink.
Some material is suitable for some chemicals but not others.
Another fine example was a door latch on a dodge van..they thought they were doing the van a favor..they greased it with Vaseline..The associated "rubbers" swelled dramatically.
I ended up using starting fluid and alcohol to shrink them back down to a suitable level.

I know that softening my seals will shorten their acclaimed life as a reaction has to be caused to get the effect to occur.

However they are at the point in their life that the gains will be more of a benefit than the loss

 

[Vikas]

Have you researched in to ATP-205?

 

[old-leroy]

Not much..nothing conclusive as to whether it works or not
I need to hear from people that have had success with stopping leaks with these products.
Also I am having trouble finding a "high mileage" oil that has an acea a3 rating..something in a 5 30 / 10 30 will be fine after winter is over.
I will be willing to accept an acea a5 if have to however.

 

[JAG]

Mobil 1 10w30 and 10W-40 High Mileage meet ACEA A3/B4.

 

[old-leroy]

Excellent...that will take care of the oil situation and give extended drains to boot

Now I just need a decent additive for a one time use to condition the seals and hope the oil will do the rest with its seal treatments

 

[hooligan24]

i think Maxlife semi syn 10w40 does or did meet that spec also

 

[old-leroy]

Thankyou.
I could use that in the hard summer months if needed.
I had the timing belt covers off earlier..just put them back on/belt is dry..I cant really see where its leaking but appears to be a little from everywhere back there

So..since each seal is barely seeping a simple high mileage oil may do the trick.
Any recommendations on which brand will treat the seals better..Mobil High Mileage or Maxlife
Am still interested in a known "mild" seal treatment product to jump start the process though..if the oil alone does not do the job

 

[old-leroy]

Update.
I decided to give Maxlife 5 30{for the winter} a try ..its been in for about 3 weeks or more.
I am seeing a reduction in oil hitting the ground..so it indeed is doing something,The leak hasnt stopped yet I will try the oil for about 3 months..if I still am leaking at that time..I will try a mild conditioner.
I can attest that Maxlife does do something..at least with my problem and is a product worth trying for people that may have a similar problem.

 

[Jaymus]

What is it, exactly, in oils that soften seals up? I know when I went to Rotella T Synthetic 5w40, my oil consumption in my truck slowed, and slowed, and then went to 1/4 a quart in 3000 miles. This is in a 1986 F150 5.0 EFI. It was using a quart every 800 miles with whatever it came with, which I believe to be Kendall 10w30, and then I ran Castrol GTX 10w30 in it for a year and a half.

 

[macdole99]

i used a product called white shepard in my sentra that was leaking and it seemed to work very well git it at advance auto for about 9 bucks

 

[ET16]

I have tried LubroMoly Motor Oil Saver for a similar problem in a Mazda MPV; it seems to be working some, although it's early (350 miles).

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: macdole99
i used a product called white shepard in my sentra that was leaking and it seemed to work very well git it at advance auto for about 9 bucks


i have an oil leak in my bmw aroud the oil filter canister (common gasket problem)that this may solve. Is there any downside to the white shepard product?

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: macdole99
i used a product called white shepard in my sentra that was leaking and it seemed to work very well git it at advance auto for about 9 bucks


It was 16 bucks at my local advance.

 

[old-leroy]

Just checking in with an update as I saw there were following posts
The maxlife oil didnt stop the leak completely..but did make a noticeable improvement..I will give it a couple more months before using an additive to soften the seals{if the leak has completely stopped by such time}.