Pennzoil Platinum Leak

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Eddo

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Mar 22, 2005
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albq, nm
I've always had the smallest leak on my rear main seal. It was a very small leak, it didn't really even drip. It never even left a drop on the garage floor, just the bottom of the bell housing was damp. Thus I never really paid much attention to it.

About 6-7 months ago I decided to try PP and noticed that rear main seal was leaking pretty good. At first I though it was just chance and my seal was getting ready to go. At my next OCI, I had a jug of M1 lying around and threw it in there. Low and behold the rear main seal barely leaked, and I forgot about the whole issue. Just a fluke or my mind playing tricks on me? Now I just switch back to PP after reading all the glowing reviews and rear main seal is starting to leak pretty darn good again.

I've heard synthetic supposedly can't cause a leak, and some people say they do. Either way, I've run M1 in my engine since the first few thousand miles and the rear main seal barely leaked. Is there something different in PP that is causing the rear main seal to leak alot more, or is there some other factors at work?
 
BTW,
Its a 3.7L V6 in a Jeep Liberty w/ ~48k. Always been changed every 5k with mainly M1

Thanks
 
All of the synthetics I've ran in my wifes Passat 30V, have caused the cam chain tensoiners to leak faster than with any brand of conventional. And I've used everything from GC to M1 0w40, M1 15w50, PP 5w50. So from now on it's just Delo 15w40 in the summer and GTX 5w30 in the winter. VW 502.00 be dam**d
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Stick with the predominately (cough) Group IV (cough) oil. If it's the 5W-30, the regular Mobil-1 is thicker at 11 cSt.

I'll bet the Mobil-1 is noisier thou! Quieter oils leak more.
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Sometimes it is best to run a new oil for more than one OCI before determining if it's a keeper. I bet if you ran the PP a few more times the leak would settel down again.
 
It is funny you mention this about your Jeep Liberty. I used M1 in my 4.7V8 Dakota backin the Tri-Syn days and never had a main seal issue but I got rid of my Dakota at around 30,000 miles if I rember right. One of the many times I had to take it in for a recall,TSB or warranty work the Service Writer asked me a question. He asked"What are you running for ATF?" I asked why? He mentioned that all of the ones he had ever seen on the lift new or with some milage all leaked or weeped ATF. He knew I had been in twice before looking for both trany filters. I did not tell him I was running Redline C+ ATF. I was in the shop for A/C work under warranty when he asked. I would give Redline a try and see if it helps the leak or makes it worse. If it gets worse the main sela is probably going to need to be replaced. Most Carquests will order Redline,Motul,Royal Purple,Amsoil products for you if they do not already stock them. They have them in their warehouse so it only takes about 2-3 days for them to get it. It is cheaper to get it through Car Quest then to order it unless you are ordering enough to make shipping worth while.

You could also try Auto-Rx but you would have to use dino oil for the clean and rinse phase. Then return back to oil of your choice and see what happens.
 
In case you did not get it my trany and transfer case did not leak or weep and was nice and dry the only one he had seen.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I may actually just try some maxlife synthetic at the next change. It seems to be reasonably price here at Wally World. I just though it was interesting that the leak never amounted to anything until I decided to try PP. Also, even when I went back to M1 for a OCI the leak subsided. I like PP, but maybe I may have to stick with something else.

Also in case anyone is wondering, it's definitely motor oil, not ATF. One of the first things I checked since it was coming from that area.
 
You should just go with what works best. However if you have a problem with that seal leaking you might consider having it repaired while it's still under your control. I have had a rear seal leak due to blowing a transmission and it one day suddenly started to leak a quart in about 50 miles. I almost lost the engine because I was about to drive it on a 200 mile trip when I checked the oil and was down 2.5 quarts on an oil change that was 3 weeks old. I lived in an apartment at that time and didn't notice the oil spot on the new blacktop parking lot. After that if I have any leaking seals other than valve cover gaskets, I get them repaired on my terms.
 
Evidently, you've got a leaking seal issue, and Pennz Platinum is not the problem, but rather just pointing out that you have a problem.

Any motor oil with "synthetic" on the label is going to need a seal swell additive to generate the normal 5-10% swell required of a GF-4 oil.

Pennzoil Platinum may have a lower seal swell rate & just plain leaks at a higher rate thru the defective seal.
 
Quote:

About 6-7 months ago I decided to try PP and noticed that rear main seal was leaking pretty good. At first I though it was just chance and my seal was getting ready to go. At my next OCI, I had a jug of M1 lying around and threw it in there. Low and behold the rear main seal barely leaked, and I forgot about the whole issue. Just a fluke or my mind playing tricks on me? Now I just switch back to PP after reading all the glowing reviews and rear main seal is starting to leak pretty darn good again.

Click to expand...


Maybe your seal only leaks with "real" synthetics, and thus it doesn't leak with M1.
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