Synthetic oil with moisture around valve covers?

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grbr95

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I'm thinking about switching over to synthetic on my 2000 Dodge Caravan 3.3L.
I have very slight oil seapage coming from the valve cover gasket. Since this seal is on the top of the engine, will sythetic cause it to get worse or not?

Everywhere else on the engine is bone dry, no oil leaks.
 
why not jsut replace the calve cover gasket and get it over with. I would say it might get worse. just replace it and you dont have to worry about the leak no more.
 
Reason I don't want to change it now is cost. It is not a leak, only seapage. Very very little moisutre coming through..but just a tad.

I'm one to not replace an engine seal until I notice oil dripping on the ground because, inevitably, any engine will have moisture on it within 50-100k miles.

I do wonder; howerver, if the use of synthetics causes the seals to last longer compare with using dino?
 
grbr95, evidently, you haven't owned any Japanese built vehicles. Sure, Chrysler-products may have this lovely characteristic of leaking, but, not all makes do that.
 
quote:
Reason I don't want to change it now is cost. It is not a leak, only seapage. Very very little moisutre coming through..but just a tad.
Click to expand...
rolleyes.gif
Oil seepage is a leak. Try tighten the bolts.
quote:
I'm one to not replace an engine seal until I notice oil dripping on the ground because, inevitably, any engine will have moisture on it within 50-100k miles.
Click to expand...
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While I would expect an oil leak on my 68 Chevy, my standards are much higher for modern cars. I have not had an oil leak at 50-100k miles on two Toyotas and one Honda I have owned in the last 20 years. My normal work car is 15 year old Toyota truck that I bought new and it still does not leak oil. More than half its oil changes have been with synthetics.
 
Quote: "How much can a valve cover gasket cost fer cryin' out loud? "
I'm with grbr on this one... The gasket kit is about 60.00 from on line sources with shipping. You can add a lot of oil for a weepy gasket for 60.00 . grbr, maybe one of the hm oils with a seal sweller could help? Maxlife has a good deal of synthetic in it already, check some of TallPaul's posts, and this could be a solution.
 
$60! Dang!

It's too bad, your motor must have had a revision, I found a set for 91-99 on ebay for five bucks.

I respect if you're limping it along until a better price appears with increased aftermarket support. Six years is a bit young for ultra-generic parts to start appearing but maybe next year...

As a matter of semantics, if you don't have anything spinning past an liquid-retaining surface, you don't have a seal, you have a gasket. I kind of expect gaskets to last a little longer as I believe they live an easier life. They should not need to swell as they age to take up space from worn parts. Oil choice should not matter for bad gaskets.

I take it this vc gasket design doesn't take well to RTV either?
 
Yep ..$60 is a long way to a cost effective repair here. Lots of oil you can buy. Since you're not dripping ..no problem, IMHO. Retorque the bolts as was suggested and wait for the cheaper gasket set to come to market. You may not even own the thing by that time
dunno.gif
 
those gaskets don't run $60. That's silly. About $25 total max ought to do it. And to say you can't afford a gasket but want to use synthetic is doubly silly. Fix the problem, oil is not a mechanic in a bottle.
 
It's not the cost of the parts, it's the cost of the labor. My mechanic has to tilt the engine forward to get to the back valve cover gasket. I don't have 2-300 dollars to throw at it.
 
I hear you loud and clear on the labor.
I had a coolant leak.....gasket would cost less than $25. Labor......$1200.
Some jobs are not on my to-do list for a Saturday on the driveway.
Raise engine...and remove all the stuff...with special tools.....

If you can get at it to slightly tighten the bolts....worth a try.... Don't over do it.....like breaking a bolt.
Also.....I would NOT use any "stop leak" in the oil. There are cases for it in the coolant, but I would steer away from it in the oil.

I would also drive the van up on ramps..... set the brake....put a block behind one of the rear tires.....and slide yourself under there with a flashlight.....and make sure that oil is not running down onto something that you don't want it to.
In fact....I would advise anyone even remotely handy to do that. Gives you a chance to nip a problem in the bud.... Rather than along the road on a trip.....or on your way to work.

Simple Green works great for me in cleaning the engine......spray it on....and rinse it off.....do it on a cold engine...and don't get any electrical stuff wet.

I have been using Mobil 1 5W-30 since I got my '96 windstar...with just over 37K miles on it.....It is over 160K miles now.
I have a couple of "slight seapages"....but very slight....I do not need to add any oil between oil changes.
Is dyno better for gaskets / seals? I do not know.
I do like the cold starts with my Mobil 1.
 
"those gaskets don't run $60. That's silly. About $25 total max ought to do it. And to say you can't afford a gasket but want to use synthetic is doubly silly. Fix the problem, oil is not a mechanic in a bottle."
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I'm with (fred0803) on this one. The guy doesn't want to spring for new gaskets, but is willing to spend $5.00+ for each quart of oil.
rolleyes.gif
 
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