Went to conventional oil... Front seal leaking.

[rustypigeon]

'94 toyota pickup 22re engine. Have been running Mobil 1 10w30 since almost new. The last oil change at 196,000 miles, I decided to go to Valvoline conventional 10w30. Today I noticed oil all over the front of the engine, it appears to be comming from the front crank seal.

I decided to go to conventional because I change it before 3,000 miles. I never put more than 3,000 miles a year on the truck these days, and I don't want to leave oil in the pan more than a year.

Anyone ever have a problem going to conventional after running synthetic for a long time? Is it a coincedence that it is leaking now? Should I go back to Mobil 1?

 

[NHGUY]

Gee...thats just the opposite of all the wives tales out there.

 

[KB2008X]

Before you can make any decisions on what to do you need to know without a doubt what it is that is leaking. At 200,000 an oil leak would not be an unusual occurrence, no matter what oil you've been using.

If the front crank seal is leaking, then the question is, why is it leaking. Changing that seal isn't that difficult, but you need to know why it went bad. I seriously doubt that the oil made it go bad, it's probably just normal wear and tear. You may want to check in with a Toyota truck forum and see what the consensus is with that engine.

If it was me, I would not be using a synthetic oil for just 3,000 miles or one year and then dumping it. Unless you're stressing the engine when you do use the truck, conventional will suffice.

 

[rustypigeon]

Originally Posted By: KB2008X
Before you can make any decisions on what to do you need to know without a doubt what it is that is leaking.


I just crawled under the truck. It is definately the front seal. It is not the original seal, i replaced it when I replaced the timing chain at 130,000 miles, since the front cover came off at that time. I got the seal from a timing chain kit so I don't know the quality of the seal. It was just one of several parts in the kit.

I just ordered a Beck Arnley seal to replace it. Hopefully the Beck Arnley seal will be Japanese like some of the other seals I got from them.

 

[antiqueshell]

Could be that the detergent pack is a bit different and it cleaned off the small amount of varnish or similar residue that was plugging the seal previously.

 

[oldhp]

Just checking, is the PCV valve working and the crankcase breather open?

 

[KB2008X]

Originally Posted By: rustypigeon
Originally Posted By: KB2008X
Before you can make any decisions on what to do you need to know without a doubt what it is that is leaking.


I just crawled under the truck. It is definately the front seal. It is not the original seal, i replaced it when I replaced the timing chain at 130,000 miles, since the front cover came off at that time. I got the seal from a timing chain kit so I don't know the quality of the seal. It was just one of several parts in the kit.

I just ordered a Beck Arnley seal to replace it. Hopefully the Beck Arnley seal will be Japanese like some of the other seals I got from them.


That cheap, seal from a kit is probably the cause. Beck-Arnley is usually good stuff, installing a new high quality seal makes sense.

It's also possible that there is groove worn on the crank where the seal rides, or the crank was nicked there doing the timing chain, although it's unlikely, you do sound like you know what you're doing.