Anything out there to seal up an oil leak?
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Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
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Anything out there to seal up an oil leak?
This isn't for my truck, but for my '97 Ford Contour. It's my work vehicle and it has a small oil leak. Are there any products out there that I can add to the oil that will plug up a small leak but not hurt the engine?
I figure if anybody knows, it would be you guys.
I figure if anybody knows, it would be you guys.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 337
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From: La.
I have used K&W block seal on the water side before. I have a co-worker that has said he used it in a truck to get through grinding season on the oil side with good results. Best thing is to repair the leak but, if your looking for a patch I would suggest K&W. You can find it at autozone.
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 590
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Sorry, but you're gonna hear the same answer from me:
Do it right. If it's worth doing, don't screw around with mysery additives and magic potions-eventually you're going to change the oil and you's have to do it again and again . . .
Do it right or don't bother doing it.
Do it right. If it's worth doing, don't screw around with mysery additives and magic potions-eventually you're going to change the oil and you's have to do it again and again . . .
Do it right or don't bother doing it.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,597
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Oil leaks in engines fall into two major categories.
1. Gasket/mechanical leaks. These are not chemically fixable. Example of a gasket leak is a torn cork or paper valvecover gasket. An example of a mechanical leak is a broken oil sender unit, or a hole in the oil pan.
The repair for those is replacement, or external plugging in the case of an oil pan leak.
Oil drain plug leaks are quite common and usually only require a new oil pan seal/ring/gasket to fix.
On neoprene or other 'rubber' valve cover gaskets you can often fix them by carefully tightening the bolts, in pattern order, but without over-tightening.
Oil sender leaks necessitate removing and replacing the sender. No other repair is possible for those.
Oil filters often leak because people who install them either don't clean the contact surface adequately, or fail to oil the gasket. It is possible that the oil filter is not tightened enough. Many people do not read the directions on the filter, which have changed over the years.
A faulty crankcase vent (example, a clogged PCV) will force oil out of the engine. This can be 'cured' but will always return eventually unless the actual problem, insufficient crankcase ventilation is fixed.
2. The other type of oil leak, not gasket, not mechanical, is seal leakage. Usually a seep or slow leak usually from the front or rear of the engine.
This can be treated with oil stop leak.
People who do not understand chemistry or engines do not realize that 'oil stop leak' is NOT a gum or plug solution.
It is a thin liquid that is designed to soften and swell the 'rubber' oil seals. It will not plug any passages, or gum anything up.
In fact it thins the oil slightly.
Its purpose is to soften hardened seals and swell seals enough to plug very small tears.
It works well for that usage.
However it is not uncommon for the treatment to only work as long as the additive is in the oil, thus necessitating adding it with each oil change.
If you treat it with a full can at an oil change and the leak stops but starts up next oil change you can usually just use a quarter to half a can per oil change.
If the seal softener/conditioner works, it will usually work within 50-75 miles. Some residual oil will still be present after the first treatment.
A small oil leak makes a large mess. Most people overestimate the amount of oil they are losing. If you are leaking a quart in five thousand miles, you will get a pretty big spot under the car every time you park it.
A quart in 1000 miles equals a patch the size of a dinner plate every time you park it.
A quart of oil can cover almost an acre if spread thinly.
There is no harm in trying a can of oil stop leak, except the cost of the stuff.
It will present no danger to the engine.
If a can does not stop the leak, the leak is mechanical or in a paper/cork gasket.
Chris
1. Gasket/mechanical leaks. These are not chemically fixable. Example of a gasket leak is a torn cork or paper valvecover gasket. An example of a mechanical leak is a broken oil sender unit, or a hole in the oil pan.
The repair for those is replacement, or external plugging in the case of an oil pan leak.
Oil drain plug leaks are quite common and usually only require a new oil pan seal/ring/gasket to fix.
On neoprene or other 'rubber' valve cover gaskets you can often fix them by carefully tightening the bolts, in pattern order, but without over-tightening.
Oil sender leaks necessitate removing and replacing the sender. No other repair is possible for those.
Oil filters often leak because people who install them either don't clean the contact surface adequately, or fail to oil the gasket. It is possible that the oil filter is not tightened enough. Many people do not read the directions on the filter, which have changed over the years.
A faulty crankcase vent (example, a clogged PCV) will force oil out of the engine. This can be 'cured' but will always return eventually unless the actual problem, insufficient crankcase ventilation is fixed.
2. The other type of oil leak, not gasket, not mechanical, is seal leakage. Usually a seep or slow leak usually from the front or rear of the engine.
This can be treated with oil stop leak.
People who do not understand chemistry or engines do not realize that 'oil stop leak' is NOT a gum or plug solution.
It is a thin liquid that is designed to soften and swell the 'rubber' oil seals. It will not plug any passages, or gum anything up.
In fact it thins the oil slightly.
Its purpose is to soften hardened seals and swell seals enough to plug very small tears.
It works well for that usage.
However it is not uncommon for the treatment to only work as long as the additive is in the oil, thus necessitating adding it with each oil change.
If you treat it with a full can at an oil change and the leak stops but starts up next oil change you can usually just use a quarter to half a can per oil change.
If the seal softener/conditioner works, it will usually work within 50-75 miles. Some residual oil will still be present after the first treatment.
A small oil leak makes a large mess. Most people overestimate the amount of oil they are losing. If you are leaking a quart in five thousand miles, you will get a pretty big spot under the car every time you park it.
A quart in 1000 miles equals a patch the size of a dinner plate every time you park it.
A quart of oil can cover almost an acre if spread thinly.
There is no harm in trying a can of oil stop leak, except the cost of the stuff.
It will present no danger to the engine.
If a can does not stop the leak, the leak is mechanical or in a paper/cork gasket.
Chris
Last edited by ChrisAdams; Jul 9, 2006 at 01:32 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 511
Likes: 0
From: Schenectady, NY
Oil leaks in engines fall into two major categories.
1. Gasket/mechanical leaks. These are not chemically fixable. Example of a gasket leak is a torn cork or paper valvecover gasket. An example of a mechanical leak is a broken oil sender unit, or a hole in the oil pan.
The repair for those is replacement, or external plugging in the case of an oil pan leak.
Oil drain plug leaks are quite common and usually only require a new oil pan seal/ring/gasket to fix.
On neoprene or other 'rubber' valve cover gaskets you can often fix them by carefully tightening the bolts, in pattern order, but without over-tightening.
Oil sender leaks necessitate removing and replacing the sender. No other repair is possible for those.
Oil filters often leak because people who install them either don't clean the contact surface adequately, or fail to oil the gasket. It is possible that the oil filter is not tightened enough. Many people do not read the directions on the filter, which have changed over the years.
A faulty crankcase vent (example, a clogged PCV) will force oil out of the engine. This can be 'cured' but will always return eventually unless the actual problem, insufficient crankcase ventilation is fixed.
2. The other type of oil leak, not gasket, not mechanical, is seal leakage. Usually a seep or slow leak usually from the front or rear of the engine.
This can be treated with oil stop leak.
People who do not understand chemistry or engines do not realize that 'oil stop leak' is NOT a gum or plug solution.
It is a thin liquid that is designed to soften and swell the 'rubber' oil seals. It will not plug any passages, or gum anything up.
In fact it thins the oil slightly.
Its purpose is to soften hardened seals and swell seals enough to plug very small tears.
It works well for that usage.
However it is not uncommon for the treatment to only work as long as the additive is in the oil, thus necessitating adding it with each oil change.
If you treat it with a full can at an oil change and the leak stops but starts up next oil change you can usually just use a quarter to half a can per oil change.
If the seal softener/conditioner works, it will usually work within 50-75 miles. Some residual oil will still be present after the first treatment.
A small oil leak makes a large mess. Most people overestimate the amount of oil they are losing. If you are leaking a quart in five thousand miles, you will get a pretty big spot under the car every time you park it.
A quart in 1000 miles equals a patch the size of a dinner plate every time you park it.
A quart of oil can cover almost an acre if spread thinly.
There is no harm in trying a can of oil stop leak, except the cost of the stuff.
It will present no danger to the engine.
If a can does not stop the leak, the leak is mechanical or in a paper/cork gasket.
Chris
1. Gasket/mechanical leaks. These are not chemically fixable. Example of a gasket leak is a torn cork or paper valvecover gasket. An example of a mechanical leak is a broken oil sender unit, or a hole in the oil pan.
The repair for those is replacement, or external plugging in the case of an oil pan leak.
Oil drain plug leaks are quite common and usually only require a new oil pan seal/ring/gasket to fix.
On neoprene or other 'rubber' valve cover gaskets you can often fix them by carefully tightening the bolts, in pattern order, but without over-tightening.
Oil sender leaks necessitate removing and replacing the sender. No other repair is possible for those.
Oil filters often leak because people who install them either don't clean the contact surface adequately, or fail to oil the gasket. It is possible that the oil filter is not tightened enough. Many people do not read the directions on the filter, which have changed over the years.
A faulty crankcase vent (example, a clogged PCV) will force oil out of the engine. This can be 'cured' but will always return eventually unless the actual problem, insufficient crankcase ventilation is fixed.
2. The other type of oil leak, not gasket, not mechanical, is seal leakage. Usually a seep or slow leak usually from the front or rear of the engine.
This can be treated with oil stop leak.
People who do not understand chemistry or engines do not realize that 'oil stop leak' is NOT a gum or plug solution.
It is a thin liquid that is designed to soften and swell the 'rubber' oil seals. It will not plug any passages, or gum anything up.
In fact it thins the oil slightly.
Its purpose is to soften hardened seals and swell seals enough to plug very small tears.
It works well for that usage.
However it is not uncommon for the treatment to only work as long as the additive is in the oil, thus necessitating adding it with each oil change.
If you treat it with a full can at an oil change and the leak stops but starts up next oil change you can usually just use a quarter to half a can per oil change.
If the seal softener/conditioner works, it will usually work within 50-75 miles. Some residual oil will still be present after the first treatment.
A small oil leak makes a large mess. Most people overestimate the amount of oil they are losing. If you are leaking a quart in five thousand miles, you will get a pretty big spot under the car every time you park it.
A quart in 1000 miles equals a patch the size of a dinner plate every time you park it.
A quart of oil can cover almost an acre if spread thinly.
There is no harm in trying a can of oil stop leak, except the cost of the stuff.
It will present no danger to the engine.
If a can does not stop the leak, the leak is mechanical or in a paper/cork gasket.
Chris