Author Topic: Oi Leak Repair?  (Read 5671 times)

Offline hondarider188

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Oi Leak Repair?
« on: January 11, 2013, 09:29:58 pm »
I've got a 1983 chevy k10 silverado with the 350 engine and a th350 transmission. I've got a small leak coming from the rear seal on the engine and it is also coming out the weep hole from the bottom. It isnt a serious leak or anything it is just a few drips at a time and i havn't needed to add any oil, but it is just one of those things that is just annoying and leaves a mess in the driveway. anyway my question is that has anyone ever used those oil additives that are suppose to stop leaks and had success with it? And if so what brand do you reccomend?
1983 K10 silverado

Offline 454Man

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2013, 09:37:44 pm »
All are gimmicks, but will raise you're oil pressure if you need. Stuff is thick like molasses

Online bd

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2013, 10:30:28 pm »
There are various types of additives.  Some are highly viscous as 454Man stated, some are made to swell the seals/gaskets, some claim to fill abnormalities in 'worn out' surfaces.  Pretty much all are stop-gap measures, to wild  s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s  of any credible imagination.  Some make existing problems worse, some create new problems, a few work on rare occasion, but rarely with repeatable outcome from vehicle-to-vehicle.  Essentially, most are disappointing, at best.  There simply is no substitute for a proper repair.
Rich
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In other words... if people learn by making mistakes, by now I should know just about everything!!!
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Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2013, 07:44:38 am »
x3 they all are bs. i worked at autozone for a while and we used to sell this stuff called "guarantee to pass" or something like that but anyway. if you read the small print it said something to the effect of its guarantee to pass as long as there's nothing wrong with the engine. well heck that does a lot of good
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Offline thirsty

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2013, 07:57:52 am »
Fel-Pro makes a pretty good stop leak. That's the way I would go.
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Offline bake74

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2013, 10:18:52 am »
I've got a 1983 chevy k10 silverado with the 350 engine and a th350 transmission. I've got a small leak coming from the rear seal on the engine and it is also coming out the weep hole from the bottom. It isnt a serious leak or anything it is just a few drips at a time and i havn't needed to add any oil, but it is just one of those things that is just annoying and leaves a mess in the driveway. anyway my question is that has anyone ever used those oil additives that are suppose to stop leaks and had success with it? And if so what brand do you reccomend?

     I have one question before my answer, are you positive it is from the engine and not the transmission ?  Just clarifying to make sure.
     I have used some of these stop leaks in the past.  My 74 step k10 I have as a parts truck, when I got it a little over 2 years ago had a small leak in the rear main seal.  I did not want to fix it because it is a parts truck for my other 74 that I am doing a frame off restore.
     Long story short, I used some of this additive, ( do not remember which, though I did do my homework for my situation ), I had to use it I think over the next 3 oil changes but it worked, I even have driven that truck to Idaho to pick up my wife's boat and still to this day no leaks.  So in some cases it can swell the seals and stop leaks, but if it is too bad I do not believe outside fixing the problem I would trust it on a truck I plan on driving for a long time.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline hondarider188

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2013, 02:50:16 pm »
In answer to your question bake74 I am sure its the engine that the leak is coming from. it is engine oil coming from the weep hole and down the side. It is just a small leak with only a few drops at a time so im not really worried. Its just that the leak itself is annoying to have. And when i got the truck the tranny fluid was low so i filled it up and not had it drop at all or seen any oil coming out either so i believe i am fine there.
1983 K10 silverado

Offline hondarider188

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2013, 02:56:21 pm »
well never mind my last post when i said that i havnt been leaking any tranny oil. I just checked and my tranny stick says i need 1pint so i probably do but the truck has been sitting for about half an hour now in subzero cold so im sure it has cooled off some. so i will check it again when i go home after driving from work and check it again.
1983 K10 silverado

Offline hondarider188

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2013, 08:05:57 pm »
sorry i forgot to check it again. I will try and do it in the morning and just base it off of the cold readings
1983 K10 silverado

Offline hondarider188

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2013, 06:27:37 pm »
Ok last night i changed out the valve cover gaskets,because thats what the last owner said was leaking and i already had the gaskets. and i cant see any leaks from them yet so i think im good their at least but the rear main seal i still think i need to replace.
1983 K10 silverado

Offline bake74

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2013, 10:36:54 pm »
Ok last night i changed out the valve cover gaskets,because thats what the last owner said was leaking and i already had the gaskets. and i cant see any leaks from them yet so i think im good their at least but the rear main seal i still think i need to replace.

     If you can, clean it really well and then determine where it is leaking.  You might of had a leak from the valve covers running down to the area of the rear main seal.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline hondarider188

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Re: Oi Leak Repair?
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2013, 12:45:49 am »
Yeah i have cleaned it up as much as i can already but i havnt since I changed the gaskets. I do have some oil coming out of the weep hole to so that should be the rear main seal. yet also from what i could see before it looked like the oil had ran down and onto the weep hole also since it is the lowest point for it to go then bead up and fall. so i dont know yet ill clean it up tomorrow and just have to give it a few days and see if anymore comes out.
1983 K10 silverado