rear main seal
#1
08-11-2009, 07:43 AM
rear main seal
I have a rear main seal leak and when it gets low on oil the motor seems real bogged down.. When that happens a real strong sulfur or rotten egg smell comes from the motor. At first I thought it was my cats.. Any advice.. Cant pull the motor dont have a picker is there a stop leak I could use.?
#2
08-11-2009, 10:35 AM
stop leaks are usually a a no no from what i've heard..do you know anybody with a picker? i know a guy with a shop and he will usually let me work in there so long as i dont get in the way, but if you are planning on swapping engines soon a stop leak may get you by
edit STP stop leak or thermaweld are the first couple that i saw but ive never used a stop leak so i cant say weather they work or not..just tryin to get you started. and if the leak is really bad the stop leak probably wont work
edit STP stop leak or thermaweld are the first couple that i saw but ive never used a stop leak so i cant say weather they work or not..just tryin to get you started. and if the leak is really bad the stop leak probably wont work
Last edited by Jonny Dubyah; 08-11-2009 at 11:13 AM.
#3
08-11-2009, 11:29 AM
How low on oil are you letting it get? If you are so low on oil that it is effecting the way it run you have already done damage to the inner workings.
How stop leaks work: Every seal is rated based on the fluids that have no effect on it. Example you can soak a transmission seal in transmission fluid for a month and it will still have the same hardness and size when you pull it out. Now soak a transmission seal in brake fluid. It will be softer and 2-3 times the size it was after just a few days.
So the leak sealer has a small amount of something that makes the seals swell and soften. If can work, in the case of a seal that is getting hard due to age. BUT if the problem is that seal has a small tear then making it bigger and softer will make it worse. Also if there is another seal in the car that is tight for some reason it can make that seal fail. I never recommend stop leak and I add the warning It might work or you might need a tow truck.
How stop leaks work: Every seal is rated based on the fluids that have no effect on it. Example you can soak a transmission seal in transmission fluid for a month and it will still have the same hardness and size when you pull it out. Now soak a transmission seal in brake fluid. It will be softer and 2-3 times the size it was after just a few days.
So the leak sealer has a small amount of something that makes the seals swell and soften. If can work, in the case of a seal that is getting hard due to age. BUT if the problem is that seal has a small tear then making it bigger and softer will make it worse. Also if there is another seal in the car that is tight for some reason it can make that seal fail. I never recommend stop leak and I add the warning It might work or you might need a tow truck.
#4
08-12-2009, 10:37 PM
Good explanation...
How low on oil are you letting it get? If you are so low on oil that it is effecting the way it run you have already done damage to the inner workings.
How stop leaks work: Every seal is rated based on the fluids that have no effect on it. Example you can soak a transmission seal in transmission fluid for a month and it will still have the same hardness and size when you pull it out. Now soak a transmission seal in brake fluid. It will be softer and 2-3 times the size it was after just a few days.
So the leak sealer has a small amount of something that makes the seals swell and soften. If can work, in the case of a seal that is getting hard due to age. BUT if the problem is that seal has a small tear then making it bigger and softer will make it worse. Also if there is another seal in the car that is tight for some reason it can make that seal fail. I never recommend stop leak and I add the warning It might work or you might need a tow truck.
How stop leaks work: Every seal is rated based on the fluids that have no effect on it. Example you can soak a transmission seal in transmission fluid for a month and it will still have the same hardness and size when you pull it out. Now soak a transmission seal in brake fluid. It will be softer and 2-3 times the size it was after just a few days.
So the leak sealer has a small amount of something that makes the seals swell and soften. If can work, in the case of a seal that is getting hard due to age. BUT if the problem is that seal has a small tear then making it bigger and softer will make it worse. Also if there is another seal in the car that is tight for some reason it can make that seal fail. I never recommend stop leak and I add the warning It might work or you might need a tow truck.
#7
08-13-2009, 08:23 PM
yea there are TONS of cars with 3800s so you could get a used one at a junk yard for pretty cheap..and yea you could always just a crate engine, but that will be a bit more expensive..and if it's only when the check engine light comes on, then it could be in your head..my check gauges light came on one time and i could have sworn the car was going to explode..until i saw i was low on fuel lol.
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