Question: Has anyone ever used AT-205 re seal to stop oil leaks? I started to develop a rear main leak and was looking into stop leaks. I didn't want to put something in that gums up. This AT-205 seems to recondition and soften and help rubber seals from what I've read. Thoughts? Or possible another item to use. Thanks!
IMO, anything that swells seals also makes them softer and prone to getting totally torn up. It's a temp, used car type fix. Sucks to pull a motor, but off ya go!
Once upon a time, guys would dump a couple ounces of brake fluid into the oil to swell seals. No idea if it worked, or even had a chance at working. I don't know why brake fluid would swell rubber seals when it's completely compatible with the rubber seals in brake systems.
Nothing is going to help for very long if besides a shrunken seal you also have added crankcase pressure as a factor. I would give some Lucus additive a try, but it will not be a forever fix so make plans to do it right.
Thank you all for the info. I haven't done anything yet. Plan to get under it on Saturday and remove the flywheel cover to see if I can see where it's leaking....It's leaking just sitting in garage, so I'll check the oil pan around the back as well. Plus I got some 20W-50 Oil. Last oil change I put 4qts 10W40 in thinking little lighter over the winter so not sure if that's aiding in the slow drip that is now more of a drip.
X2, put a piece of white cardboard under it, and see what color the oil is. If it is Red (ATF), it's leaking because of converter drain back. Could be several possible leak points in that case. If it is engine oil, and it is leaking in the garage, it's probably just collecting in the inspection cover, and then leaking out in the garage. I added a small box to the bottom of my cover, and stuffed some oil absorbent matting in there.
The rear main is a rope seal and not made of rubber, so a rubber conditioner likely would have no effect on it.
Yeah, I popped the cover off and it's collecting all inside the cover and weeping out the drain hole in the garage. I don't notice anything flinging back underneath, just a pain when I get home from a cruise and drips as I stop before pulling in the garage. Just waiting for the HOA to be like clean your drive way stains LOL. And yeah its oil, but I do have a few red drops on my shifter boot on the side. I think the dam cork seal on the trans pan weeps fluid as well. That's a good idea. Yeah, I was thinking that same thing reading up on V8 on other rear main seal threads. I just drained out about 2qts of the 10W30 I put in there a few months ago and refilled with 2 quarts of 20W50. Cleaned up the inside of the inspection cover and up in that area and gave a 1/8 to 1/4 turn on the oil pan bolts around the back side just in case. We'll take her for a cruise this Sunday and see what happens.
Well, unfortunately when the rms leaks it sprays everywhere. When the car is parked gravity, does its' thing.
I personally have used this in my old Suburban. It had an oil leak and I was not going to do anything about it as I didn't want to pull the trans to change the rear main seal. The leak had been going on for many years. I used the AT-205 over the last nearly 2 year and have to say it worked GREAT !!! it didn't stop it completely but I will say it made a HUGE difference. I don't believe in mechanic in a can but have to say this stuff worked for what I wanted and I would use it again. I recently sold my the old suburban as it had nearly 300,000 miles. Still ran strong. I found and bought another one (Same year 2001) with only 78,000 miles on it and if it leaks I will surely use the AT-205 again.
Since there’s a question on WHAT is leaking from WHERE, put leak tracer dye in the trans. and engine, that way you can tell exactly where it’s coming from.
The challenge is the treatment will swell the seal but sometimes the seal doesn't know when to stop swelling. A long time ago JW commented about looking at the seal area with a good light and if it is truly the rear main or just the back of the oil pan (much easier to stop the leak). In my case it was the back of the pan and I was able to stop it without removing it. Hope this helps.
