Rear Main Oil Seal Leak: Fixable with silicone?
10-28-2004, 06:42 PM
#1
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Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 198
Rear Main Oil Seal Leak: Fixable with silicone?
The rear main oil seal (I believe it's called) where the oil pan, crank shaft, and block meet has a very small oil leak. The main oil leak I was having had been my oil pressure switch, which I just recently took care of. If I drain all the oil, let it sti overnight, dry the small crack with an air hose and patch it up with some silicone, will this do the job? Or would I really have to do what the Nissan stealership said take the whole block apart to fix it?
10-28-2004, 07:14 PM
#3
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Originally Posted by Nomad
if it's rear seal u have to take off tranny, pain in *** and don't buy seal i dealership!!! go on-line!!! much cheaper like 20$ difference. Had the same problem changed it with clutch.
10-28-2004, 08:58 PM
#5
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yes its a quick fix. but what you pay for is what you get. If the rear main oil seal is destroyed you will never realize it and one day your engine may seize without any prior sign.
How does this happen? When a silicone seal fails it doesnt seep. It just breaks off like a clot. If this happens and the broken piece is large, you will have nothing keeping the oil in your car
How does this happen? When a silicone seal fails it doesnt seep. It just breaks off like a clot. If this happens and the broken piece is large, you will have nothing keeping the oil in your car
10-29-2004, 07:52 AM
#6
Man, I have the EXACT same leak. I talked with my mechanic (builds race cars on the side) and he said dont mess with it unless it really starts to leak. He said its a MAJOR PITA to fix and generally causes more leaks than it fixes. Just his .02.
Dub
Dub
10-29-2004, 08:29 AM
#7
Originally Posted by ChuckDaMaxRider
Whatever this thing is (I didn't actually view it myself), my mechanic tells me the transmission does not need to come out. He said he isn't 100% sure this'll work but he said odds are it will work and that it's definitely worth a try, if not...
I dont see how you would replace the rear main seal with out sepreating the motor from the tranny.
Thats really the only REAL way to correct the leak.
I wouldnt put to much trust in "patching" it up with silicone.
10-29-2004, 09:56 AM
#9
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 325
I agree the silicone fix would be a temporary band-aid at best....and real replacement is a major undertaking for a $20 part.....ypipe, lower engine craddle, oil pan and tranny all have to come off.
A rear main seal leak on these isn't like a seal leak on a Small block 350. If you had a leaky seal on a 350 it would groove the crank and could also result in starving the bearing. In the maxima engine that seal has little or no pressure behind it...it will only result in a small loss of oil. I wouldn't spend a dime to fix it unless it gets bad...like a 6" puddle every time you park it....or added a quart of oil when you fill the gas tank.
A rear main seal leak on these isn't like a seal leak on a Small block 350. If you had a leaky seal on a 350 it would groove the crank and could also result in starving the bearing. In the maxima engine that seal has little or no pressure behind it...it will only result in a small loss of oil. I wouldn't spend a dime to fix it unless it gets bad...like a 6" puddle every time you park it....or added a quart of oil when you fill the gas tank.
10-29-2004, 07:16 PM
#11
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Originally Posted by Dubbya
Man, I have the EXACT same leak. I talked with my mechanic (builds race cars on the side) and he said dont mess with it unless it really starts to leak. He said its a MAJOR PITA to fix and generally causes more leaks than it fixes. Just his .02.
Dub
Dub
I think I have had a tweek of a crack for a longtime but I started to actually notice oil on the ground cuz of my oil pressure switch and when I had that fixed, the rear main seal happened to also be noticed. I hafta look very closely to see the spillage in a 12-hour period.
10-30-2004, 06:29 AM
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 325
Even to do the silicone 'fix' is pretty major....lower engine craddle, y-pipe and oil pan will have to come off just to get to a point you can see the rear main seal. And I still don't think it will work....maybe a day or a week....but not months or years.
You asked for our opinion....but its your car and you should do what you want.
good luck,
jb
You asked for our opinion....but its your car and you should do what you want.
good luck,
jb
10-30-2004, 06:30 AM
#13
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 325
Something just came to mind. There are UV oil additives you can put in the oil, then use a UV light to find the source of the leak.....before you spend a dime on tearing your car apart perhaps being 100% sure where the leak is coming from would be wise. I think I have seen these kits for $30 somewhere.
10-30-2004, 06:35 AM
#14
11-01-2004, 08:05 AM
#15
Quote:
Just outta curiousity, how long have you had the leak? Has it worsened at all?
I think I have had a tweek of a crack for a longtime but I started to actually notice oil on the ground cuz of my oil pressure switch and when I had that fixed, the rear main seal happened to also be noticed. I hafta look very closely to see the spillage in a 12-hour period.
The leak started when I (stupidly) put synthetic oil in the car. Actually I guess the leak was there already but the synthetic oil worsened it. I switched over to some sort of Valvoline High Mileage Oil that is supposed to help stop leaks and condition gaskets. I havent even seen more than a drop of oil on the ground now. Try using that stuff. If you are only seeing a drop or two every 12 hours I would not spend the money to get it fixed.
Dub
Just outta curiousity, how long have you had the leak? Has it worsened at all?
I think I have had a tweek of a crack for a longtime but I started to actually notice oil on the ground cuz of my oil pressure switch and when I had that fixed, the rear main seal happened to also be noticed. I hafta look very closely to see the spillage in a 12-hour period.
The leak started when I (stupidly) put synthetic oil in the car. Actually I guess the leak was there already but the synthetic oil worsened it. I switched over to some sort of Valvoline High Mileage Oil that is supposed to help stop leaks and condition gaskets. I havent even seen more than a drop of oil on the ground now. Try using that stuff. If you are only seeing a drop or two every 12 hours I would not spend the money to get it fixed.
Dub
11-01-2004, 10:51 AM
#17
11-01-2004, 11:01 AM
#18
Um, there is no way to get at that seal w/o taking off the tranny. And for all of that trouble, I wouldn't even think about jerry rigging it with just silicone. What if it didn't work? Now you get to do it all over again.
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