motor oil question

[2ndmouse]

my aspire has 107k on it, and the main seals are "seeping" as is the valve cover... nothing more than a seep. the oil needs changed now, and I was thinking about flushing it really well with "flush" (canned diesel fuel for the job) and then putting in synthetic oil. I read its far better than regular oil for high mile engines.

my mechanic tell s me this will make the seep oil leak much much worse, between the flush cleaning out the "blood clots" along the seals and the synthetic oil cleaning it out even more.

I work on old V8's, some seep oil and i have flushed engines with 2 quarts of diesel fuel to clean out the gunk, and it never made "seeping oil leaks" worse. if anything it stopped some leaks.
but this little thing ain't no FE390... :lol:

so is what he tells me true? I sure don't want to make a light oil seep a major leak by being stupid. I'll take festiva owners first hand knowledge over the mechanics heresay.... you guys should know!

[darkdan]

Flushing with a solvent will most likely make it worse. The seal might have a little bit of dirt keeping it closed.

It takes a 10 mm socket, an 8 mm socket (I think), a pair of pliers, a phillip heads screw driver, and about 20 minutes to change a valve cover gasket.

Remove intake tube (1 10mm bolt, clamp by TB, air box clamps, and 2 wiring harnesses)

Remove top two bolts for timing belt cover (on the left)

Remove 6 10 mm bolts holding down valve cover

Remove valve cover. Replace gasket.

Reverse.

Afterwards, pick a good synthetic. AMSOIL, Mobil1, Red Line, or Royal Purple (or are you in canada? I can give you a few good recommendations)

If you have other seals leaking, let me know.

You also might want to think about www.auto-rx.com before you use synthetic to clean your ringpacks and bearings really well.

Afterwards if you burn less than a quart every 3000 miles of synthetic you can easily go 8000 miles between oil changes. I've got the used oil analysis results to prove it.

[2ndmouse]

i'm not 100% sure the oil that seems to be seping from the front and rear seals isnt from the valve cover running down to drip off those spots on the engine... but I'll assume both main seals are leaky.

the front seal should be easy to replace, the rear seal requires I remove the transmission. for me more a lack of help than skill.

the rear leaks more than the front. lucky me.

my fear is I clense the engine and i develop a massive mainseal leak. I might just keep changing oil & filters till i have the cash to just let the mechanic do it... I really dont have the time.
I'm going to degrease the whole engine, replace the valve cover gasket then watch.... all that oil might be old oil or years of accumulated crud from old leaks or the valve cover leak.

if it wasnt for all these darm hoses and wires everywhere i'd just yank the engine and replace all the seals. Once I study the shop manual a bit more I might brave it.

of course, if I let the mechanic do it i have someone to blame if it gets screwed up.
:lol:

[2ndmouse]

after degreasing the engine and observing, there is no main seal or trans leaks.... its all coming from that valve pan.

cool....