Oil leak

[explorer99sport]

I have a small leak where the bell housing mounts to the engine. It wasnt bad, but now its drips just one drop after driving, nothing serious. I think it is the rear main seal, possibly the oil pan seal. I use synthetic oil 10w-30 , I:exporange was thinking of using 10w-50. Should I still use synthetic or should I switch to conventional oil?

 

[OneLever]

I have a similar leak. Don't change the viscosity of the oil you use because of it. Those ratings are important for the engine's moving parts. It wouldn't make sense to have them wear out to possibly plug up a slow oil leak. I'd say just live with it unless it becomes a fountain of oil.

 

[ragajungle]

10w50 will starve all the main bearings on start-up and then you'll have bigger problems.

 

[explorer99sport]

Should I just switch to conventional oil instead, do you think it would make a difference?
I use Full Synthetic now..

 

[OneLever]

I was using dyno oil before and switched to synthetic. No change on the rate of oil loss. So I stayed with synthetic.

 

[explorer99sport]

Ok thank you, I think I am going to use 10w-40 she has high mileage she could use it. I heard people using 15w-50 Mobil 1, but they had a more severe leak and a lot higher mileage. I heard Bars Severe Leak works well so ill try, but i really don't think that kinda stuff works.

 

[Gus Gorilla]

No, most of them will work. However I'd recommend staying away from "Magic Snake Oil" stopleak type products. If it's bad enough you really need to take action, take the right action and fix it. Most stopleak products, (oil, coolant, refrigerant, etc) will plug more than just the leak. In oils it can plug oil passages to bearings. In coolant it can plug small passages and often plugs heater cores. And in refrigerant it will plug damn near everything A/C related.

You'd be better off letting out a drip or two a day instead of putting any of those quick fix things in any system.

 

[OneLever]

I think I am going to use 10w-40

I would not change the type of oil you are using. If the leak is bad enough then it needs to be fixed. Otherwise it can be ignored. You might cause greater problems by making a mountain out of a molehill.