Is it worth fixing rear engine seal with car that has 205,000 miles?
#1
05-25-2007, 04:06 PM
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Is it worth fixing rear engine seal with car that has 205,000 miles?
I have got a 1997 Plymouth Breeze. It's the same type car as the Dodge Stratus. The car has got 205,000 miles. It's started leaking oil at the rear engine seal.
The car still runs real good. It uses very little oil (about one quart every 3,000 miles).
My mechanic says that a car with that many miles though has probably started losing compression around the piston rings. The compression is blowing into the crankcase and putting pressure on the seals.
I had the timing chain assembly replaced at the front of the engine about six months ago. It was leaking oil there. It's now stopped leaking oil at the front and is dry there.
The mechanic says that if I replace the rear engine seal the compression loss will probably cause pressure on the other seals and the weakest seal at a different location will start leaking. He says that it may not be worth the expense to repair the engine.
Can somebody tell me if I drill a hole in the oil fill cap on the valve cover will that let the blowby escape and alleviate the pressure on the oil seals?
It's going to cost about $600 to replace the rear oil seal. If I have the rear oil seal replaced about how long can I expect to go before the engine again starts leaking oil at the rear seal or somewhere else?
Thanks.
The car still runs real good. It uses very little oil (about one quart every 3,000 miles).
My mechanic says that a car with that many miles though has probably started losing compression around the piston rings. The compression is blowing into the crankcase and putting pressure on the seals.
I had the timing chain assembly replaced at the front of the engine about six months ago. It was leaking oil there. It's now stopped leaking oil at the front and is dry there.
The mechanic says that if I replace the rear engine seal the compression loss will probably cause pressure on the other seals and the weakest seal at a different location will start leaking. He says that it may not be worth the expense to repair the engine.
Can somebody tell me if I drill a hole in the oil fill cap on the valve cover will that let the blowby escape and alleviate the pressure on the oil seals?
It's going to cost about $600 to replace the rear oil seal. If I have the rear oil seal replaced about how long can I expect to go before the engine again starts leaking oil at the rear seal or somewhere else?
Thanks.
#2
05-26-2007, 07:16 PM
RE: Is it worth fixing rear engine seal with car that has 205,000 miles?
if the car didn't leak would you buy it for $600? if so then get it fixxed. if your not, try running a high mile eng oil. these oils have more seal swell (that's what it's really called). this basicly soaks into the eng seals and causes them to swell up helping to seal the eng better.
as for drilling a hole in the cap, i wouldn't do it. if you must vent the eng pull out the dipstick and find a small air filter to put on the tube. the dip stick tube is a direct path to the crankcase (where the pressure comes from), while the area were the fill cap is (valve cover) is alredy vented. whatever you decide make SURE you put an air filter over the hole as you do not want dirt getting into the eng.
you can get a comress check done pretty cheap, if you don't know any buds with the tools call around to shops and get a quote. if you know the motor is about to die, why fix it when you could spend the $$ on a new car? good luck.
as for drilling a hole in the cap, i wouldn't do it. if you must vent the eng pull out the dipstick and find a small air filter to put on the tube. the dip stick tube is a direct path to the crankcase (where the pressure comes from), while the area were the fill cap is (valve cover) is alredy vented. whatever you decide make SURE you put an air filter over the hole as you do not want dirt getting into the eng.
you can get a comress check done pretty cheap, if you don't know any buds with the tools call around to shops and get a quote. if you know the motor is about to die, why fix it when you could spend the $$ on a new car? good luck.