I've done a lot of research on Stop leak additives and seal conditioners, and have some experience with automotive and aircraft engine seals and overhauls, and many of the stop leak products have chemicals such as Naphtha that simply swells the seals by partially dissolving them. Other products like the AT-205, Lucas are similar or idenitical to the seal conditioners that are in "High Milage" oils, and are actually supposed to re-contition seal without damaging them. Your main seal has a circular spring in rubber ring that when the seal was soft caused it to grip the shaft. When the seal hardens over time then the spring can't overcome the hard rubber to seal the shaft. A conditioner simply softens the rubber allowing the spring to re-apply pressure and help re-seal the shaft. Not cause it to swell up. It seems many mechanics don't understand the difference between re-conditioning seals and other stop leak products. I would personally be inclined to go the At-205 or lucas route for a few hundred miles and see if it helps. Replacing the rear main seal might not be as bad some are claiming, and often Transmission shops can drop a transmission and install a new seal cheaper then a RV shop.
+Smitty Durkin Nothing is easy when working on an Econoline van. My guess is there is not enough room to drop the engine oil pan, with out first dropping the transmission, and lifting the engine up a few inches. The alternative to this, would be cutting loose the front suspension, to give the needed clearance.
+Smitty Durkin It may need the engine raised to remove the oil pan, it depends on the clearance under the oil pan and cross member under the engine, it also may need the rear transmission support removed allowing the engine to be raised enough to get the oil pan out. If you do remove the oil pan, be sure and replace the oil pump with a high volume pump, it will be like a heart transplant and help keep things lubed inside the engine, but you are right, I think the rear seal probably could be replaced by removing the oil pan.
+HDXProd is correct ...DO NOT USE THESE PRODUCTS ...also to change that seal you and a friend could do in a day maybe two if bolts are rusty not that hard to do ..just alot of work to get to it
+ HDXProd : the rear main seal on the 80's model blocks are more complicated than later model units . On a 90's style there is a one piece seal similar to the front seal it fits into a seal plate around the crank flange That bolts to the back of the block and rear main cap and is sealed there with a gasket . That is easily repaired in comparison to earlier style seals . All you must do is pull ye transmission and flywheel or flex plate . The kit comes with a seal and a gasket . I generally don't bother with the gasket unless it has been leaking as you can open up another can of worms there . Replace the seal and gasket if it was leaking or you had to remove the seal plate to pop the seal out . Then reinstall the transmission and done. With this older seal you will need to drop the transmission and flywheel or flex plate , then undo motor mounts to lift the motor to gain clearance to drop the oil pan remove the rear main cap and loosen the rest of the main caps let the crank sag out of the block remove the old seal , which could be a neoprene seals or a rubber impregnated rope seal . This will have to be carefully fiddled into place and may inspired colorful language . The bottom seal half should be much easier since the cap is in your hand . Replace the rear main cap and re torque the main caps in order . I would put on a new oil pump while to are here . and don't forget to lube your main bearings with assembly lube before you reassemble your bottom end then oil pan and new gaskets then put it back together . don't forget to put a new crank case breather and PCV valve and make sure your hoses are in good shape . oil leaks are often caused by a build up of crank case pressure blowing oil past the seals and gaskets . If the motor has reached the point where blow by is causing pressure to rise faster than your PVC system can vent it all this will be mostly for naught as something will leas soon .
Hey Eric. I see lots of folks telling you to do the same thing; thicker oil! That's okay in the warm, keep her topped off, watch for any increase in leakage. I have an almost IDENTICLE rig, same engine, so I'm watching your progress! DON'T use a seal-swell product. Thicker oil, watch the level, keep her under 75 mph. Pet Jax for me, LOVE da kitty! As always, good luck and safe travels, friend!!!
hey eric , i bought my famu ly a motor home because i love watching your shows and if you come to grand rapids michigan ever i would fix what you need done. i am a mechanic, dont panic its not hard to fix all you have to do is take the transmission out it will take about 6 to 7 hours to fix. i live in grand rapids but i was born in mexico.
a rear main seal isnt a big deal as long as you keep the oil toped up. its not guna wear anything out faster than normal. love your vids btw buddy keep up the good work.
+The Monkey Man Yup. Gonna have to buy cheap oil by the gallons. Been there done that. And try thicker oil to. As long as you don't run out you'll be fine. Just gotta stay on top of the oil level.
run thicker oil then the engine remmends won't leak passed the seal so much then and iv always used the stop leak and it helped for me for a fount seal on my engine
I'd like to say how much I love your channel. I admire your courage for having the nerve to live your dream. Good luck in your travels . Merry Christmas to you and Jax
I had the same problem on my 454 in my Winnebago. I bought a rear main seal and found out I had to lift the motor to get the oil pan off. Hard to do in a Class A. So I read a lot of hot rod sites and they recommended I use the Bar's leaks Rear main seal repair. So I gave it a try and it worked great.
Jax sure was having fun. Cute lil Christmas tree...made the RV feel warm and homey. I've been waiting for your Cali vids...warm weather, sunshine and palm trees :-)
Your cat is awesome, watching your videos brigs back great memories from 2007 when I cycled the great divide, when I got to explore your beautiful country. keep up the good work, Merry christmas from the island of Jersey ,Great Britain.
That's a good idea for Jax. We have chips in both of our pets and its still good to know they have our phone number, even if we are traveling. Thanks for the idea!
Eric we have the same tree. When fluffed out more it looks great. We just put ribbons around for decorations and that is all it needs for a small tree, or just enjoy fluffed with no decorations.
You've gotten some good advice from that mechanic. Let me give you some more if you choose his wise words. Get your van a diaper. Whether you start with a chunk of carpet or something more complicated, catch that drip wherever you park. If you don't, your oil stains will make no only you unwelcome, but most other RV'rs as well. It's an environmental pollutant as well as making ugly marks on people's paving so finding a way to capture it while parked will save you grief. I used to throw a chunk of carpet under my beater when I parked in a customer's driveway to paint their house.
I have been a machanic for over 30 years. I own a clas A motor home with a 460 in it and I had the same problem with the rear main seal leaking. I added one quart of lucus oil and after about 500 miles the leak was gone. Lucus oil dose not damage the seals, it makes the seal soft and removes old oil from the seal. It worked in my 460,1994 engine and it will work in your engine.
Eric, today's hydrocracked base oils flow much better than the old solvent refined stuff. They find smaller nooks and crannies and find their way out much easier. They also clean out sludge and expose those nooks and crannies. Just keep her topped off and keep on trucking.
I agree will most of the advice you're getting. Now that you're in warmer climes, use the heaviest oil used in that engine [20W-50?]. When you get to western Texas, you'll be able to find a "Bubba's" who can do this for a reasonable price. The good about CA: scenery, produce, wines, weather; the rest sucks. Just yesterday I heard the CEO of Whole Foods say "I can open a new store in Siberia or Shanghai in a little more than 100 days, but in CA it takes almost 300."
Yeah Eric, don't use any stop leak stuff, the stuff is made to plug things up, so it might plug the wrong things up and you can end up with a blown motor, I believe that's what happened to my motor. Costly lesson but I was young when that happened. Just keep adding oil intill you can replace the gaskets or do a rebuild.
Nice Christmas tree, Eric. Good idea for keeping up with Jax. I'll keep that in mind when we hit the road with our puppy dog. Glad that you got the information about the engine.
High mileage oil usually contains those additives that make the gaskets swell up and stuff I would go with that like you said and not add any extra addatives to it.
Love the idea of the bluetooth tracker! Wish I had that back in 1997, when my landlord's maintenance crew left the door open to my apartment...and yeah, both my cats disappeared. Haven't had one since sadly. I need to go to the local shelter! Yeah, Cattlemens is only open for dinner.
Hi Eric and Jax the Wondercat. I drive a 1997 Dodge Caravan. I don't know why, but years ago the oil started leaking. I do think It was something I did probably. They told me it would be about $1000 to fix it but considering the age, to just keep an eye on the oil level. I check it about once a week and always carry oil with me and so far, so good. I also asked them about working on RVs and my repair place (small neighborhood garage) told me they did not work on RVs because they could not get them up on the lift things. I got the impression that if I did get one they would do any repair possible without going up on the lift. I do have quite an oil slick in my driveway which irritates the man next door to death. My dog did not like him and I don't either, so I don't worry about it. Another idea for Jax, you can get little lights to clip on their collar. You just press them on when you go out after dark, or in the daytime would also be a way to spot them. I hope this trip is happy and safe for you. There are plenty of your friends along the way, so if need be, shout out for help and those of us who can will help you. Also love the tree!
A rear main seal is not as bad as many folks make it out to be. Your RV is old and has lots of room under it. Pull the dog house to access the upper engine to trans bolts, remove the rest below, unbolt the drive shaft, unbolt the torque converter bolts, unbolt the starter, undo the shift linkage, unbolt the trans cross member and slide trans back and down out of the way. Remove flex plate, remove old rear main seal, install new seal and then put back together. Time consuming but no special tools required except another person or a trans jack. How much oil leaks from the rear main when parked over night? A huge puddle, size of a quarter, etc? If the leak is very minimal then you can try adding (1 cap full) of brake fluid to your engine oil and it may seal it up after 500-1000 miles or so. Now I said ONE small cap full only! It will help to swell the dried up seal material which may stop the leak. I would avoid any of the miracle in a can type of treatments as most don't work anyways. If it's leaking a decent amount then the brake fluid isn't going to cut it as it's probably mechanically damaged and will need repaired. IMO if you are using less than 1 quart of oil every 3-5 k miles then just leave her alone. As long as you keep your oil changed and add to it before it becomes to low then you have nothing to worry about. How often do you change your oil and what kind and weight are you using? Does your RV have the 460 engine? Take care.
Make sure that you get him use to the beeping before he gets lost. You don't want the first time he hears the beep to be when he is lost and possibly make him run further away if the noise scares him.
hi Eric A slightly thicker high mileage oil will definitely help with the rear main seal leak. In California the best places to get RV work done are mom and pop or mobile mechanics. the big chain places have have a RV certification to work on an RV, regardless of what the repair is
That 460 will probably last longer with a rear seal leak since you will keep close tabs on the oil level. Tough motors. Go to thicker oil in the summer. I personally don't like synthetic oil and even lost a motorcycle engine because of it. Doesn't stick to parts as well so some things are dryer on startup until oil get circulating. Follow manufacture's recommend oil and then adjust for age and leaks and you will be fine.
5:32 If those are Aluminum valves you might want to take them off since they corrode and fuse on. Mine did that so I'm switching back to plastic valve caps.
Love, love, love your new tree and I am thinking of getting one of those as well as the Magic Key Finder for my dog Alice. It is very important for her because she is deaf and cannot hear me call her. That is a great idea. Another great video! Several thumbs up!!
I put in a number of two piece rear main seals, sure they probably make one for your engine. Also if your engine bottom end is knocking or oil pressure is low, be a good time to roll in a set of rod & main bearings. More than likely the seal just age hardened and lost pliability.
Rear main seals can drip for years and not get worse.How much does it drip?Yes, keep on the oil level and will be fine.You have a great channel, thank you
I know that city well. Cattlemen's is still open, dinner only though I believe. Hope you guys have a nice drive into the city. Got pretty cold for the North Bay.
Hey Eric I had a similar situation you could use a 0-40 synthetic oil would not use as much .Thicker viscosity and okay in warm and cold weather .Gerry
I would look for a couple of quarts of the thickest oil you can find. 50 wt or higher and dump in a quart and keep one or two handy. Thicker oil leaks slower.
If the rear main seal goes completely, you will certainly know it. I had a front main seal dry out and harden on my old truck. I actually had the new seal in the truck with me, on Wednesday afternoon, was heading home from work and had been adding oil for a few days. I had to wait until the weekend to replace the seal, as I was working and couldn't afford to take the time off. When the seal blew, I knew exactly what it was. The oil light came on. I had added oil just fifteen minutes before, as I was leaving work. Before I could even change lanes to get off to the shoulder, I heard loud clacking, and then a "BANG." The engine died on the spot, and I coasted to the shoulder out of traffic. There was no saving that engine, it had to be replaced. Running it with no oil tends to do that. Your rear main seal may not let go the same way, or it may suddenly give up the ghost in the middle of nowhere. Be prepared for it, because the odds are it will fail at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way. This is known as Murphy's Law. Good luck with the Lucas or other additives, but keep a VERY close eye on your oil level, and be aware you may not have any warning. Again, I wish you luck with the engine, Eric.
You will use more power when you use an inverter to change 12vdc to 120v AC and then back to 12vdc and then to 5Vdc USB power than you would if you just went from the 12vdc to USB. Inverters have losses. I would install a 12 cig lighter socket and put a usb converter in it. Less losses and less power consumed. Just a thought.
I use an additive called Power Punch in my Chevy 454. It helps slow oil leaks from a front seal. It is rather pricey at $40 per gallon but you only use a smaller amount in every oil change.
to each there own about the additives. Ive used Lucas in my truck and car for 15 yrs and they have lasted this long. I SWEAR by Lucas and its a great product. If its good enough for a race car why woundnt be good enough for OLGA. In my opinion that guy is full of crap. Im a shade tree mechanic, and can do enough to keep my vehicles going. BUT I talked to several different ASE certified mechanics and they all agree that Lucas is one of the best on the market. unlike slick 50 or one of those seen on TV products, that will distroy an engine. Like I said this is my opinion. As far as the videos you do, keep doing them all. Everything you do is great. And I just bought 1987 Bounder 34ft. Class A. I hope to see you on the road soon.
I'd recommend trying the AT-205 product and using a thicker velocity of oil. It may not completely stop the leak but it might slow it down to a trickle. You might also learn to do your own oil changes. I have a similar vintage class c with 460 and it's very simple to do and takes maybe 10-15 minutes. Just need an oil pan, filter wrench, and an adjustable wrench and your in business. Good luck!
Have you considered a portable electric fence for Jax? Maybe that would deter him from leaving the patio area. As for the rv oil leak, maybe there are a bunch of other small items you can replace (even if they are not busted yet) when you lift the engine so you don't feel like it was all for 'one gasket'? Get your moneys worth when you do the work. Also, if you are swinging down by Mexicali you might get a good border RV mechanic with good rates. Gone With The Wynn's had their dental work done in the town which has many amenities for Americans.
I love that you decorate for Christmas. If I were a full-timer, a Christmas tree would be a must have. I'm curious to know how the key finder works for Jax. We also travel with a cat and she's gotten out of her collar more than once.
Eric, I'd like to add something to what Tony said. I am speaking from experience, Don't do any hard acceleration driving. Drive it like you have time to site see. Specially when going up a steep incline and your in lower gears. And your "VAN" probably has a Vacuum Modulator screwed into the side of your transmission. Google it. Should be an easy thing to check. Make sure the vacuum hose going to it is in good condition. This tells the transmission when to shift. If the hose has a leak it will cause your transmission to stay in low gear and your engine will rev high. This is when a leaky rear main seal well leak. OK I'll shut up now. Have a good one!
cats have great sense of direction, I took my cat away once , kept her inside with a dirt box, but someone opened the door she got out, thought she was gone for good, 2 hours went by went outside and called her, she came running back
Keep the engine you got and find another engine from a newer vehicle that has crashed. After you get the new engine in the van you have the one you got now fixed and stored have it ready to ship so when you break down again you swap engines and keep rotating and shipping engines to storage.
No need to do an oil change, your doing a very slow one all the time. Just start adding the high mileage oil and keep running until its leaking faster than you can add oil. Sooner or later you will have to fix the leak or replace your home. Love the videos. Keep on Trucking.
If you run thicker oil than it calls for spec it will leak less coming from experience. My truck has 246k on the original motor and has developed a bad leak with the normal 5W-30 that i've been using until i upgraded to a thicker oil and now it never leaks while parked and only a few drops after i've driven it for the day. Just a little tip i got from a honda master tech/shop owner. Best of luck with the old girl.
hi Eric.. Eric. ever hear of STP? it's a thick oil treatment.. its safe to us as long as you are in a warm to hot environment.. i've used it in my high mileage antique cars whenever i had oil leak.. it doesn't stop the leak but thickening the viscosity of the oil slows it down..
Not sure if it helps, I had a friend with a ford fairmont, that had a rear main seal issue, he decided oil was a driving expense and it went 80k more miles with him just adding oil.
Check with a Transmission Shop about getting the seal replaced. They are use to working in limited space and MOST have better rates than an Auto Repair Shop.Happy Motoring.
Most of those additives CAN help with a leak. However none of them will help with a rear main seal leak. And in my experience I have found the cheaper ones can actually do damage to the gaskets instead of helping.
Hi Eric, I enjoy watching your videos, especially the more technical, nuts & bolts topics. Really glad you find a competent & honest mechanic and I agree with him on NOT using any oil additives. Please lets us know just how much oil your are using per so many miles and gals of gas. In the mid '80's my 78 Chevy 6 cly got as bad as 1 qt per every 10-12 gal of gas before I had the engine overhauled @ 180 k mi. (Owned that truck for 33 yrs. :) ). My 2 cents. Go ahead and drain the treated oil. I don't think the 'High Mileage' version on Mobil 1 is going to help the leak or extend your engines life at this point. (Note that I like and use regular Mobil 1 on my 'newer' vehicles.) I think that switching to an 20w-50 conventional oil over the lighter weights will be your best option at this point for a mid '80's Ford V-8 especially since your headed to a warmer climate. I like Castrol Oil 20w-50 (Buy in 5 qt jugs, best price is usually Walmart) and can vouch for it after seeing the inside of my '87 Ford 302 at 200k . Check back and run this by Tony, I'm curious to what his thoughts would be. I personally have used the 20w-50 on 3 different motors ( '70's-'80's) that used/leaked oil with no problems and felted that oil consumption was reduced. (Note that I would not use 20w-50 oil in modern engines (tighter tolerances). I sold the '87 Ford 302 at 240 k mi. about 6 yrs ago and still see it on the road :). Hope this helps.
How much or at what rate is the oil leak? 1 qt a day? Every 100 miles? If it drips in a certain spot, u might be able to wire up a catchment basin under the leak, or place a pan with an oil soak cloth under the leak when you park. By your oil in the larger containers and get the cheap oil if that suits you. (Oil is oil other than synthetics and additives...) heavier weights will leak at a slower rate...
I use Lucas products in gas,oil and trans but like you said, not every one agrees with its use. I personally wouldn't worry about another oil change or high dollar "high milage" oil, buy a case of 30/50 or similar thick oil and just keep her topped up every night. A qt of oil every two days and you've done an oil change in 2wks anyway, just change the filter about every 5000 miles.. super ez to do
mobil is a great oil, but out of personal experience I would recomend using redline motor oil. it is quite pricy, but it's your engine. I use that stuff in my bronco, and can do 7,000 miles easy, and still have the oil looking great
The main seal is no big deal as long as you keep the oil level in the engine in the normal range. Certainly not something you rebuild a motor over. The motor is fine and will stay that way with a proper oil level. Just change the seal next time you need trans work or if you really start losing a lot of oil. A quart every 1000 miles is not a lot for an older engine. Good luck.
We are FTer's in Concord (East Bay) and have been here for a year now for work. We have found THE BEST RV/auto mechanic in the area if you are interested in a second opinion.
Whatever you do, don't use any synthetic oil. That will, for sure, bleed out in other places other than the rear main seal. Use Mobil's regular dinosaur oil (the high mileage one like you said)
DO NOT use leak additives. Sorry to hear, real pain. Now a days labor easily out paces parts. If everything else looks good and long lasting... I don't know. You get to the point where you replace engine with a rebuilt, and while you're at you'll at least service the valves or news ones. Then you are braking down the ac system. etc etc.Wait there's more... next is transmission, or differentials, or cooling, power steering, etc etc... rebuild the frontend....You're in a tough situation. If it leaks bad enough you have to be concerned about oil pressure.Best to you Eric.
Big Blocks that have sat for long times, will have seal leaks. If you get down to a quart every day, then worry. Not sure I would drop the cash on expensive oil either. Any SAE 10 w 40 should do fine. The STP is a good cheap add as well. Wont fix it but can slow it down a bit.
mmmmm, you might want to have something to catch that oil before the pavement or ground. I think the weight of an rv is a concern for mechanics on the hoist and maybe the clearance. I would try to fix oil leak if you can.
I love your cat and always enjoy the videos, too bad a lot of parents are not as conscientious about their own children's needs and safety as you are concerning your special friend. Good advice on the engine leak ( many rear main seal leaks are the result of a worn rear main bearing, allowing the crank shaft excessive up and down play). As long as the oil pressure is good, and your not leaking an unmanageable amount of oil, I would not worry about it much. I do not think a new seal would last long, unless you change out the rear main bearing and the seal together.
I've done a lot of research on Stop leak additives and seal conditioners, and have some experience with automotive and aircraft engine seals and overhauls, and many of the stop leak products have chemicals such as Naphtha that simply swells the seals by partially dissolving them.
Other products like the AT-205, Lucas are similar or idenitical to the seal conditioners that are in "High Milage" oils, and are actually supposed to re-contition seal without damaging them. Your main seal has a circular spring in rubber ring that when the seal was soft caused it to grip the shaft. When the seal hardens over time then the spring can't overcome the hard rubber to seal the shaft. A conditioner simply softens the rubber allowing the spring to re-apply pressure and help re-seal the shaft. Not cause it to swell up.
It seems many mechanics don't understand the difference between re-conditioning seals and other stop leak products. I would personally be inclined to go the At-205 or lucas route for a few hundred miles and see if it helps.
Replacing the rear main seal might not be as bad some are claiming, and often Transmission shops can drop a transmission and install a new seal cheaper then a RV shop.
+Smitty Durkin Nothing is easy when working on an Econoline van. My guess is there is not enough room to drop the engine oil pan, with out first dropping the transmission, and lifting the engine up a few inches. The alternative to this, would be cutting loose the front suspension, to give the needed clearance.
+Smitty Durkin It may need the engine raised to remove the oil pan, it depends on the clearance under the oil pan and cross member under the engine, it also may need the rear transmission support removed allowing the engine to be raised enough to get the oil pan out. If you do remove the oil pan, be sure and replace the oil pump with a high volume pump, it will be like a heart transplant and help keep things lubed inside the engine, but you are right, I think the rear seal probably could be replaced by removing the oil pan.
+HDXProd is correct ...DO NOT USE THESE PRODUCTS ...also to change that seal you and a friend could do in a day maybe two if bolts are rusty not that hard to do ..just alot of work to get to it
+ HDXProd : the rear main seal on the 80's model blocks are more complicated than later model units . On a 90's style there is a one piece seal similar to the front seal it fits into a seal plate around the crank flange That bolts to the back of the block and rear main cap and is sealed there with a gasket . That is easily repaired in comparison to earlier style seals . All you must do is pull ye transmission and flywheel or flex plate . The kit comes with a seal and a gasket . I generally don't bother with the gasket unless it has been leaking as you can open up another can of worms there . Replace the seal and gasket if it was leaking or you had to remove the seal plate to pop the seal out . Then reinstall the transmission and done. With this older seal you will need to drop the transmission and flywheel or flex plate , then undo motor mounts to lift the motor to gain clearance to drop the oil pan remove the rear main cap and loosen the rest of the main caps let the crank sag out of the block remove the old seal , which could be a neoprene seals or a rubber impregnated rope seal . This will have to be carefully fiddled into place and may inspired colorful language . The bottom seal half should be much easier since the cap is in your hand . Replace the rear main cap and re torque the main caps in order . I would put on a new oil pump while to are here . and don't forget to lube your main bearings with assembly lube before you reassemble your bottom end then oil pan and new gaskets then put it back together . don't forget to put a new crank case breather and PCV valve and make sure your hoses are in good shape . oil leaks are often caused by a build up of crank case pressure blowing oil past the seals and gaskets . If the motor has reached the point where blow by is causing pressure to rise faster than your PVC system can vent it all this will be mostly for naught as something will leas soon .
Hey Eric. I see lots of folks telling you to do the same thing; thicker oil! That's okay in the warm, keep her topped off, watch for any increase in leakage. I have an almost IDENTICLE rig, same engine, so I'm watching your progress! DON'T use a seal-swell product. Thicker oil, watch the level, keep her under 75 mph. Pet Jax for me, LOVE da kitty! As always, good luck and safe travels, friend!!!
hey eric , i bought my famu ly a motor home because i love watching your shows and if you come to grand rapids michigan ever i would fix what you need done. i am a mechanic, dont panic its not hard to fix all you have to do is take the transmission out it will take about 6 to 7 hours to fix. i live in grand rapids but i was born in mexico.
Good human!!!
Great idea! That will really give you piece of mind, knowing you can track Jax even at night if you need too.
a rear main seal isnt a big deal as long as you keep the oil toped up. its not guna wear anything out faster than normal.
love your vids btw buddy keep up the good work.
+The Monkey Man correct rms is not fatal,just top up : )
+The Monkey Man agree 100%
No stop leak.
+The Monkey Man Yup. Gonna have to buy cheap oil by the gallons. Been there done that. And try thicker oil to. As long as you don't run out you'll be fine. Just gotta stay on top of the oil level.
Sandy Carty i didnt no i only watch him on yt. im a tradesman mechanic and wanted to help cause i enjoy his videos
The Monkey Man AWW Frigging Right Boyz. DABZZZZ
run thicker oil then the engine remmends won't leak passed the seal so much then and iv always used the stop leak and it helped for me for a fount seal on my engine
I'd like to say how much I love your channel. I admire your courage for having the nerve to live your dream. Good luck in your travels . Merry Christmas to you and Jax
I had the same problem on my 454 in my Winnebago. I bought a rear main seal and found out I had to lift the motor to get the oil pan off. Hard to do in a Class A. So I read a lot of hot rod sites and they recommended I use the Bar's leaks Rear main seal repair. So I gave it a try and it worked great.
Jax sure was having fun. Cute lil Christmas tree...made the RV feel warm and homey. I've been waiting for your Cali vids...warm weather, sunshine and palm trees :-)
Your cat is awesome, watching your videos brigs back great memories from 2007 when I cycled the great divide, when I got to explore your beautiful country. keep up the good work, Merry christmas from the island of Jersey ,Great Britain.
That's a good idea for Jax. We have chips in both of our pets and its still good to know they have our phone number, even if we are traveling. Thanks for the idea!
When we all get old we leak. Thanks for your videos.
Eric we have the same tree. When fluffed out more it looks great. We just put ribbons around for decorations and that is all it needs for a small tree, or just enjoy fluffed with no decorations.
You've gotten some good advice from that mechanic. Let me give you some more if you choose his wise words. Get your van a diaper. Whether you start with a chunk of carpet or something more complicated, catch that drip wherever you park. If you don't, your oil stains will make no only you unwelcome, but most other RV'rs as well. It's an environmental pollutant as well as making ugly marks on people's paving so finding a way to capture it while parked will save you grief. I used to throw a chunk of carpet under my beater when I parked in a customer's driveway to paint their house.
I have been a machanic for over 30 years. I own a clas A motor home with a 460 in it and I had the same problem with the rear main seal leaking. I added one quart of lucus oil and after about 500 miles the leak was gone. Lucus oil dose not damage the seals, it makes the seal soft and removes old oil from the seal. It worked in my 460,1994 engine and it will work in your engine.
That's awesome idea about the JAX tracker !!!
That key tracker for your cat is an awesome idea! Ill keep that in mind!! 👍👍👍
good idea on the tracker player
Eric, today's hydrocracked base oils flow much better than the old solvent refined stuff. They find smaller nooks and crannies and find their way out much easier. They also clean out sludge and expose those nooks and crannies. Just keep her topped off and keep on trucking.
I agree will most of the advice you're getting. Now that you're in warmer climes, use the heaviest oil used in that engine [20W-50?].
When you get to western Texas, you'll be able to find a "Bubba's" who can do this for a reasonable price.
The good about CA: scenery, produce, wines, weather; the rest sucks. Just yesterday I heard the CEO of Whole Foods say "I can open a new store in Siberia or Shanghai in a little more than 100 days, but in CA it takes almost 300."
Yeah Eric, don't use any stop leak stuff, the stuff is made to plug things up, so it might plug the wrong things up and you can end up with a blown motor, I believe that's what happened to my motor. Costly lesson but I was young when that happened. Just keep adding oil intill you can replace the gaskets or do a rebuild.
Nice Christmas tree, Eric. Good idea for keeping up with Jax. I'll keep that in mind when we hit the road with our puppy dog. Glad that you got the information about the engine.
+Neal Davis I wish it wasn't so bulky and noisy wearing the tag indoors.
You have a good attitude concerning your oil leak.
High mileage oil usually contains those additives that make the gaskets swell up and stuff I would go with that like you said and not add any extra addatives to it.
Love the idea of the bluetooth tracker! Wish I had that back in 1997, when my landlord's maintenance crew left the door open to my apartment...and yeah, both my cats disappeared. Haven't had one since sadly. I need to go to the local shelter! Yeah, Cattlemens is only open for dinner.
Hi Eric and Jax the Wondercat. I drive a 1997 Dodge Caravan. I don't know why, but years ago the oil started leaking. I do think It was something I did probably. They told me it would be about $1000 to fix it but considering the age, to just keep an eye on the oil level. I check it about once a week and always carry oil with me and so far, so good. I also asked them about working on RVs and my repair place (small neighborhood garage) told me they did not work on RVs because they could not get them up on the lift things. I got the impression that if I did get one they would do any repair possible without going up on the lift. I do have quite an oil slick in my driveway which irritates the man next door to death. My dog did not like him and I don't either, so I don't worry about it. Another idea for Jax, you can get little lights to clip on their collar. You just press them on when you go out after dark, or in the daytime would also be a way to spot them. I hope this trip is happy and safe for you. There are plenty of your friends along the way, so if need be, shout out for help and those of us who can will help you. Also love the tree!
set up your rv savings fun for major repair or replacement.
+Stephen Wells Older videos he says he is putting back $250 a month for repairs and rainy day fund but no clue if he still is.
check your pcv valve if not working pressure buildup will push oil out seals - use cat litter in a old cake pan to slide under for oil dripping
A rear main seal is not as bad as many folks make it out to be. Your RV is old and has lots of room under it. Pull the dog house to access the upper engine to trans bolts, remove the rest below, unbolt the drive shaft, unbolt the torque converter bolts, unbolt the starter, undo the shift linkage, unbolt the trans cross member and slide trans back and down out of the way. Remove flex plate, remove old rear main seal, install new seal and then put back together. Time consuming but no special tools required except another person or a trans jack.
How much oil leaks from the rear main when parked over night? A huge puddle, size of a quarter, etc? If the leak is very minimal then you can try adding (1 cap full) of brake fluid to your engine oil and it may seal it up after 500-1000 miles or so. Now I said ONE small cap full only! It will help to swell the dried up seal material which may stop the leak. I would avoid any of the miracle in a can type of treatments as most don't work anyways. If it's leaking a decent amount then the brake fluid isn't going to cut it as it's probably mechanically damaged and will need repaired.
IMO if you are using less than 1 quart of oil every 3-5 k miles then just leave her alone. As long as you keep your oil changed and add to it before it becomes to low then you have nothing to worry about.
How often do you change your oil and what kind and weight are you using? Does your RV have the 460 engine?
Take care.
Good idea about the Bluetooth Jaxx finder. I was thinking a cowbell but your idea is better. I'm getting one for my cat
I like all the videos. I think you make them interesting because of the narrative and jax.
Make sure that you get him use to the beeping before he gets lost. You don't want the first time he hears the beep to be when he is lost and possibly make him run further away if the noise scares him.
Sounds good, the tracker for Jax. I remember that time you almost lost him before. That was a neat idea, a key finder to find your pet.
hi Eric A slightly thicker high mileage oil will definitely help with the rear main seal leak. In California the best places to get RV work done are mom and pop or mobile mechanics. the big chain places have have a RV certification to work on an RV, regardless of what the repair is
Good idea. I wonder if the beep locater will freak Jax out if you push it.
That 460 will probably last longer with a rear seal leak since you will keep close tabs on the oil level. Tough motors. Go to thicker oil in the summer. I personally don't like synthetic oil and even lost a motorcycle engine because of it. Doesn't stick to parts as well so some things are dryer on startup until oil get circulating. Follow manufacture's recommend oil and then adjust for age and leaks and you will be fine.
Good Idea for Jax!
5:32 If those are Aluminum valves you might want to take them off since they corrode and fuse on. Mine did that so I'm switching back to plastic valve caps.
Make sure your PCV valve is venting the crankcase if you have positive pressure it will blow oil out of the rear main seal.
Love, love, love your new tree and I am thinking of getting one of those as well as the Magic Key Finder for my dog Alice. It is very important for her because she is deaf and cannot hear me call her. That is a great idea. Another great video! Several thumbs up!!
I put in a number of two piece rear main seals, sure they probably make one for your engine. Also if your engine bottom end is knocking or oil pressure is low, be a good time to roll in a set of rod & main bearings. More than likely the seal just age hardened and lost pliability.
Rear main seals can drip for years and not get worse.How much does it drip?Yes, keep on the oil level and will be fine.You have a great channel, thank you
love the jax trax
love the tree, got one
pennzoil will clean out the sludge.... high milage is a mix of regular and syn🌴
I know that city well. Cattlemen's is still open, dinner only though I believe. Hope you guys have a nice drive into the city. Got pretty cold for the North Bay.
Hey Eric I had a similar situation you could use a 0-40 synthetic oil would not use as much .Thicker viscosity and okay in warm and cold weather .Gerry
I would look for a couple of quarts of the thickest oil you can find. 50 wt or higher and dump in a quart and keep one or two handy. Thicker oil leaks slower.
If the rear main seal goes completely, you will certainly know it. I had a front main seal dry out and harden on my old truck. I actually had the new seal in the truck with me, on Wednesday afternoon, was heading home from work and had been adding oil for a few days. I had to wait until the weekend to replace the seal, as I was working and couldn't afford to take the time off. When the seal blew, I knew exactly what it was. The oil light came on. I had added oil just fifteen minutes before, as I was leaving work. Before I could even change lanes to get off to the shoulder, I heard loud clacking, and then a "BANG." The engine died on the spot, and I coasted to the shoulder out of traffic. There was no saving that engine, it had to be replaced. Running it with no oil tends to do that. Your rear main seal may not let go the same way, or it may suddenly give up the ghost in the middle of nowhere. Be prepared for it, because the odds are it will fail at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way. This is known as Murphy's Law. Good luck with the Lucas or other additives, but keep a VERY close eye on your oil level, and be aware you may not have any warning. Again, I wish you luck with the engine, Eric.
Ford 351's are notorious for main seal failures. You're on the right track with high mileage oil since it has a seal swelling additive in it.
I would try tighten up the oil pan mite help it for a while
+Bonez2020 ____ The oil pan and rear main seal are not connected, so tightening the bolts on the pan will not help.
+Gamer Daily no its older vehicle sometimes the come lose after time just had to do it to my truck just snug them up
+Vern C in a Ford u r right but the oil pan can be slightly loose and cause it to look like it is the rear seal I thought the same and it was my bolts
Your channel is growing like wild fire it seems. Keep it coming man.
use valvoline high mileage oil. it seems to lessen the leak in our van a bit
I really hope Olga lasts for some time, seems like you just got her! Here's hoping she gives her all!
You will use more power when you use an inverter to change 12vdc to 120v AC and then back to 12vdc and then to 5Vdc USB power than you would if you just went from the 12vdc to USB. Inverters have losses. I would install a 12 cig lighter socket and put a usb converter in it. Less losses and less power consumed. Just a thought.
Adding STP might help.
I use an additive called Power Punch in my Chevy 454. It helps slow oil leaks from a front seal. It is rather pricey at $40 per gallon but you only use a smaller amount in every oil change.
to each there own about the additives. Ive used Lucas in my truck and car for 15 yrs and they have lasted this long. I SWEAR by Lucas and its a great product. If its good enough for a race car why woundnt be good enough for OLGA. In my opinion that guy is full of crap. Im a shade tree mechanic, and can do enough to keep my vehicles going. BUT I talked to several different ASE certified mechanics and they all agree that Lucas is one of the best on the market. unlike slick 50 or one of those seen on TV products, that will distroy an engine. Like I said this is my opinion.
As far as the videos you do, keep doing them all. Everything you do is great. And I just bought 1987 Bounder 34ft. Class A. I hope to see you on the road soon.
I'd recommend trying the AT-205 product and using a thicker velocity of oil. It may not completely stop the leak but it might slow it down to a trickle. You might also learn to do your own oil changes. I have a similar vintage class c with 460 and it's very simple to do and takes maybe 10-15 minutes. Just need an oil pan, filter wrench, and an adjustable wrench and your in business. Good luck!
Have you considered a portable electric fence for Jax? Maybe that would deter him from leaving the patio area. As for the rv oil leak, maybe there are a bunch of other small items you can replace (even if they are not busted yet) when you lift the engine so you don't feel like it was all for 'one gasket'? Get your moneys worth when you do the work. Also, if you are swinging down by Mexicali you might get a good border RV mechanic with good rates. Gone With The Wynn's had their dental work done in the town which has many amenities for Americans.
+Castaway yeah , get the cat a zapper collar - if he goes over the boundary line , he gets lit up
Look at Blue Devil rear main seal sealant. it worked on my Explorer and it was $10.00.
I love that you decorate for Christmas. If I were a full-timer, a Christmas tree would be a must have. I'm curious to know how the key finder works for Jax. We also travel with a cat and she's gotten out of her collar more than once.
Eric, I'd like to add something to what Tony said. I am speaking from experience, Don't do any hard acceleration driving. Drive it like you have time to site see. Specially when going up a steep incline and your in lower gears. And your "VAN" probably has a Vacuum Modulator screwed into the side of your transmission. Google it. Should be an easy thing to check. Make sure the vacuum hose going to it is in good condition. This tells the transmission when to shift. If the hose has a leak it will cause your transmission to stay in low gear and your engine will rev high. This is when a leaky rear main seal well leak. OK I'll shut up now. Have a good one!
cats have great sense of direction, I took my cat away once , kept her inside with a dirt box, but someone opened the door she got out,
thought she was gone for good, 2 hours went by went outside and called her, she came running back
Amazing. We live in Denver but we had dinner in that same restaurant just 2 months ago while at a nearby campground. We were in the area for a rodeo.
if it's warm where your at you can run thicker oil.
Keep the engine you got and find another engine from a newer vehicle that has crashed. After you get the new engine in the van you have the one you got now fixed and stored have it ready to ship so when you break down again you swap engines and keep rotating and shipping engines to storage.
No need to do an oil change, your doing a very slow one all the time. Just start adding the high mileage oil and keep running until its leaking faster than you can add oil. Sooner or later you will have to fix the leak or replace your home. Love the videos. Keep on Trucking.
If you run thicker oil than it calls for spec it will leak less coming from experience. My truck has 246k on the original motor and has developed a bad leak with the normal 5W-30 that i've been using until i upgraded to a thicker oil and now it never leaks while parked and only a few drops after i've driven it for the day. Just a little tip i got from a honda master tech/shop owner. Best of luck with the old girl.
Try Rotella. its sold by the gallon. Better than standard oil. Wont hurt anything. Better oil for that engine and the load its pulling.
hi Eric.. Eric. ever hear of STP?
it's a thick oil treatment.. its safe to us as long as you are in a warm to hot environment.. i've used it in my high mileage antique cars whenever i had oil leak.. it doesn't stop the leak but thickening the viscosity of the oil slows it down..
Not sure if it helps, I had a friend with a ford fairmont, that had a rear main seal issue, he decided oil was a driving expense and it went 80k more miles with him just adding oil.
Check with a Transmission Shop about getting the seal replaced. They are use to working in limited space and MOST have better rates than an Auto Repair Shop.Happy Motoring.
Duct tape, super glue, coat hangers and bubble gum work for me every time!
Most of those additives CAN help with a leak. However none of them will help with a rear main seal leak. And in my experience I have found the cheaper ones can actually do damage to the gaskets instead of helping.
awe, i love your Christmas tree! i've wondered about using a key finder to locate my cats...but i've never been able to keep a collar on them.
Hi Eric, I enjoy watching your videos, especially the more technical, nuts & bolts topics.
Really glad you find a competent & honest mechanic and I agree with him on NOT using any oil additives. Please lets us know just how much oil your are using per so many miles and gals of gas. In the mid '80's my 78 Chevy 6 cly got as bad as 1 qt per every 10-12 gal of gas before I had the engine overhauled @ 180 k mi. (Owned that truck for 33 yrs. :) ).
My 2 cents. Go ahead and drain the treated oil. I don't think the 'High Mileage' version on Mobil 1 is going to help the leak or extend your engines life at this point. (Note that I like and use regular Mobil 1 on my 'newer' vehicles.)
I think that switching to an 20w-50 conventional oil over the lighter weights will be your best option at this point for a mid '80's Ford V-8 especially since your headed to a warmer climate. I like Castrol Oil 20w-50 (Buy in 5 qt jugs, best price is usually Walmart) and can vouch for it after seeing the inside of my '87 Ford 302 at 200k . Check back and run this by Tony, I'm curious to what his thoughts would be. I personally have used the 20w-50 on 3 different motors ( '70's-'80's) that used/leaked oil with no problems and felted that oil consumption was reduced. (Note that I would not use 20w-50 oil in modern engines (tighter tolerances).
I sold the '87 Ford 302 at 240 k mi. about 6 yrs ago and still see it on the road :).
Hope this helps.
Isnt Jax allways in a leash?
+Random Person Haha :D
How much or at what rate is the oil leak? 1 qt a day? Every 100 miles? If it drips in a certain spot, u might be able to wire up a catchment basin under the leak, or place a pan with an oil soak cloth under the leak when you park. By your oil in the larger containers and get the cheap oil if that suits you. (Oil is oil other than synthetics and additives...) heavier weights will leak at a slower rate...
I use Lucas products in gas,oil and trans but like you said, not every one agrees with its use. I personally wouldn't worry about another oil change or high dollar "high milage" oil, buy a case of 30/50 or similar thick oil and just keep her topped up every night. A qt of oil every two days and you've done an oil change in 2wks anyway, just change the filter about every 5000 miles.. super ez to do
mobil is a great oil, but out of personal experience I would recomend using redline motor oil. it is quite pricy, but it's your engine. I use that stuff in my bronco, and can do 7,000 miles easy, and still have the oil looking great
The main seal is no big deal as long as you keep the oil level in the engine in the normal range. Certainly not something you rebuild a motor over. The motor is fine and will stay that way with a proper oil level. Just change the seal next time you need trans work or if you really start losing a lot of oil. A quart every 1000 miles is not a lot for an older engine. Good luck.
In-N-Out X Palm Trees FTW!
only out come from a oil treatment I have ever seen or experience was the oilers on the main bearings get plugged and that's the end of the engine.
We are FTer's in Concord (East Bay) and have been here for a year now for work. We have found THE BEST RV/auto mechanic in the area if you are interested in a second opinion.
I think you got some good advice about your motor, you can buy a lot of oil for $1200. Good luck man!!!
Whatever you do, don't use any synthetic oil. That will, for sure, bleed out in other places other than the rear main seal. Use Mobil's regular dinosaur oil (the high mileage one like you said)
I couldn't help but think of Philip Seymour Hoffman; when I seen you in front of the van with Jax on the hood, Eric
DO NOT use leak additives. Sorry to hear, real pain. Now a days labor easily out paces parts. If everything else looks good and long lasting... I don't know. You get to the point where you replace engine with a rebuilt, and while you're at you'll at least service the valves or news ones. Then you are braking down the ac system. etc etc.Wait there's more... next is transmission, or differentials, or cooling, power steering, etc etc... rebuild the frontend....You're in a tough situation. If it leaks bad enough you have to be concerned about oil pressure.Best to you Eric.
Big Blocks that have sat for long times, will have seal leaks. If you get down to a quart every day, then worry. Not sure I would drop the cash on expensive oil either. Any SAE 10 w 40 should do fine. The STP is a good cheap add as well. Wont fix it but can slow it down a bit.
mmmmm, you might want to have something to catch that oil before the pavement or ground. I think the weight of an rv is a concern for mechanics on the hoist and maybe the clearance. I would try to fix oil leak if you can.
Hey Eric, I would like to see you play Nintendo 64 in your new rv, I love your vids!
Please give us an update on Jax's locator collar, does it work.
be careful with the bip option on that tracker for jack if the bip scare him off your in for a long night of walking/calling it back
iff it's still leaking.. that means it's not empty keep chugging.. I would put 15/40w Rotella thicker oil means more protection and less leaking
Hey man, just found your channel and Im on a binge watching mission.50,000+ subs! amazing. I have 1000 and Im stoked hahaha keep up the good work.
It has a two piece seal...The only pain is if the oil pan can drop down far enough to be removed easliy.
Damn you were right in my town. I always drive by that cattlemans
4:00 You are in Petaluma. Down the street from the KOA and driving range.
I love your cat and always enjoy the videos, too bad a lot of parents are not as conscientious about their own children's needs and safety as you are concerning your special friend. Good advice on the engine leak ( many rear main seal leaks are the result of a worn rear main bearing, allowing the crank shaft excessive up and down play). As long as the oil pressure is good, and your not leaking an unmanageable amount of oil, I would not worry about it much. I do not think a new seal would last long, unless you change out the rear main bearing and the seal together.