Reman Seal Leaking

[amir07]

I have a 1997, Lexus ES 300, 163K mileage; it has oil leaking, I already spend thousand to have it fix last year but

now the mechanic is telling me reman seal leaking, the transmission needs to be taken out , 2 days of labor involved.

What should I do now.

Thanks

Amir

[gbhrps]

I've tried figuring out what you are referring to as the "reman seal". If it is the Rear Main Seal, your mechanic is correct, the tranny must come out to replace it. However, I would check to see if your PCV valve (Positive Crankcase Valve) needs replacing first. If it is gummed up and stuck shut, pressure inside the engine will build up and force oil out past the weakest seal, in your case the rear main seal.

I have a Nissan that this happened to about 15 years ago. It leaked oil out the rear seal, not badly, but enough to be a nuisance. Changing the PCV valves (that car had 2 of them) solved the problem and the car (I still have it) hasn't leaked a drop of oil since.

Another point. If changing the PCV valve makes no difference in the oil leak, maybe you can just live with the oil leak. If it is not too severe, and you are checking your oil level regularly every few days, topping up your car with oil between oil changes may prove to be a lot cheaper in the long run, particularly with a 13 year old car. Then again, maybe your leak is too severe to make constant refilling unfeasible. In this case you'll just have to go ahead and get the seal replaced. Good Luck!

[lenore]

Some have used AUTO RX in the car and stopped the leak. Me for $25 I would try that first, nothing to loose. Google it online and try it.

[amir07]

Thanks, any oil leak stop fluid should help? or I do need to spend $500 have the seal replace?

[homemechanic]

1st: it should take no more than a day of labor to uninstall and install a transmission.

2nd: i would NOT spend the money on this repair since the car is already 13 yrs old. after this repair, who knows what other major repairs you will have down the road. it could be the transmission

i would just top off the oil if you can. if not, there is not a whole lot you can do besides repair. it's hard to say if those oil additives will help stop the leak. it all depends on how big the leak is.

if you really want to do the job, get some quotes from transmission shops. they are more equipped with taking out a transmission than a regular mechanic.

[Lexusfreak]

I would give gbhrps suggestion a try first. Nothing to lose there either.