Oil Leakage in High(ish) Mileage Camry

In news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Jon being of bellicose mind posted:

Running low on oil is not the same thing as running the engine with the oil pressure light ON. As long as oil pressure was never compromised, it's unlikely damage occured. If oil aeriation occued due to low oil pressure (but not low enough to kick ON the oil light), then I would be most concerned about connecting rod bearing damage. Since the "low oil level" experience, have any unusual engine knocks or taps come to your attention? Also, valve guide seals (being rubber of sorts) will harden with age resulting in greater oil consumption. This happens to all engines eventually.

--
- Philip @ Maximum Torque RPM

That's still within reasonable limits IMHO. Opinions probably vary, but once a car starts burning more than a pint per 500 miles, its time for an assessment.

Not as long as the engine still had enough oil to maintain oil-pressure.

Jason

If you are leaking it could be from the rear main seal or if on the timing belt side of the engine it could be cam shaft seals, or oil pump seals. If your burning it I suspect it may be from your valve seals, doubtful from the piston rings. Try some high mileage type oil that will swell the rubber seals a bit to slow the flow...

But not if you change the oil and other fluids at regular intervals though,.........right?

LOL

Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply MUADIB®

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

In news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, MUADIB® being of bellicose mind posted:

Taking your response seriously .... all seals will harden with age irrespective of the oil used. I can personally attest to that in my last car. But instead of a rear main seal leak at 100k miles, the oil rear main seal leak started about 250k miles.

--
- Philip @ Maximum Torque RPM

Thanks for the responses. No unusual knocks since the low oil experience...

I'm facing the sell versus keep till it dies decision. In another thread regarding synthetic oils, someone mentioned it doesn't make sense to switch in a high mileage car, if you are already leaking oil. If I keep the car, it seemed to make sense to switch to synthetic oil--can anyone explain the counter argument for when you're already leaking oil?

thanks again, Jon

In news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Jon being of bellicose mind posted:

It's fair to say that installing synthetic oil in an older engine will NOT seal up weeping/leaking seals. Get the seal replaced.

--
- Philip @ Maximum Torque RPM

I can attest to that also. The rear c/'shaft seal was allready leaking at

155,000ks or near enuff to 100,000 miles in my '96,....thanx to too few oil-changes by the previous owner/s.

Jason