oil leak

[Spexxvet]

My daughter's car is leaking oil. It's a '97 Sonata into which I don't want to sink any more money. Is there a way to keep the car running for awhile? I'm ok if it just means adding oil with every fill-up or so. Thanks for any advice.

[glatt]

Can you tell where the leak is coming from? There are expensive leaks and cheap leaks.

[dmg1969]

Glatt is right.

Oil pan leak = not too expensive.

Head gasket = expensive.

[Beest]

How old is your oil? The Windstar has a leak that only occurs when the oil is old ( 10K Miles ), but doen't have a problem when it's fresher.

The garage told me it was a seal that would require lifing the engine, no thanks I'll just be more prudent with my changes and keep it topped up.

[sexobon]

There are engine oil additives available at discount stores (e.g. Wall Mart, KMart, Target) as well as automotive parts stores. Additives like Gold Eagle Engine Stop Leak contain preservatives which plump up the gaskets that seal the oil circulation system to stop gasket leaks. I used a Stop Leak product in the power steering system of an old car I once owned with long term success. These products are relatively inexpensive and worth a try IMHO.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by dmg1969

Glatt is right.

Oil pan leak = not too expensive.

Head gasket = expensive.

Yeah, there are a number of cheap leaks, pan gasket, valve cover gasket, dipstick pipe, oil filter, oil pressure sensor, or anything else like that. You might use a little heavier oil, but it would be better to find out if it's a cheap leak first.
Make sure the pcv valve isn't plugged and causing excess pressure in the pan.

Last but not least, Google it. It's amazing what you can find.

[ZenGum]

Park it in the gulf and blame BP.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

... You might use a little heavier oil, ...

I have an '07 Sonata, 3.2L V6, in which I've changed the oil myself (I use Castrol full synthetic oil) since I bought the car new. When I've bought Hyundai oil filters from the dealership (to maintain warranties), the mechanics cautioned me to use only 5W20 weight oil even though the owner's manual says that 5W20 or 5W30 can be used. They said that the engine oil system was designed expressly for use with 5W20 and that heavier oils could cut down oil flow. They had no reason to make this up as I wasn't buying either the oil or the oil change service from them. I don't know if this applies to earlier models of the Sonata and engine variations like the V4; but, I thought I'd mention it.

[xoxoxoBruce]

That's true, and I mentioned it's a last resort. But on a 13/14 year old engine with what I presume has mucho mileage, that he's trying to keep going a while longer, it might help. Of course that's if it's a rear(side?) main, or something majorly expensive to fix.

Your newish V-6, adhering to the manufacturer's spec is a very good idea. Btw, isn't there something about replacing two O-rings when you change the filter on that V-6? Long gone are the winter 20w, summer 30w, days.

I don't see an advantage to synthetic other than it won't coke(burn) if the engine overheats. I gets contaminated, and the additives dissipate, at the same rate as regular oil, so there's no extended use advantage, I use it in one of my vehicles because that engine runs very close to too hot by design, with very little cushion for an aw-shit.

[sexobon]

I continue to use full synthetic oil out of habit from when I used it in my previous car, a Ford Crown Vic V8, in which I ran full synthetic 5W50 with slightly hotter burning plugs while living in the hotter southwest. That car lasted 20 years and 200,000 miles. The engine was still going strong; but, the frame rusted out.

There are indeed two O-rings that have to be changed when I change the oil filter on the Sonata V6. There's one on the filter hanger and one on the cap. The equivalent of a filter canister is built onto the engine. Another reason I like to change the oil and filter myself is that I can ensure the filter hanger and canister are cleaned out. I change the oil & filter about every 3500 miles.

While I don't change oil weights with the seasons anymore, I do use an oil additive in the winter. Z Max is a micro-lubricant that I add at this time each year to facilitate cold starts. I've been using it for years since I've been in a colder climate, in both my current Sonata and previous Crown Vic, and it makes a noticeable difference in ease of turning the engine over before the oil starts circulating and warming up. It also reduces friction perceptibly when engine braking.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Frame rusted out in the southwest? I thought the advantage of the southwest was, shit didn't rust down there?

Edit - I was going through some old family pictures, and remembered my uncles saying when they drove from MA to Alaska in 1948, they stopped and changed the oil 5 times, every thousand miles. We've come a long way baby.