Auto-Rx Customers Questions & Answers

Seal Leak Application

Read Customer Comment on Leaks

Don’t start the application until you read this!

If the seal is NOT torn or otherwise damaged, we might be able to do something for you. There is the possibility that the seal is just fouled. Once clean, it may relax and work again. I would imagine that you may see an increase in leakage during the Auto-Rx treatment as any contamination is removed. If the seal is indeed damaged, there will be no remedy other than repair/replacement.

As far as being safe, all Auto-Rx can do is clean. It does not swell, condition, or otherwise impact anything in an altering way. It’s not a sealer/conditioner or anything of that nature.

These instructions are ONLY if your engine is not experiencing a sludge condition. Some engines are known for sludge. If your problem is a byproduct of a sludge condition, then this treatment may not be enough. These engines tend to form hardened tar-like deposits that are quite stubborn and require double-dose treatments (2bottles) and a commitment from the end user to do timely filter changes. I’d recommend verifying that the engine has no unusual deposit accumulations.

For best results, Auto-Rx should be added to a fresh charge of conventional, non-synthetic, non-high-mileage oil with a new filter installed. However, if you have a very recent, low-mileage oil change using ONLY conventional oil, you may use your existing oil. Auto-Rx cannot help you if the seal is torn, ripped, or otherwise damaged.

TO PROCEED, FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

How It Works

In solving a rotary oil seal leak with Auto-Rx, it is important to use conventional motor oil and not full synthetic motor oils. Conventional motor oils have a mineral oil base. This tends to stiffen the seal material a bit, as opposed to synthetics that tend to keep them very pliable.

Rear main seals typically weep or leak from a build up of oil contamination that builds up on the end of the steel crankshaft, right where the polymer rear main seal interacts. So some junk gets caught up at the sealing lip. The shaft is no longer perfectly round as it is spinning.

By allowing Auto-Rx to clean the crankshaft and seal material, it has a good chance of finding its old polymer memory and perform once again. We cannot stress enough how important it is to run a mineral oil-based motor oil to enable the polymer seal to find its original shape and stiffness.

It is a very labor intensive proposition to change out the rear main oil seal. The transmission has to come out, etc., and this is very expensive.

Customer Comment:
I’m a Volvo Resto Man

I’d say I service the cars I restore with Auto-Rx about 80% of the time before they leave. I also recommend it to my service customers. Most recently, a customer brought me her 1990 244 to be refurbished. The car was exhibiting some oil loss from the rear main seal. Part of the service included an oil change with our favorite elixir. When the car came back for the follow-up about 2,000 miles later, the bell housing and surrounding areas were completely dry, no sign of the leak at all.

Not the first time I’ve had these results. I’ve stopped leaks at cam and intermediate shaft seals, crank front seals, too. The red block 240s are often plagued with gummy piston rings from lack of high speed use or poor oil change upkeep. This leads to piston slap. Using Auto-Rx cleans the piston rings and quiets the engines. I find that following the maintenance routine also keeps the Volvo flame trap system clear, very important in these cars. A restricted flame trap can increase crankcase pressure causing leaks at seals and gaskets.

I run Auto-Rx in all of our cars, as well, and I’ll usually do a full service once a year. Great stuff!

—Dave the Wagonmeister (David Samuels), http://wagonmeister.com