Slow oil leak, '16 Corolla, 215k miles, can't afford repair - will topping off oil periodically be enough for the time being?
Posted by thecommodore15@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 39 comments
I've seen other threads here saying it is. I just want to be sure with my car.
Thanks for your help in advance.
🙂
JaKr8@reddit
Set a reminder on your phone to check the oil level every couple days or once a week depending on how much is leaking. Keep a couple quarts of oil in the trunk of your car and fill it as needed.
Then figure out how to set up a budget and stick to it so that you can get to a point where you have a small emergency fund set up, so that money is not so tight that you can't afford a repair on your car, or any other emergency.
TheBobInSonoma@reddit
Having gaskets leak at that mileage isn't unusual in any car
brabson1@reddit
Yeah send it. Check every gas fill up
Tykenolm@reddit
Wouldn't checking while the engine is hot give you inaccurate readings?
Blu_yello_husky@reddit
You could top off oil for the next 30 years and it will be fine. Oil leaks are only a problem if you dont keep adding oil. They wont gurt anything otherwise. Except your wallet lol, oil is expensive
Agile_Lawfulness9678@reddit
You can try some oil stop leak ,with 215k mile on it you don't have to worry about any of the downsides of using it !
ItsMister2You@reddit
215K is basically midlife for this car. Its got 100-200k more miles left in it, possibly more. Do not but stop leak in it! It will cause your motor to wear out quicker.
Agile_Lawfulness9678@reddit
More like 3/4 used up but I am not going to argue how long his car will run so whatever, it will go for as long as someone wants to keep up on the maintenance.Using .The oil stop leak will not damage the engine unless he keeps using it ,but as a one time shot if he follows the instruction and it works then he can keep driving it and not drip oil and fix the leak properly when it starts dripping again and he has the cash
NectarineDesigner408@reddit
You can drive it forever with an oil leak, as long as it has oil. Add some lucas oil stabilizer, it's good for high mileage and might just stop the leak.
thecommodore15@reddit (OP)
Can the leak get worse?
Fuzzy_Yossarian@reddit
It still needs an oil change even though it leaks...
LeckereKartoffeln@reddit
Technically an oil change is just a really bad oil leak followed by immediate remediation
pickandpray@reddit
Do you know where the leak is coming from?
Do you use high mile oil for the seal conditioners?
Have you changed the oil drain plug gasket?
NectarineDesigner408@reddit
Yes, but it's no different than your water bottle you drink from. You need water, the water is leaking out, you have to keep topping it off to maintain a healthy hydration level. Without seeing or knowing where the leak is, there's no telling. Odds are, it could get worse... Google stop oil leak products. There's products that can clog a leaky spot.
UnUsernameRandom@reddit
Products like those can clog also some other stuff than a leaky spot.
Orcapa@reddit
It can always get worse. My roommate has a 98 Honda Civic and it was losing a fair amount of oil until recently, when it just started pouring out. We were able to find the leak, which was around the VTEC assembly, and fix it pretty easily.
lpg975@reddit
Lucas oil stabilizer just thickens and waters down the additive package in the oil. It may make it leak slower, but that's only because it's slightly thicker. If you really want thicker oil, use a thicker oil to begin with. At least then you'll get the benefit of the additive package instead of watering it down with an additive. I used to be a believer in Lucas Oil Stabilizer, among other oil additives, until I started watching Project Farm and The Motor Oil Geek. Both of which dispel the myths surrounding oil additives. A good oil is always better than an oil additive.
Many-Pomegranate-33@reddit
Yes youre correct.
Its also true that of the additives you could choose from Lucas does the least harm as far as additives go. Its more of like u said youre watering down the oil package in favor of stopping the leak/wear in this case.
thecommodore15@reddit (OP)
From what I can gather, this sounds like something I can live with until I get the money to fix it. I'll monitor the oil on a regular basis just to be sure.
I like this can a lot. It runs like a dream.
Khayrum117@reddit
I would wipe down your valve cover and oil pan to try and pinpoint where the leak is coming from. If its a gasket, that's a really cheap and easy fix you can do yourself with simple tools. While that seems daunting, I'd bet money there's a YouTube walkthrough you could follow step by step.
jules083@reddit
All depends on how bad the leak is. My work car has been leaking since before I bought it, I'm not too terribly worried about it. I'm not going to fix it, just keep adding oil and driving it.
How big is the oil puddle in the mornings?
Infinite-Past7640@reddit
Like my uncle use to say to the gas station attendant (way back when) “put some oil and check the gas”
Chainsawsas70@reddit
As long as you're putting oil IN faster than it's leaking out you're okay. A common leak spot is the valve cover gaskets (almost every car) and those are not very expensive and easy to change DIY , consider doing the spark plugs while you're at it.
ZaphodG@reddit
I put 164,000 miles on a 1987 S-10 blazer. The last year I owned it, I had a case of oil in the back. The rings and valves were worn out. It ran fine.
ItsMister2You@reddit
Where is it leaking from? That's the most important thing to know! Then, how much is it leaking? When you park it place a large baking sheet (couple bucks at a dollar store) to catch it to measure. Your car has another 100-200k miles on it. Please Do NOT add anything that thickens the oil. Those products will cause your motor to wear out sooner.
JournalistLopsided89@reddit
is oil being lost due to leaks or burning in the combustion chambers?
chinacat2u2@reddit
Quart a week is like an oil change once a month
SpaceCat72@reddit
So, do you know the nature of the oil leak.? Seems so, saying you can't afford to repair. So...what is it?
soloshandpuppets@reddit
same issue on my '10 camry, i was told to not even think about replacing the oil pan b/c it would be financially silly. just keep topping it off.
Do you see any oil pool under your car after you park?
thecommodore15@reddit (OP)
I wouldn't call it a pool, but it is dripping.
skibbin@reddit
You should really worry if it stops!
Track how much it is losing and get yourself on a top up schedule. Perhaps you need to add x amount for every tank of fuel, or every 500 miles. It used to be pretty standard in old cars and motorcycles to have to top up the oil.
Old British motorcycles were famous for "pissing on their patch" and leaving an oil puddle where they were parked.
soloshandpuppets@reddit
I would monitor it more often then, like once a week. Top it off normally and see how long it takes for the level to dip.
I keep oil in my trunk, but i never see any oil come out. I just check every other week, I assume its burning or leaking as i drive, but if you notice it leak a bit when its parked, def check it more often.
UncleSlayton77@reddit
How much is it leaking/burning per 1,000 miles? What weight of oil do you use?
howrunowgoodnyou@reddit
Nope just let it all run out
lpg975@reddit
As long as it has the proper amount of oil in the crankcase, it'll run fine. The worst part about an oil leak is the environmental impact of leaving oil on the ground, which will eventually seep into the ground water, polluting it and making it poisonous to human and animal life. So, I mean, probably get it fixed at some point lol.
LeckereKartoffeln@reddit
Corolla's used to burn oil in some years, as long as your engine isn't being starved keeping the oil level up is your best option. I'd try to change "periodically" to "when it needs it" and check it as often as possible. Just depends on how serious the leak is.
ribrien@reddit
Yeah I’d check every fuel up which I imagine is often if OP has 200k miles on a 10 year old car (roughly averaging 54 miles a day means at least a tank a week)
landob@reddit
I have a 2010 scion burning oil for the last 4 years/100,000ish miles. Still running fine ar 210,000
My accord was leaking oil for months until I was able to get my wife's car out the shop
EGGWURST@reddit
Yeah just check the oil level every time you fill up on gas. Keep a quart in the trunk and you'll be good. The leak might piss off the mechanic and make the engine smell when idling but other than that it's harmless as long as the oil stays topped off