Hi,
Someone put this: http://barsproducts.com/catalog/view...ak-repair-4502 in my oil. Will this affect/hurt my van at all, and what can I do to help?
He is a mechanic friend and may have done this in a not-so-clear frame of mind. Am I safe? Is this a big deal? I repeat, he put this in the oil, not into the transmission fluid, and I am very scared that this is a big problem.
I can think of worse things to have in the oil, but I wouldn't want it there. I'd recommend an immediate oil change. This product works by attacking soft parts like o-rings & oil seals. It makes them swell up a bit and get soft. If it's a low stress seal, it can stop a leak, but if it's a high stress seal, it may cause it to fail. I've always resisted the use of such products (too risky). If a seal is leaking it's my opinion that seal should be replaced. Products like this only delay the inevitable, and can potentially cause more harm than good. Tim
Thank you Tim! Will do! The place I am trying to go says they have only semi-synthetic or fully synthetic oil. Is it safe to use these or do you recommend only conventional for the van? Someone told me to use only regular 10w-30Originally Posted by timsrv
You'll probably get a lot of opinions on this subject, but I like synthetic. In the summer I run full synthetic 10w-40 in the winter & full synthetic 10w-30 in the summer. Full synthetic is expensive (usually $7 - $10 per qt) but I feel better about using it. If your van burns a lot of oil or if it leaks, then probably better to stick with the cheaper oil (no point in paying all that money for oil that's going to end up on your driveway or end up as blue smoke). If you have a slow leak from your engine, one thing interesting about full synthetic is it will leak faster than conventional motor oil. It has something to do with conformity of molecules (molecules in standard oil are randomly different shapes/sizes & molecules in synthetic are all the same). This means standard oil will move slower through the breach. Synthetic doesn't create leaks, it just leaks faster. So if you're putting off repairs on leaks (even small ones) it's better to stay with standard motor oil. Tim
Always appreciate your kind insight, Tim. I went with semi synthetic, and you know what? They actually fixed the leak that Walmart caused! Thanks again for all the info! More or less you think that conventional, semi, and full synthetic are all fine for the vans? ^_^
Sure. Your budget & condition of the van will determine which product is best for you. Tim
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