Help with oil leak - 2001

[sroberts]

My Pathfinder has a slow drip from the hex bolt plug pictured below. Is this plug something that is known to leak, and does it have a replaceable gasket? Or is it more likely that the upper oil plan gasket is leaking? I've recently replaced the valve cover gaskets and I do not see evidence of it leaking.

[Upgrayedd]

Is that a spot of oil next to the bell housing weep hole? If so then I would say it's either your rear main seal and/or upper oil pan gasket. I had both recently replaced on my '02 Pathfinder. The dealer that I took it to told me they replace the upper oil pan gasket as a matter of principle when they do the rear main seal. In my case they confirmed it was the rear main seal but I am glad both were replaced since they were in there.

[brando73]

Upgrayedd- how much did the dealer charge you? Just curious. Thanks!

[Upgrayedd]

Upgrayedd- how much did the dealer charge you? Just curious. Thanks!

$1900

I went to them though because I just didn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling from the two other shops I checked with first. When I called the dealer the service advisor I talked to was very familiar with the issue and procedure and brought up replacing the upper pan gasket before I even mentioned it. It's been dry as a bone underneath so I guess they fixed it good.

[sroberts]

I love my Pathfinder but not that much, it is 16 years old and at 200k miles.
The RMS leak is maybe a drip a day, the other leak, if from the upper oil pan is about 2 drips per day. I am not adding oil between changes.

If the Bar's RMS stop leak does not work I'm leaning toward a solution like this, although this is not a Pathfinder:



Though I think this solution is perfectly acceptable in Georgia :

[Upgrayedd]

I love my Pathfinder but not that much, it is 16 years old and at 200k miles.
The RMS leak is maybe a drip a day, the other leak, if from the upper oil pan is about 2 drips per day. I am not adding oil between changes.

If the Bar's RMS stop leak does not work I'm leaning toward a solution like this, although this is not a Pathfinder:



Though I think this solution is perfectly acceptable in Georgia :

I understand and don't blame you. My Pathfinder (actually my teen daughter's) has 194k miles. It was a tough decision and I hated to spend the money but I was already into it deep enough with other repairs that I don't want to write it off just yet. I was also tired of it leaving oil stains on the street in front of my house or on the driveway. If we can get at least another 50k miles out of it then I will be happy.

[yeldogt]

What oil are you using?

The Pathfinder is the only modern vehicle I have had leak with synthetic oil ... every one of them. Have owned 3. I use the high mile 5w-30 oil and .. no problems.

[sroberts]

I've used synthetic from the first oil change and high mileage full synthetic since around 150k miles. I've read a lot of talk that synthetic is more prone to leak.

I recently replaced the valve cover gasket which was leaking, there is a slow rear main seal leak, and possibly another, perhaps the upper oil pan gasket. I've had a bottle of Bar's Stop Leak in for about 2k miles - it may have slowed the leak but it's hard to say since the valve cover was leaking most of that time. I've cleaned the underside well so I can better pinpoint the source(s) of the leaks.

[yeldogt]

My post was not clear ... I use conventional 5w -30 high mile ... typically Castrol. The high mile oils are rumored to have a seal conditioner ..... don't know exact chemistry. I was not a believer when they first came out until they eliminated the slight valve noise we would get on our high mile Ford V6 powered fleet vehicles ... this was about 8 years ago. If we switched them out at the next oil change .. the noise would come back. I believe all oils are a blend with Syn at this point if they are up the current oil rating

The Nissan V6 in the Path leaks w Syn as the engine cools ... drips in the winter.

[sroberts]

The high mileage synthetic I use has seal conditioners, and the stop-leak includes conditioners also, so the seals should be getting a lot of attention. I suppose there is a chance that switching to conventional would address the leak but I expect it is a slim chance.