oil leak repairs? Options

[celicaluva79]

My celi has been leaking oil like crazy. Probaly half my oil is gone in about a week. Just wanted to get some ideas on how much im looking at in repairs. Like just an estimate, how much would it probaly run me to get my seals and stuff replaced?

[Special_Edy]

Yes just dont let it get more than a quart low(the add line on the dipstick). Dont try any of the stopleak oil additives they are terrible for your engine.
You could also try a higher viscosity oil like 10w-40 or 20w-50 depending on where you live and what the lowest outside temperature is going to be. 10w-40 will be fine as long as you arent below freezing and 20w-50 if it isnt getting below maybe 60 degrees at night where you live. The thicker oil in theory would leak less, maybe a negligible amount but both are recommended in the service manual for warmer climates so go for it.

I would also recommend trying to locate the leak with the methods previously stated just to make sure you arent getting ripped off by the mechanic. There are only a few places I would expect to find an oil leak.
- the oil cooler(where the oil filter screws on)= oil will run down the front of the engine from here and the wind will coat a strip of the oilpan all the way around to the back of the engine with oil. Around the exhaust pipe.
- Valve Cover Gasket(top of the engine) oil will run either down the backside of the engine over everything or down the front of the engine and get onto the exhaust manifold which will smoke.
- Oil pump, camshaft/crankshaft seal( inside the timing belt cover) you will have oil leaking out of the timing belt cover by the passenger side tire. When you turn the engine off oil will continue to drip in large quantities for a short time period because oil gets trapped inside while the motor is running(most other leaks stop when you turn the engine off )
- oil pan gasket ( bottom cover of the engine). Oil will dribble out slowly and coat the bottom of the engine, wind may whip it up the backside of the engine slightly
- Rear Main Seal(inside the bellhousing where the transmission mates to the engine)- hardest gasket to change, oil will leak out of the bottom of the transmission bellhousing. Your clutch will start to slip and you will smell burnt clutch/oil

Let us know what the mechanic says and how much he is going to charge when you get around to getting it fixed