Is driving with a rear main seal leak safe? Can it cause any harm to the driver or passenger? Alright, you will get all these answers to your questions in this write-up.
The rear main seal prevents the engine oil from leaking out from the back of the engine. The seal can get damaged for many reasons such as excessive heat, age, faulty bearings etc.
However, we are also going to discuss the symptoms by which you can identify this malfunction and how to fix it based on the symptoms.
So without wasting much time, let’s get into the article.
Symptoms You Get When Driving With A Rear Main Seal Leak
If you drive with a faulty rear main seal, your car will run low on oil because of the fast leak. And this can lead to permanent engine damage. But this isn’t the only problem.
Driving with a leaking rear main seal won’t possibly cause any harm to the passengers. But it will ruin the car’s engine system.
Besides, the other components around the seal will get damaged too because of driving your vehicle with the exhaust seal leak. The sticky oil sipping through the seal also attracts dirt, debris and gunk. And this can lead to hard acceleration and damage to ball joints and bushings.
So, in a word, it’s a bad idea to run your vehicle with a leaked rear main seal. That’s why driving with a rear main seal leak is not recommended.
The bad impacts of the exhaust seal leak depend on some key factors. And they are the seal type or design, location and speed of the leak.
The design or seal types may not cause large leakages. But the location of the rear main seal can cause larger leaks which results in fast oil leaking speed. And we have already mentioned above how fast leaks can become so dangerous for your vehicle.
However, a leak in the rear main seal can never be a good manifestation for a vehicle. It gets worse with time if it is not fixed on time. And, driving with this trouble can exacerbate the situation even more!
Symptoms of Rear Main Seal Leak
How would you know if you have a an exhaust seal leak or not? You will notice several signs and symptoms when your vehicle’s rear main seal leaks or fails.
Oil Leaking
If you find oil leaking out from the bell housing, the front part of the transmission, consider it a sign of seal failure. The same symptom can be seen in oil leaking from the engine oil pan. It is one of the most common symptoms.
Low Oil Level
Another sign you might notice in most cases is low oil level. If there is no oil drip, but your vehicle’s engine is giving a low oil level sign before the schedule. It is because there is a primary rear main seal leakage.
As the leakage is at the primary level, it won’t give of fast oil leak. That’s why the owner may not be aware that his vehicle has a faulty seal.
Oil Puddling
If you see any oil plash or puddle under your car created by the oil leaking from your vehicle. The rear crankshaft seal may need to be replaced. Oil pooling underneath the car’s engine is the main symptom of this problem.
This Video Will Help You Too!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it okay to drive with a rear main seal leak?
No, driving with a rear main seal leak is not okay. When you drive with a rear main seal leak. There’s a possibility of a fast oil leak which causes a low oil level in the engine.
Can you drive with rear main seal leak?
You can drive with a rear main seal leak, but it is not recommended to do so. Because the oil will seep out continuously, causing the engine to run out of oil.
Is it bad to drive with a leaking rear main seal?
Yes, it is bad to drive with a leaking rear main seal. A leaking rear main seal is not a good thing for your vehicle. Driving with it will lead to major engine problems.
How bad is a leaking rear main seal?
A leaking rear main seal is always a matter of concern for vehicle owners. It can cause severe damage to the transmission system and permanent engine damage to your car. Besides, the repair cost is prohibitive.
What does a rear main seal leak cause?
A rear main seal leak causes rapid oil drain, leading to low oil levels. The low oil level can cause permanent damage to your vehicle’s engine. If not permanent, it will definitely cause serious issues to your car.
How bad is a rear main seal leak?
A rear main seal leak is pretty dangerous for a vehicle. It mainly causes several engine problems. If it is not repaired on time, it might permanently damage the engine by frequently lowering the oil level.
Final Verdict
So, in the end, we can say driving with a rear main seal leak is never a good thing to do. Some may suggest putting heavily weighted oil in your engine and driving with the leak. But it is not an overall solution.
The only way to fix the rear main seal leak problem is to replace the leaked rear main seal. Otherwise, it will continuously and permanently damage the engine of your vehicle.
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