# Oil Leak Additives

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-additives/55745>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** outback, subaru\
**Created:** [September 29, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-additives/55745 "2010-09-29T17:27:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ejwright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/13edae/32.png) [@ejwright](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ejwright)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-additives/55745/1 "2010-09-29T17:27:08Z")

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I have a 1999 Subaru Outback with 160,000 miles on it. I have a small oil leak and wonder if one of the stop oil leak additives would do any good.

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-additives/55745/2 "2010-09-29T17:31:05Z")

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No. It’s highly unlikely an additive will help. Don’t waste your money.

You’d be amazed at the number of places a Subaru engine can leak oil. If you have only one small leak at 160K miles you’re lucky.

Where is the leak?

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**Author:** ![ejwright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/13edae/32.png) [@ejwright](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ejwright)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-additives/55745/3 "2010-09-29T17:49:43Z")

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Thanks for responding so promptly. I see drops on my garage floor but don’t know how to check to see where it is coming from.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-additives/55745/4 "2010-09-29T18:21:04Z")

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At the next oil change you could go to a high mileage oil. They have extra additives that can sometimes help seal leaks. Whether it would make any difference in your case depends on what is leaking and how badly. Either way it won’t hurt - costs a little bit more though.

I wouldn’t put anything in the engine other than whatever oil is supposed to go in it.

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**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-additives/55745/5 "2010-09-29T18:26:06Z")

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Closely inspect the crankcase vents. If they are becoming restricted blow-by will pressurize the crankcase and cause leaks at all the usual weak points.