# Oil leaks, gaskets, cam shaft seal **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** oil, leaks\ **Created:** [September 9, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320 "2008-09-09T00:57:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![adewalle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@adewalle](https://community.cartalk.com/u/adewalle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/1 "2008-09-09T00:57:05Z")
So my car has a slow leak, a few drops on the driveway over a long period of time. I took my car in for something else and they said I have a leak…the cam shaft is bad, the front crank, the gaskets…all adding up to at least $850 to repair. He also said if we’re doing it we might as well replace the timing belt which may be wearing down due to the oil leaking on it. The timing belt is one year old and some of the gaskets are also one year old…but that was repaired(supposedly) at a mechanic who didn’t clearly know what he was doing or maybe didn’t actually do the work I paid for. So, my question is: if the leak isn’t major, do I need these major repairs? I’m already getting the cv bootslip on one axle replaced and the knob sensor on the engine replaced for $390, so another $850 will definitely put me in debt. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/2 "2008-09-09T01:03:30Z")
Year, make, model, engine, and mileage are all pretty essential to answering this question. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/3 "2008-09-09T04:38:58Z")
You will never stop the leaks for more than six months unless you are very lucky. You may slow one of them down a bit, but not for long. It will still be an old engine. Main bearing leaks will be fixed better with new main bearings. ---
**Author:** ![Manolito](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/manolito/32/3070_2.png) [@Manolito](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Manolito)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 5:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/4 "2008-09-09T05:20:51Z")
Make, model, and mileage are needed to make an intelligent suggestion, but in the absence of data, no, you don’t have to fix leaking seals on the front of your engine, and no, they have not ruined your timing belt. All they have done is make your floor and your engine compartment dirty. If you could arrange to park it in the garage, you could put a drip tray or a big piece of cardboard under it and drive the car till you wear it out, or you open it up again for another reason, at which time you can try replacing those seals again. What the heck is a knob sensor? ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 11:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/5 "2008-09-09T11:38:51Z")
Is this a Subaru with a non turbo engine? ---
**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/6 "2008-09-09T23:32:54Z")
With all those leaks, I am betting Honda. ---
**Author:** ![adewalle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@adewalle](https://community.cartalk.com/u/adewalle)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 12:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/7 "2008-09-10T12:27:21Z")
99 subaru outback automatice ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 1:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leaks-gaskets-cam-shaft-seal/19320/8 "2008-09-10T13:06:43Z")
Wifes owned two Honda’s with will one well over 300k and the other over 220k…NEVER EVER had an oil leak of any kind. I know several people who own Honda’s and they never had oil leaks… Now my 84 S-15…man did that leak. Replaced the valve cover gaskets on that engine about 5 times…Very poor design.