Can changing engine oil make leaks start?

[JeremyT101]

Hey guys,

I changed my oil last night on my 98 D1. Before doing it, there were some leaks here and there, the PS, and I believe a small coolant leak, but nothing that left anything noticeably different from the small drops on my driveway. I had Shell Rotella T 15w/40 in there before, and replaced with the same. Napa gold 6048 filter. No leaks around the drain plug or filter, but there appears to be clean engine oil slowly leaking (like enough to leave about a 2-3" wide dark mark on a large piece of paper under the truck after 5 hours) from the vertical plate just behind the oil pan, but before the transmission bell housing. I'm not sure if this is right where it meets with the transmission, but that is where the oil is coming from. This leak was definitely not there before and only started last night after letting the truck come to idle. The leak does appear to be slowing from last night. There are no new noises from the engine, and the oil level is just a hair below the full mark on the dipstick. Is it possible that since i let the oil drain out good and long before adding in the new stuff that some kind of leak was revealed? Anyone heard of the oil coming from that area before? Possible causal locations? (the whole frnt underside of the truck is COVERED in black residue from probably years of leaks so its neigh on impossible to read a flow pattern down the engine)

Thanks guys.

 

[MattScott]

Rotella T does have a more intense additive package than a standard oil. It's possible that with the flushing of the old oil that you broke a piece of sludge or something off that was actually keeping the oil in.

 

[Der Steppenwolf]

Coming from that area sounds like the rear main seal leaking. IF you want to dig in, degrease everything and get a bottle of oil leak detection dye. Run that for a while and then get a blacklight out and follow the trail. At the very least, degrease and keep a naked eye on it.

 

[Howski]

Had a similar issue when I went from Rotella to Chevron Delo (on sale). It began leaking a slight amount after the switch and then went away shortly after I changed back to the Rotella.

 

[tacr2man]

Is it a gas or diesel engine ?

 

[@just_rich_young]

I run Dino oil in my Harley, and one time I switched to Royal Purple. It started leaking from several places. I drained it and put regular old Dino oil in and it hasn't leaked since. So, yes. An oil change can cause leaks.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

 

[owhiting]

check the easy stuff first. oil pan bolts will work loose over time so check them fist. If loose drop the pan and replace the gasket or use rtv. Rear main is the next stop but that will usually drip out the bottom of the transmission.

 

[Hill Bill E.]

I run Dino oil in my Harley, and one time I switched to Royal Purple. It started leaking from several places. I drained it and put regular old Dino oil in and it hasn't leaked since. So, yes. An oil change can cause leaks.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

Switching from 'dino' to synthetic, especially in older or high mileage vehicles, will do that.

Back in '82, on my very first truck I bought myself (a '58 Dodge pick up) I changed all the 80W-90 in the diffs, trans and T-case.

All of a sudden everything was leaking! Little did I know when I changed fluid, my dad had put the bucket pump in a 5 gallon bucket of synthetic gear lube.

That stuff wasn't exactly cheap back then compared to regular 80W-90!


Seeing as the OP is using the same oil, I would start with 'owhiting's suggestions.

 

[Bergum]

Landys don't leak. They just mark they're territory...

No. Changing oil can make engine leaks. New additives will remove old "cloggings" for good and for bad..

Better with a leak home than on the trail.

B4x4.no

 

[rover4x4]

probably a good idea to change the filter in about 500 to 1000 miles as the rotella will liberate all sorts of sludge and buildup from the engine, I like the NAPA 1452 it holds a quart of oil.

 

[JeremyT101]

Thanks alot guys. Its a gas 4.0L. The leaks seem to have 'stopped' themselves up now. I drove 600km+ this weekend to the cottage and the oil level stayed right the same. I will keep an eye on it though, as well as the driveway. This is the second oil change I have done where I used rotella. When I first got the truck the oil was BLACK. It was obvious that the oil hadn't been changed in well, far too long I'm assuming. This oil really appears to do good things for the engine though. The engine sounds much happier with it in it. After doing a full tune (plugs, wires, oil, good injector cleaner, filters) it went from essentially shaking the truck at stop lights at idle, to a perfectly smooth and quiet.

 

[tacr2man]

The reason I asked whether gas or diesel is that Rotella is a high detergent diesel engine oil . It is probably not the ideal choice for a rover v8 engine especially after it has a lot of miles under its belt . It will clean your engine out , thats for sure with a few unexpected results possible . A 15/40 is probably Ok for a winter oil, but a hot summer a 20/50 would be a better choice . The rover V8 is a fairly low pressure lube engine JMHE

 

[Daryl]

The reason I asked whether gas or diesel is that Rotella is a high detergent diesel engine oil . It is probably not the ideal choice for a rover v8 engine

I completely disagree. Once you start looking at what oils have enough ZDDP for flat tappet motors compared to what is easily available in most of the US Rotella T is one of the obvious choices. Not just for Rovers but the old Porsche crowd and anyone else dealing with this issue. Most oils have had the ZDDP reduced to what most believe are inadequate levels for flat tappet motors (because ZDDP adds to pollution and shortens cat life combined with the fact that no one is producing new motors with high pressure interfaces like flat tappets).

 

[baja5337]

combined with the fact that no one is producing new motors with high pressure interfaces like flat tappets).

The jag 4.4 v-8 motor is a flat tappet engine (because its dual overhead cam design)

just an FYI

 

[JeremyT101]

I completely disagree. Once you start looking at what oils have enough ZDDP for flat tappet motors compared to what is easily available in most of the US Rotella T is one of the obvious choices. Not just for Rovers but the old Porsche crowd and anyone else dealing with this issue. Most oils have had the ZDDP reduced to what most believe are inadequate levels for flat tappet motors (because ZDDP adds to pollution and shortens cat life combined with the fact that no one is producing new motors with high pressure interfaces like flat tappets).

This is exactly what I had read and why I choose to go with this oil. There isn't much discussion of it here, but on Dweb, and other LR forums this is the baseline oil that everyone recommends. Plus, a clean engine is a much happier engine I feel, if leaks happen, then I can deal with them when they do.