Welcome to my channel where I talk about how to make cars last 25 years and 300,000 miles. In this video I discuss AT-205 now available but possibly reformulated.
I recently purchased AT-205 from Amazon and it did not have any smell to it, but it did stop my oil leak on my 1990 Toyota pickup with 144,500 original miles. This stuff works.
Don I think it's still the best stop leak product on the market. I've just gotten a lot of complaints from my subscribers that it's not as good as it used to be. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber Don and make those cars last baby!
Best automotive product i've ever used to stop a minor rear main axel seal leak/a drop a day. After driving for some 350 miles, No more leakage. Hope it doesn't harm the engine though.
Just bought a bottle today(2-16-22) at Advanced Auto Parts. I've never used it before. I have a 2001 Ford Escape that has a burning oil smell, I assumed it must be the rear main seal (on the engine) leaking and dripping down on to the exhaust. I poured the whole bottle in, my engine holds 5.5qts hopefully I didn't use too much of the At-205. After I bought it I was reading some nightmare reviews about it ruining people engines or transmissions I am hoping I don't run into any problems.
Well I wouldn't have put that much in. Also, I don't think you should have "assumed" it was the rear main seal. You should see where the leak is coming from with a visual inspection, then move forward from there. But you're dealing with a 21 year old Ford Escape, so it's not like you're gonna ruin an expensive car. When working on my 05 Element I say to myself "If I do something wrong, I've already won owning this car." - I won long ago as it's been paid for for decades." Thanks for watching! Make those cars last!
Used it about a month ago on my 2009 malibu 2.4, poured a whole bottle and a week later.....no more oil leak Used to add half a quart about every 2 weeks no havent add nome since i used it
I bought a bottle of the reformulated from advance about a week ago, and sadly it doesn't work NEARLY as good as the original...sadly, just like everything else that was once good in this country, this now too has lost its quality. Cant have ppl fixing their own cars for cheap now can we??? My 2001 Toyota Camry still runs like a clock at 257k original everything...newer vehicles are garbage as well...smh, what a shame.
You are right! Since Obamas CASH FOR CLUNKERS and making new engines last 50k miles and energy prices high for you and not for the few! This is to make you buy electric cars! You say it's to expensive for everybody Oh well.
If it works let me know. I don't like that the smell is different than my bottle purchased around the 2016-2017 time frame. It makes me think it's been reformulated... or worse. Thanks for watching!
I last purchased it about the same time. I only got 3 bottles at $10 a pop. I used them for for about 2 years. I did put one entire bottle in one of my vehicles that had a bad leak.
I haven't heard from anyone so far that the new formula does not work. So I would think it's still useful to spray on rubber suspension parts. Another thing I like to do is to spray rubber suspension components with 303 aerospace protectant once a year. Thanks for watching! Make those cars last!
@@greeneyesfromohio4103 I honestly haven't heard anything positive or negative about the new formulation sprayed on rubber bushings, etc. If I hear something definitive I'll probably make an updated video. Thanks for watching!
Don't worry about that. All vehicle manufacturers make their cars so there's some room for error in terms of oil level. Dealerships make a ton of money with easy jobs like oil changes, tire rotations, and 'inspections'... they don't want a newer cars getting ruined because some dealer mechanic filled the oil level 1/2 quart too much. I just make sure I'm at the correct oil level, then I usually add 4 ounces of AT-205 for all my vehicles - even V6. That's what I've always done and it's worked great. Thanks for watching!
I have rear main seal leak in my 98 Ford ranger have been using 205 for about 4 years with know problems the leak stopped. I changed my oil in june and purchased two bottles of the new 205 the seal has been leaking badly after adding this product. have been searching for an answer until I just read your comments on the refurb now I understand why it is leaking. Thanks 205 for screwing up your product.
Hey Jim I think they changed the formula. And I'm seeing more complaints that it's not as good as the old AT-205. I will continue to try to find out more information. Thanks for watching!
I was looking to buy this from a location in Canada and they said it's not certified to be used in Canada, so perhaps they've taken out that ingredient (whatever it is) and maybe I will see it in Canada down the road or I'll look for something comparable which to date has been pretty challenging based on the past testimonials.
I can't really comment on the Canada issue but the reality is AT-205 is the best minor leak stopper ever. It's a major reason I've been able to keep my fleet of old vehicles on the road. Thanks for watching!
Have you considered writing to them yet? That blue devil product you recommended didn't quite seem to have the same magic. I'm desperate to know if they actually reformulated it!!
I am going to try to call them this week. But I want you guys to test it and see if it still has the old AT-205 magic. I wish I had an oil or transmission fluid leak so I could test it!
@@TheSwitzAutomotive I tried it in our power steering that was already on its last legs after years of a slow leak that at-205 had stopped multiple times.... No it didn't work
Could be. So far I've gotten a few comments that the users don't feel it's as good as the old formulation. If it's true it's seriously disappointing since this has been my go to product for so many years. Thanks for watching. Make those cars last baby!
I added AT-205 to my 76 VW Bus camper. I''ve had it at 3 top classic car mechanics and they all say it's in great condition accept for the slight oil leak. Well, It's defiantly leaking a quarter size drip a day. So I put in the 205. 5 hundred miles later it's still leaking. Can I ADD more 205?. Will it be bad for the engine to add more ?. No one says that it's a major issue but the Bus still leaks with the 205. What should I do now?. Is another bottle going to hurt the engine. ? Reply
Hey Mr. Gold, if AT-205 does not stop the minor oil leak it's time to figure out where it's leaking from and probably replace the seal or gasket. I know that's going to be a lot more expensive, but your 76 bus is indeed entering classic car status, where it should be going up in value... not exactly a POS 1999 Pontiac Sunfire with 260,000 miles on it... if that were the case I'd say "Sure, try another application of AT-205" - who wants to dump money into a car worth, maybe $500 - but that's not what we have here. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last baby!
@@TheSwitzAutomotive Thanks for your response. Our Bus looks almost showroom condition. Literally everything works well. 2 of the 3 classic car guys said the oil leak is still very minor and not worth chasing. The third guy, old VW repair guy said leave it alone it's not bad enough. SO like you said, it's still leaking so would it be worth pulling the engine and re sealing it. I've seen AT-205 stop far worse oil leaks than I have. Can't quite figure out what's going on.
What I've done in the past is to suck the power steering fluid out of the reservoir (see my video "Using the turkey baster method for old fluid removal #1 and #2) then I would ad maybe an ounce of AT-205 and give it a week for two. I've gotten good results doing this. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last baby!
All I can say is several people have reported to me that it's not as good as the old formulation. I still think it's worth buying, and using. But it simply may not be as effective as the old formulation that smells like nail polish. Thanks for watching! Make those cars last baby!
@@carolinabull It's not a sealant. It doesn't seal anything. It brings the rubber seals back to their original non dried up state. If the seal is cut or damaged it doesn't work. Only on dried up rubber to make them like new again. Doesn't block holes or cuts or anything like that.
I ordered it online. It came in 3 days. I am curious why Advanced Auto appears to carry it online but no one else. Just clicked on Amazon and "currently unavailable." Thanks for watching!
Yes, I've used it many times for minor transmission leaks. See the red fluid on the driveway and add 2-3 ounces of AT-205 on your next transmission fluid change... I also talk about the importance of changing your trans fluid in other videos. Let your trans fluid go too long and it may lead to an early death for your transmission. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber Tahakhan and make those cars last baby!
I bought 3 bottles from Advance Auto for $12.99 per bottle. However, it looks like it's sold out again. So you may need to buy off ebay for another source. Looks like they are going for $30 to $40 on ebay. Do not dilute with water. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last!
I make no guarantees, but I have done this for years with good results. Usually I will ad a few ounces only to an engine or transmission to keep the seals good. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last!
You can, but you will need to add it every time you change your oil. Differential, same. I would not use it as a preventative in automatic transmissions. Viscosity is extremely critical.
It is quite possible it has been reformulated due to supply chain issues. Blue Devil works, just not as well. I have a leak in my steering rack of my 300K mile Lexus SC300 (which runs like brand new still). If I use AT-205 the leak slows down a LOT. I can go four to six weeks without adding any Power steering fluid. I'll let u know. I ordered two bottles from NAPA about two hours ago. Mailed to my home....about $15 per bottle after shipping and a discount. Scotty Kilmer should get royalties. He turned a LOT of people like me on to this product.
Okay let me know. I've used AT-205 in a preventative manner in my older cars' for many years. I use my "turkey baster" method to get the old fluid out of the reservoir and put in an ounce of AT-205 with the new fluid. I've never had a PS leak yet!
@@TheSwitzAutomotive Me too. My rack and pinion seals are shot. Replacing the rack is horribly expensive even with a rebuilt one. The AT-205 is not a permanent cure for my severely worn seals, but it lasts a long time. Longer in the cooler months...we have only three in Florida. Jan, Feb, March. Holds up well in hottest months too. I'll let you know how the new stuff works. Was it acetone you were smelling?
@@deplorabledave1048 R&P is a critical safety item of the vehicle. I would not skimp on it. If your leak resulted in a sudden loss of pressure you may not be able to turn in time leading to an accident. I got a junkyard R&P installed, yes labor was expensive but it made the car useable. Current used and new car prices are insane right now. Getting the extra year or 2 on the car is worth it.
@@AJ-we9kd You don't really NEED a power steering pump. If you have hydraulic assist power steering. If the hydraulic power steering goes out - you can still steer the car the steering column is still physically engaged to the rack. Yeah, it'll be heavier - but you can push hydraulic fluid through the system and steer the car, even without the assist pump. Shit, i deleted the power steering in an old 1988 golf GTI i once owned... freed up a few HP, got better milage and made the car more precise at higher speeds when driving in a uhhhhh... "spirited" manner. It dis make it less fun to park... but it wasn't that bad. Sometimes I wish it were an option to turn down the assist function in some cars. TBH, you shouldn't be able to steer a car lock to lock with just your thumb....
I'm pretty sure the bottle is the same (I just ordered one off Amazon). Remember, it went off the market for awhile (you couldn't get it anywhere for like 6 months). Then in 2021 you could buy it again, but the smell is different (no nail polish smell), and I've gotten complaints that it is not as effective. Thanks for watching!
I put out a new "AT-205 Re-Seal 2023 Product Update" video. Overall, given the complaints I've gotten, I'd say that it does not work as well but it's still worth trying. But I think all of us who want to make our cars last 25 years should be ready to do more gasket replacements than in the past. In the past AT-205 was so effective I actually thought of buying old cars with oil leaks, adding AT-205, and flipping the car for a profit. Granted, I have a full time job as a professional, so I never did that, but it was that effective. Truly one of the greatest automotive products ever produced. Hey, I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last baby!
I think the label says words to the effect of add a whole bottle to an oil change if your car uses 6 quarts of oil. I've gotten great results over the years by adding just 1/2 the bottle, but then letting the AT-205 circulate for the entire oil change. I've also stopped transmission leaks, power steering leaks, rear differential leaks, etc. by just adding an ounce or so. Take a look at my latest 2023 video on this product, however. I don't think it's as good as it used to be. Thanks for watching John. I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last!
That's kinda what I was thinking. It would be a much better thing to check. That and take some hard rubber seals and put them both into the new and old stuff for an hour and look at the results.
Ha! If I sniffed it every day I'd agree with you, but if I sniff it 4-5 times of the course of my life I have a hard time believing it will do much harm. Interesting theory about taking it off the market. Thanks for watching!
@@TheSwitzAutomotive The substance they used to use is called methylene chloride. It's pretty nasty. The reason the new stuff 'doesn't smell' is because they removed this. However it is still used in quite a few 'rubber rejuvenators'.
Anyone here use it for the sparkplug tube seals. I have a car the client has no money for a by the book service dealer quoted 1600. I can do a small service to replace the spark plugs clean the tubes and clean the coils and add a bottle of at-205 and hope the seals swell again but not sure how long that would take as its so high up on the engine.
@Kay Jay I totally forget. I was trying to check the video. If it was for the at205 I use it in every vehicle that's got the old seals. If it's a main seal I just schedule and repair. Otherwise I use the reseal and if it does what it does then I just recommend the customer to schedule when they can budget the proper update. But I am guessing it was for an 07 Focus because the owner was one of 3 that had the same flooded sparkplug tubes. And that stopped all 3 of them from reoccurring after I cleaned them up and checked plugs tightened the valve covers to torque and added the at205. But if you have a specific vehicle as not all vehicles use the rubber some use felt.
@@onlyme8870 I bet it was the focus. I had to do the same for my nieces focus. Seems like a common occurrence. The center ones were completely full of oil. I was thinking if they replaced the tube seals on specific vehicles and don't know to walk the seal on the tube they can damage them, and at-205 wouldn't seal them.
If you have some of the original left, couldnt you send it to a lab? Id imagine the reviews youd get from that would be well worth it. Might even encourage ATP to start making the original again.
I just checked the AT-205 when spraying my suspension bushings and once again it smells like it always has nasty solvent type of smell I cant tell any difference and the consistency is the same from and im from northern IL
So far it appears to be working. I have a few people who gave me good testimonies while no one has said it didn't work. Probably worth a try at this point if you have a small oil leak. Thanks for watching and make those cars last!
Ha! Yes, it does appear in the video like I'm gonna take a gulp. Warning: Fatal if swallowed. Bad idea. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last!
No. But I think it is since it smells different than the AT-205 I've been using for years. The good news is so far no one has complained that the "new" version doesn't work. So my advice is buy it when you can and have it available in case you have a minor leak. Remember: this is for minor leaks. If you have a torn seal someplace you can't expect AT-205 do work. Thanks for watching. I hope you're a subscriber and make those cars last!
I thought you were going to say "it smells like woman" and end there. Otherwise, you will men buying this like crazy, flying off the shelf, and will be sold out quick.
