Most of the time these gasket and seal leaks are caused because the gaskets and seals shrink over time. Basically this causes them to not push against the metal as hard as they used to, which open up all the leaks. What the additives do is cause the gaskets and seals to swell up and get big again. That's why they are called "seal swellers" or "swelling agents". I've used them and they do work. If you have an older engine that's not worth spending thousands on it to replace all the gaskets and seals just throw in a seal sweller and drive it until it either dies or blows up.
I used Liqui-Moly Motor Oil saver on my 2010 BMW 550i after discovering lots of tailpipe smoke ( bad valve stem seals ) added after fresh oil change. Took about 500 miles of driving, slowly but surely the oil smoke was reduced by around 90%. Oil consumption down also.
Put in 10w30 HM Mobil and liquid moly oil saver for our older X3 150k miles. The main issue for us was stripped drain plug so I used 12.1mm oversized then oil level sensor leaking so new gasket on it. It all has slowed alot great video appreciate everyone helping each other to keep our beamers going ..love the car
There’s also some thing with the crank case pressure on BMWs sometimes you can fix it and alleviate some of the excess pressure that pushes the oil out
I feel your pain having owned 3 BMWs. The video should be relabeled "why not to buy a BMW". I've changed valve cover gaskets and oil cooler gaskets and found the oil leaks reappear on the older BMWs. Tried every oil additive and it is back to square one. Never had these problems with my wife's Lexus or daughter's Acura. Can't believe the BMW engineers can't design an engine without leaks.
What is is about German auto makers and gaskets? I'm constantly chasing leaking gaskets on my bmw X5 and my Porsche cayenne. What so the deal? Frustrating, because I love my bimmer (less love for porsche).
Good video. Thanks for the info. What is you thought about adding both the at-205 and Bar's Leaks at the same time following a fresh oil change with 10w-40? Should be OKAY?
I have a 2004 BMW X5 4.4 and I’m where you’re at. I’m so glad I found your video. It will buy me more time, as my X5 is at the end of it’s life. Thank you for posting this!
I'm telling you I think I dodged the valve stem seal bullet entirely by using that at205 every oil change proactively once I hit 90,000 mi. some of the oil leaks eventually are unavoidable like the valve cover gaskets, alternator mounting bracket gasket, upper timing chain covers, oil pump.
I have a BMW 328i 2011 with only 47k miles on it and it's leaking some oil, I get a burning smell sometimes when I'm driving but don't see smoke, what do you think the problem and solution might be and how much to pay for getting it fixed?
Get a couple of cans of degree spray down the spots that are caked up and hose them off (keep the water away from the electronics. Once clean monitor it over the next few days and you should be able to find where it is coming from.
Once again, these products are meant to SLOW the leaks and REDUCE them temporarily. Its not meant to be a long-term 'FIX'. They helped me postpone doing my valve covers and upper timing covers for around a year before I had time to change them out. Lots of snake oil products out there for leaks but these actually worked for me. If you would like to give them a shot please consider using my Amazon affiliate links to the products in the description!
Buddy thanks for help your your followers, But tell me, what happen if I put two bar’s leak and two at 205 re-seal, Is bad or gonna work good? Thanks for answer.
One good thing about oil leaks? No rust! Also if you have to keep the level up in the hashmarks on dipstick then you know theres fresh oil in there somewhere in the motor! Fix those leaks get some orings and gaskets for your car and get intimate with your engine but be careful theres lots of sharp edges and some automotive fluids can burn you even if they are cold.
@@lperea21 i believe aluminum does oxidize also can be stained where in contact with iron oxide (rust). a rusting bolt can corrode aluminum due to electrolysis. metals of different compositions exchange electrons
Hello N Happy New Year.I just found the leak in My 2007 750li..Oil cooler gasket /alternator seal which is pretty common..Im gonna give the additives a shot.Thanks for the info.Cheers,Pietro
That particular gasket and leak is a nasty one and can go from a slow drip to a gush pretty quickly (ask me how I know). That job also really sucks I did it myself and it took me like 8 hours and I had to rent an engine crane to lift the engine up an inch or two
Thank you brotha you are the man There is a uk sale conditioner that they only sale and the UK that we can not get out here that works very well So I thank you for this bro
Thanks very much for your video - my 2011 328 (76,000 mi) just started leaking oil after being trouble free for many years. I am going to try the leak seal you recommended. There is no reason to start throwing good money after a car that will just start having issues. Does the leak seal additive work pretty quickly? Thanks very much again!
I have a question, for The 650i , after you put the Barr's Leaks in, Do you have to drive 200 miles to get results ???? Running the car in place? Thank s Reina
I have a 645ci on 167k miles...I've been running it with leaks and smoking for 69k miles and 7 years...tempted by the additives and stepping up from 5/40 to 10/40...is this mighty 650 still alive? (I once tried Liqi Moly oil saver when first got it...not sure if coincidence but day later the alternator gasket seal got so bad it let all the out on floor in seconds...so I'm a bit scared of additives 😂
Am I glad I found ur video I just looked at my 645 engine n I see the leak upper timing chain gasket drips n small alternator one I think... 2021 love the car though
Do you add 1 bottle of AT-205 in the engine at every oil change? pls advice . can it be used as a preventative maintainence in a dry engine? [ not leaking ]
Great Info. I have a 2008 E90 335XI w/N54 Dual Turbo engine. Do you think either of the two products you mentioned would help with a Valve Gasket leak? My leak is on passenger side toward the back of the engine and is getting on my exhaust manifold and smoking... I really don't want to (if I can help it) get the gasket repair done by a repair shop, nor do I want to do it myself as I never did it before. I am in NJ also in the Middletown/Hazlet area (exit 117). Thanks. Appreciated. Phil
I’m changing my seals on my 2014 BMW 528 and my issue in on the valve cover is crack after watching many videos i found out that BMW have issues with oils leaks either from seals or valve cover .
I have a BMW X5 that is leaking from valve cover gasket. I am going to change the oil and filter on it soon. Should I use the bars additive before I change it or should I change the oil and add it in with the new oil?
Valve cover seal must be pretty bad if it's causing a misfire. If you are dumping oil hard you had better just get it fixed. There products work for slow to moderate leaks. It won't hurt anything to try.
Thank you! I just did my valve cover but I think I may have a rear main seal oil leak although I don't appear to be losing anymore oil, it's too early to tell. I should put the Barrs in and drive it for a few hundred miles then change my oil to the 10w-40 (still using 0w-40 @ 133k miles). Transmission valve body seals are next. Ughhh
2008 bmw x5 3.0si valuve gasket leak little ,, is it okat to from 5w30 to put 10w 30 ..gays said engine will be in more presser ! adding some lucas seem rough idle at first start only , so thinking to change the oil .. any idea who solved this problems ?
Thanks for the post. 3 years later, do you still have the 650i? How is it holding up with this regiment? The heavier oil in the winter time needs longer warm up time for circulation. How does the vehicle run in winter with this setup?
A tree fell on this car and killed it. Vehicle was running in the winter no problems at all with this set up. It is a Band-Aid for sure but it definitely helps until you can get to addressing the problem.
@@ModsAndProjects sorry to hear!!! Ok great!!! Thanks for the update. I'm going to run mine till the engine completely fails. Doesn't make fiscal sense to repair it if all the seals will eventually fail. Mine just turned 17 years old.
Hi guys mi x5 ,n62,,4,4 is got a oil leak ,,think it's from alternator bracket seal,,what can I use to slow it down ,,or wat oil should I use,,it over 200,,kilometers,
I have a 2013 bmw X1, 4 cyl, AWD. looks like valve cover gasket has leaks from one side and rear, hitting exaust system and smoking, I use a OW-20 full synthetic. Would it be best to go back to a 5W30 high milage full synthetic and add the AT-205?
This car was a NA v8 so no issues there (on this car). If you are planning on frequently driving the car HARD you should probably just go out and fix the issue right away. I'm not sure there is any actual change in oil viscosity when you used these products... They are designed to chemically swell old, dried out gaskets, not thicken oil viscosity. If there were some sort of temporary flow reduction I don't think it would be a problem in a casual driving.
I have the king of BMW oil leaks the 335i N54 3.0L... would this method work on this motor as well? Ive tried a few diff products with little to no sucess. Spent $1600 changing Valve cover, Valve cover gasket and Oil filter housing gasket... stiiiiill leaks 🤦🏻♂️
I have 49 k on my 2016 535 ixdrive ...at 10000 miles the oil change light popped up ....I checked engine oil level and it was at max ...got the oil change done and was told oil pan gasket leaks will cost $3200 to fix it .... I plan to use AT205 but per your expertise do you think I need to get it changed ... I don't drive rough....fast but not rough .... Thanks in advance....
Increase the viscosity a notch on your next oil change and add the at205 certainly no harm in trying and that pan gasket is a pain in the ass/expensive job.
i dont know about the bars stop leak, lve used It 7 years ago, in my 2005 645ci, not knowing not to use the whole bottle, stupid me, the stuff melted my oil Pan gasket seal and the alternater bracket seal, causing Major damaged. had to take It to dealer for the engine to be' flushed and new alternater $2k
i have a 2011 550i with a turbo leak. very common problem i have to add oil to the car every week which gets annoying i was wondering if this will work
Hey just saw this comment, i have the same car and same problem, did you find any solution? When i use the turbo power and step on gas to get a headstart it also gives me a “ Drivetrain malfunction “ message. Hope u see this bro
@@kartiksighroha it could be that your car is having misfires because oil is leaking into the plugs and causing the coils to go bad i had that issue too
bro i am using bmw 3series 2006model diesel engine. i added liqui moly motor saver oil to my engine to save engine leaks. but after adding this oil to engine. next day my car exaust start smoking. why this is so. kindly guide me if you can regards
Omg😳 this work like magic. I sold a 545i to a guy 3 weeks ago and he came to get the title today and complain of bad oil leak which I see myself. It leak like a quart in few days. I got the car back and gave him another car. I watch this video and I got the AT205 reseal and rear main seal. I make some coup of drive around in the parking lot. Guess what??? No single drop oil again within an hour. 💪
Grate video man. I have a bmw 2008 X3 it’s have 112000 miles on. It’s has some leaks from gasket I believe from top. I use 5w-30 oil full synthetic Do you recommend me if I can use a more heavy oil. Thank u
My last 2006 E60 550i I had the rear coolant leak at the back of the motor by the transmission. My mechanic said try Bars Leaks in Powder Form its not a liquid. I did not think it work but put a package in and the leak disappeared. I could not believe it worked and my car had 230k on it so I was not about to pull the trans etc to put a new $10 gasket in. I would try it you just pour a tube of it in the coolant reservoir.
Thanku for your video brother I have the same car and when I brought it from a dealership I was leaking oil from the jump with 39,000 miles and I have the white smoke to at idle smh but I will try your snake oil lol
Give it a shot, just understand it's a band-aid, not a long term fix. The N62 engine has gaskets that WILL eventually need to be addressed. Shine flashlight all over the front of engine and look for leaks... the common ones on this engine are: Oil pump (top left - easy fix you can rebuild it in 30 mins with $15 in parts) valve covers, upper timing covers, alternator mounting bracket gasket (this one REALLY sucks to get to) Dont let the driver side valve cover leak for long of it will get in your alternator and kill it.
Maximum dose added to fresh oil when changed. Also don't be afraid to increase your viscosity to 5w40 (if your engine calls for 5w30). This is not a "fix" just a band-aid to slow it down. I was able to stop my leaks for over a year using these additives.
@@twotwosteele I feel your pain! One of the main reasons I made this video was to show this stuff will not "hurt" the engine (I was afraid to use them at first) Many people on the forums had positive things to say about the AT205 so I tried it and definitely saw improvement. I even added Bar's Leaks 1040 on top of the AT205 that slowed it down even further. 1.5 years later the leaks came back hardcore and it was time to replace the valve cover gaskets, upper timing chain gaskets, and alternator mounting bracket gasket.
@@twotwosteele Yeah people get all crazy when you talk about additives. They are not ALL snake oil. AT205 reall works. Ill tell you what, I have a 2006 650 with 140k miles and NO blue smoke. As soon as it I started to see blue smoke I started using the AT205 and it went away and STAYED away (one at205 bottle per oil change). I fixed the oil leaks, but i'm not paying to do the valve stem seals on this old lady... That's where I draw the line and will just buy a new car!
Can I use 10w40 for an N52 engine with 173K miles? It is leaking right now. I assume oil pan gasket leak. I want to slow/stop the leak without changing the oil pan gasket for now. Please let me know. Thank you.
This is not a failure of German engineers, but, rather demonstrates their skills. If you have to make a part fail on a car you can choose any part. But why chose a part that will leave the driver stranded and fuming on the side of the road. Why not choose a part that will mess up an affluent garage in an expensive house, but leave the car running for it's trip to the dealer. My first N62 gasket failure occurred at 40K, and has been followed quite regularly by other gaskets. I don't think it's age, and the replacement dealer gaskets fail repetitively.
@@ModsAndProjects ive been told it will destroy my engine lol i mean the bars leak. not sure what to believe but you think i can go with 10w 40 ? thanks for your time
@@susanhutchinson6023 read the comments, lots of positive feedback from various vehicles. If it destroys your engine somebody would have said something by now don't you think?
@@ModsAndProjects Great i was just wanting to make sure, and no i havent found any reviews saying this stuff is going to mess up the engine, what do you say is the best stop leak product for the bmw thanks again
@@susanhutchinson6023 yes !!! dont use bars stop leak, melted all the seals, major damage that caused me to have my car towed to the dealership, they had to flush engine replaced seals $2,000 repair...
@@ModsAndProjects After I watched your and other videos. I put that at-205 in my 2007 bmw.Having all of the gaskets replaced would cost too much money. I wanted to just find out if I made the right choice . Your video was the only bmw one I could find .Bmws have their own special problems .Thanks
@@ricktaylor26 Definitely a Band-Aid for the more major oil leaks like the alternator mounting bracket gasket. But for other things like the rear main seal etc. etc. I think it's a great idea to put the stuff in higher mileage BMWs. Using additives bought me a couple of years and turned moderate leaks into very slow leaks and slow leaks into nothing. On my end 62 engine I eventually had to change the valve cover gaskets, upper timing chain gaskets, alternator mounting bracket gasket. But all the other little things I did not change definitely benefited from the additives
Have a 1 series n46 engine 2.0 oil leaks everywhere. Never seen a car so bad underneath caked in sludge. Also is blue smoking so doing my pcv valve and wow. BMW really engineerd this car as a total peice of poo. Also no dipstick and no temp gauge 🥴 I'm 3600 quid in but think I'm gonna get rid asap. 🤔 Saying that tho it is 13 years old but my mk 4 fiesta is 20 yrs old probably as quick and a hell of a lot more reliable 💨
Even after i eventually changed out the valve cover gaskets and some others gaskets i still add at-205 every oil change to keep the valve stem seal issue away (im at 150k miles and still NO smoke from the exhaust after long idles). The Bar's Leaks 1040 Rear Main Seal Repair stuff seem to work VERY well at slowing down and stopping any remaining leak spots I cant get to. no long term effects that i can tell and the filters always look fine. Of course if you have a critical gasket (like the alternator mounting bracket gasket on the N62 engine) is eventually going to completely crack and dump your oil but the additives kept me on the road around 1.5 years until i had time to address the leaks myself.
