My Mechanic Recommended JB Weld for the leak on my cummins

[1993D2505Spd]

Hello everyone I am new to this forum, I live in California and my grandpa just recently gifted me his 1993 Dodge D250 4x4 5spd (185,000 miles) which he was the original owner and I am now the second. I have been driving it quite regularly to college (48 miles round trip) for the past week and I just sprouted a leak on the engine. A shop I have used before many times in my county called Brown's Diesel in Riverdale, CA told me it had something to do with the front main seal if I correctly recall from the phone conversation they said it would be cheaper if they JB Welded the leak instead of replacing the gasket. The leak is about 2-4 drips after I turn it off I don't really see a leak while it is running. Is this a normal thing in fixing leaks on these engines this is my first diesel thank you for all of your help.

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[watersupply189]

Hello everyone I am new to this forum, I live in California and my grandpa just recently gifted me his 1993 Dodge D250 4x4 5spd (185,000 miles) which he was the original owner and I am now the second. I have been driving it quite regularly to college (48 miles round trip) for the past week and I just sprouted a leak on the engine. A shop I have used before many times in my county called Brown's Diesel in Riverdale, CA told me it had something to do with the front main seal if I correctly recall from the phone conversation they said it would be cheaper if they JB Welded the leak instead of replacing the gasket. The leak is about 2-4 drips after I turn it off I don't really see a leak while it is running. Is this a normal thing in fixing leaks on these engines this is my first diesel thank you for all of your help.

Welcome friend! JB Weld on a front main seal? Never heard of doing that before. 2-4 drips only after shutting it off isn’t a bad leak but it will eventually get worse over time.


2016 Ram Laramie 3500 (DRD), G56, 6.7, Rough Country Leveling, HID headlights, Morimoto LED fogs plus a whole lot more!

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[Aboshan]

it would depend on if the seal was leaking around the crankshaft or on the outside of the seal. I would get more detailed information as to what is going on. The leak isn't that bad but given the age of the vehicle it could become worse pretty quickly. I have done some amazing things with JB Weld but never heard of using it with anything to do with oil seals. JB Weld is for gluing metal parts together and it does well within its limitations. If the outer edge of the seal is rusted JB Weld will only be a temporary fix.

It is also very hard to get off which is something to consider if future repairs are needed. Nice truck, as long as its maintained it will last a very long time. 185k miles is nothing for those old 12 valves

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[AnOldBiker]

@1993D2505Spd

I agree with if the leak is either on the outside of the seal or from where it seals the shaft. If it was my truck, I'd get some money together, plan it so I can be without the truck for a few days and get the seal replaced. Or if your mechanically inclined, have a weekend to get er done. If not, you could be walking soon.

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[nova]

May catch some flak for this but I'd say try AT-205 before I tore it down.

To help my down and out sister in law, I bought an older, relatively low mileage Hyundai Santa fe for $1k and fixed it up.

It had an oil leak of about that size somewhere up where you couldn't see it much less get to it, either rear valve cover or possibly around a rear camshaft seal.

To avoid basically pulling the engine I dosed it with that and ran it around on the weekends for a month or so.

It's still rolling 20k miles later with no issues.

Friend of mine used it on a power steering system that wouldn't hold fluid more than a day or so and it sealed without issue.

Been running it almost a year after.

http://atpautomotive.com/featured/re-seal

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[BlackBart]

Hello everyone I am new to this forum, I live in California and my grandpa just recently gifted me his 1993 Dodge D250 4x4 5spd (185,000 miles) which he was the original owner and I am now the second. I have been driving it quite regularly to college (48 miles round trip) for the past week and I just sprouted a leak on the engine. A shop I have used before many times in my county called Brown's Diesel in Riverdale, CA told me it had something to do with the front main seal if I correctly recall from the phone conversation they said it would be cheaper if they JB Welded the leak instead of replacing the gasket. The leak is about 2-4 drips after I turn it off I don't really see a leak while it is running. Is this a normal thing in fixing leaks on these engines this is my first diesel thank you for all of your help.

Jb weld on a front main???

Fool dun lost his mind

Best thang to do IMHO...fix it right, so ya only hafta fix it once.

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[F350Cummins]

I would find a new mechanic..... as @Polaraco says, there are mechanics and there are MeCANics.

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[Polaraco]

Welcome friend! JB Weld on a front main seal? Never heard of doing that before. 2-4 drips only after shutting it off isn’t a bad leak but it will eventually get worse over time.


2016 Ram Laramie 3500 (DRD), G56, 6.7, Rough Country Leveling, HID headlights, Morimoto LED fogs plus a whole lot more!

Yup Joe. It will. Considering it's 25 years old. . . . That's not bad at all.

Hello everyone I am new to this forum, I live in California and my grandpa just recently gifted me his 1993 Dodge D250 4x4 5spd (185,000 miles) which he was the original owner and I am now the second. I have been driving it quite regularly to college (48 miles round trip) for the past week and I just sprouted a leak on the engine. A shop I have used before many times in my county called Brown's Diesel in Riverdale, CA told me it had something to do with the front main seal if I correctly recall from the phone conversation they said it would be cheaper if they JB Welded the leak instead of replacing the gasket. The leak is about 2-4 drips after I turn it off I don't really see a leak while it is running. Is this a normal thing in fixing leaks on these engines this is my first diesel thank you for all of your help.

Welcome.

@1993D2505Spd

I agree with if the leak is either on the outside of the seal or from where it seals the shaft. If it was my truck, I'd get some money together, plan it so I can be without the truck for a few days and get the seal replaced. Or if your mechanically inclined, have a weekend to get er done. If not, you could be walking soon.

At least he's young enough to walk. LOL

May catch some flak for this but I'd say try AT-205 before I tore it down.

To help my down and out sister in law, I bought an older, relatively low mileage Hyundai Santa fe for $1k and fixed it up.

It had an oil leak of about that size somewhere up where you couldn't see it much less get to it, either rear valve cover or possibly around a rear camshaft seal.

To avoid basically pulling the engine I dosed it with that and ran it around on the weekends for a month or so.

It's still rolling 20k miles later with no issues.

Friend of mine used it on a power steering system that wouldn't hold fluid more than a day or so and it sealed without issue.

Been running it almost a year after.

http://atpautomotive.com/featured/re-seal

I never heard of that stuff. Just make sure it's compatible with diesel. It's kind of like brake fluid I guess. Transmedic is the same thing. It softens the seals and expands them. Doesn't work on cork. I use brake fluid in the power steering.

Sounds like a good bandaid for him. Good call

Jb weld on a front main???

Fool dun lost his mind

Best thang to do IMHO...fix it right, so ya only hafta fix it once.

10-Fer Good Buddy. No I will not meet you in the pickle park.

I would find a new mechanic..... as @Polaraco says, there are mechanics and there are MeCANics.

I kind of hope I meet the MeCANics class. I'm losing my touch.

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[nova]

I never heard of that stuff. Just make sure it's compatible with diesel. It's kind of like brake fluid I guess. Transmedic is the same thing. It softens the seals and expands them. Doesn't work on cork. I use brake fluid in the power steering.

Sounds like a good bandaid for him. Good call

It may be the same stuff as transmedic, I'm not sure. Not familiar with transmedic on my end. AT-205 company says it's diesel compatible. I know it's supposed to be different from the other stop leak products that swells your seals till they blow out. Supposedly it's a plasticizer blend of some form that replaces the compounds that eventually leach out of seals.

Liqui Moly motor oil saver is another potential that I've heard people have good results with, although I've never used it myself. Liqui Moly is a very reputable lubricant company from Europe....

https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-20.../dp/B00CPL8WY8

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[Polaraco]

It may be the same stuff as transmedic, I'm not sure. Not familiar with transmedic on my end. AT-205 company says it's diesel compatible. I know it's supposed to be different from the other stop leak products that swells your seals till they blow out. Supposedly it's a plasticizer blend of some form that replaces the compounds that eventually leach out of seals.

Liqui Moly motor oil saver is another potential that I've heard people have good results with, although I've never used it myself. Liqui Moly is a very reputable lubricant company from Europe....

https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-20.../dp/B00CPL8WY8

I wonder if the Archoil oil additive does it too.

I used to have a slight leak in the head spacer gasket in the back of the engine.

It seems to have stopped. MMMMM.

That was just one of those things I let go.

It wasn't bad enough to worry about.

I know nothing about the 205 Blbut it sounds like a good idea.

As long as it doesn't cause sludging it is probably something to look into.

I'm a gasket guy.

LOL

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