Automotive Oil Leaks
Your car’s oil is an essential part of proper automotive performance. Without a proper amount of oil, your car will overheat, and your engine could be damaged. Oil leaks are a common issue, and if you’re wondering why is my car leaking oil there is often an underlying mechanical issue. Reasons why my car is leaking oil can include wear and tear, physical damage, improper installation, and other issues that cause your car to not perform as expected and oil to leak out.
Three Reasons Why Your Car Is Leaking Oil
While there can be many reasons your car is leaking oil, here are the three most common.
- Damaged Gaskets or Pins: Located near the bottom of your engine, these parts of your car’s oil system can easily be damaged by road debris. Driving on rough roads or roads under repair can lead to damage such as holes leading to oil pan leaks. The pan’s gasket also suffers from regular wear and tear and with additional damage, it can also start leaking oil.
- Bad Rings or Valve Seals: This is a common cause of leaking. This can be hard to detect because if there are no holes in the engine gaskets, the oil will leak into the engine and be burnt off without your noticing. A way to detect this type of leak is the burnt oil smell it can cause.
- Incorrect Installations: Installing a gasket incorrectly can lead to oil leaks. As gaskets are designed to keep oil inside your car’s engine when one is improperly installed, such as over-tightening or uneven tightening, it can lead to performance issues. Another installation error is attacking the oil filter wrong as a loose oil filter can lead to leaks as well.
Fixing an Oil Leak
When you have an oil leak, there are options when it comes to getting it fixed. For minor leaks that are easy to pinpoint, several do-it-yourself solutions can plug the leak or apply a seal. However, for severe leaks or leaks whose source is hard to locate you should take your car to a professional. A severe oil leak will quickly drain your car of its oil leading to reduced performance and possible damage. Even minor leaks can be a hazard as they can damage components such as belts. As with any maintenance need, you should not ignore it and should have the issue addressed as soon as possible.
Categorised in: Auto Repair Shop
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