The Most Common Reasons for a Car Oil Leakage

However, finding an oil leak for a professional is not difficult as it can be done with just a quick inspection. However, once there is an oil spot, it is up to you how you respond.

Your car uses gaskets to close up a number of points, including the timing belt cover, camshaft, and the oil pan, etc. However, they frequently serve as the primary cause of leaks of any kind. In the meantime, it is preferable to have a few ideas about what could be causes and where your car might be leaking oil.

Worn Oil Pan Gasket

The oil pan is a common spot for oil leakage. The oil pan is located somewhere near the bottom under the hood. Therefore, there is a huge probability for damage from a hit when travelling over an uneven bump. However, if used for a prolonged period of time, oil pan gaskets are vulnerable to wear and tear. A worn oil pan gasket will not be able to seal the oil pan with the engine block.

Oil pan gaskets can be changed, but you must be sure of the exact amount of engine oil because leakage could cause it to reduce. Simply schedule a car oil change at Service My Car if it is below the recommended level.

Cam Shaft and Crankshaft Seals

As an engine’s internal component, the crankshaft is fixed at the bottom while sticking out a bit from two sides of an engine. However, it is protected by the seals at both ends to prevent the engine oil from leaking. But, if these seals start to worn out, there are a whole lot of chances of leakage.

Similarly, the camshaft too has seals at both ends, and they might get worn over time, resulting in leakage. However, it cannot be identified until you make an inspection under the hood. A leak needs to be taken care of on-time.

Cover Gasket or Seal

In an engine, a timing belt works with the crankshaft and camshaft. Modern automobiles use a timing chain rather than a timing belt, though both are concealed by a cover.

A timing chain is lubricated by the engine oil, so there are seals to protect against any kind of leakage. But, there is always a probability of leakage. This leakage does not appear too hazardous until it results in a lack of lubrication and, consequently, some sort of internal damage.

A common risk due to timing cover seal leakage is damage to the timing chain and even the camshaft and crankshaft. Therefore, you have to check for the seal and replace it as well as look for the timing chain and go for car timing chain replacement if needed.

Leaking Cylinder Head Gasket

A head gasket protects the engine from the infiltration of coolant. However, if it gets worn, there are a lot of chances of coolant infiltration, but in some types of engines (especially boxer engines); the head gasket may cause external leakage of engine oil.

Therefore, a worn head gasket is not a matter of ignorance as it might affect engine operations and force you to go for expensive car engine repair.

Lose Oil Filter and Drain Plug

Every time you arrange a car service for your vehicle, the oil filter is always changed and the oil drain plug is exchanged. However, there are enough chances of human error that your car’s air filter might get loose and the oil drain plug is not installed properly. In such a scenario, you may often spot some oil dripping under your car.

Loose-Filler Cap

Engine oil is reserved inside an oil tank and it is safeguarded with a filler cap. However, a loose cap might be the reason for the leakage. However, it is simple to spot because there might be a sizable oil puddle under your car because oil may leak out of the tank's mouth in large quantities.

Excess Engine Oil

It is expected that a damaged seal or a loose filler cap will cause an engine oil leak. If there is too much engine oil under the hood, it could also leak. You can recognize this if there is a puddle of oil under your car but there is no check engine light on the dashboard.

The overflow is caused by too much oil. The extra oil can easily be identified from the vehicle using a dipstick, so this is not a serious problem. When filling the oil tank, there may occasionally be some extra oil that spills out of the tank. However, this might only produce a puddle of oil once or twice.

Your vehicle consists of a number of fluids, such as transmission fluid, brake fluid, and coolant, etc. They all hold a risk of leakage. However, engine oil is more prone to leakage. The leakage from the engine often appears to be light brown or black in colour under your vehicle.

However, a leakage happens due to the worn and damaged parts, while you can easily avoid such events by opting for scheduled car maintenance at a reliable service center such as Service My Car. Here, you also get all your needs fulfilled with your car service without any hassle. Just book a service online or request a quote at our website. You can also call our service representative.