DO You Know What Causes an Oil Leak to Happen?

The following are 5 causes of an oil leak:

1. Time

Your oil may lose viscosity as a result of many heat cycles and oxidation as you drive your car. The rubber components that keep oil and other fluids in their respective reservoirs and chambers, such as gaskets, hoses, and other rubber components, can degrade with time.

2. Incorrect installation

There are times when one of your car's gaskets or parts is placed incorrectly when completing a repair. That suggests either the oil pan or valve cover is overtightened, or the tightness isn't spread evenly. It might also be the oil filter's faulty installation, which, if loose, could cause a leak in your car. You might potentially have a poor seal around your oil pump or an incorrectly fitting hose clamp on an oil line.

3. Accidents or physical damage

Road debris can damage your car's oil pans and gaskets. As a result of the rough roads, a hole might form, causing an oil pan leak. Your oil pans and gaskets may be damaged by stone chips, boulders, and other road mishaps. During a routine car service, your car mechanic will be able to confirm if there is any physical damage and if this needs to be repaired instantly.

4. Heat

Even though engines and oil have an ideal working temperature, excessive heat can cause your engine oil to thin out rapidly and leak out of your oil seals. On the other side, too much heat will prematurely age your car's gaskets, oil seals, and hoses. Search online for garages in Reading on the first sign of your car overheating.

5. Too much engine oil

There's such a thing as too much of a good thing, and in the case of fluid, too much can lead to an overflow. There may be too much fluid in your car's engine, and it's leaking out of the top reaches of the engine, such as valves and various breather hoses.

Common Oil Leak Sites

After going through the many causes of oil leaks, you may already be aware of the usual locations or regions where oil leaks occur. The broken or worn-out gaskets, as well as the rings or valve seals, are the following:

• Gaskets and seals
• Oil pan
• Oil lines
• Oil filter
• Oil drain bolt

How Do You Locate an Oil Leak?

After you've gone over the essentials, you'll need to figure out if your car is actually leaking oil before you can figure out how to fix it. It's also worth noting that the fluid on your car is most likely the product of road filth and other cars' fluid, not necessarily yours.

Step 1 - Investigate the leak - Examine the leak to see if it's indeed an oil leak. You must first view your vehicle for yourself before concluding that it is dripping with oil. Examine the drips under your car and try to capture some of the fluid by laying down newspaper or a white plastic plate. Try blotting fluid on a surface with paper towels to examine the colour and properties of the seeping fluid. A sluggish leak will seep out, but a rapid leak will drip.

Check the floor of the parking area where your car was parked as well. Try parking on a dry area and leaving your car there for a bit the next time you go to the mall or park in a parking garage. Check the parking space for any oil and make sure it is clean before you depart. After that, park your car and go about your business. Check the underside of your car and the parking place before leaving for home or another trip. To add, be responsible and, if possible, clean up the fluid.

Older engine oil is dark brown to black in colour, feels thin and slippery, and has a strong chemical odour, whereas newer oil is amber in colour, feels thin and slippery, and has a strong chemical odour. If you suspect an fluid leak, keep an eye out for both of these. Keep in mind that there may be additional fluids leaking beneath your vehicle. It's the braking fluid if it's clear and yellow. It's probably your windshield washer fluid if it's green, bright orange, or pink in colour and not sticky.

Step 2 - Check your fluid levels - It's critical to check your fluid levels on a frequent basis. The dipstick may be used to check the oil level. If your fluid level is low, it's likely that you haven't changed it in a while or that there is a leak. If your fluid level is low, it's time for an oil change; however, if you've just had an oil change and are still running low, there might be a leak.

Step 3 - Locate the leak - You may have a professional mechanic check into it, or you can look into it yourself if you're willing to do some dirty work and find out where the leak is coming from. Follow the steps given below to determine the source of the oil leak:

• Switch off the engine and shine a torch inside the engine compartment.
• If there a lot of oil around the engine compartment, it may be a gradual leak caused by the engine's gaskets.
• After a few minutes, restart the engine and properly check your vehicle. If the oil begins to squirt erratically, it is passing through a worn crankshaft or seal.

Step 4 - Consult an expert - If you don't want to perform the dirty task, you can always book your car with a trained technician to do it for you.

How To Locate Engine Oil Leaks

You should not ignore an oil leak coming from your car's engine since it might be disastrous. Apart from possible total engine failure, oil leaks can cause a fire in your engine bay or danger for other drivers on the road if there is enough oil leaking from your car.

Repairing oil leaks should be a major concern, as should maintaining your vehicle. There are certain things you can do on your own to stop engine oil leaks that don't necessarily require the assistance of a certified repair. You'll need to figure out what's causing the leak and where it's coming from before you can accomplish that.

An MOT centre will fail the MOT test if your car has a major oil leak so address this matter beforehand to save you from the extra hassle.