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Our car maintenance tips and tricks
Feb 13

ENGINE OIL LEAKS: WHAT CAUSES LEAKS AND HOW TO FIX THEM

Your car’s performance is greatly influenced by the fluids in it. You may occasionally see wet marks below your car after leaving it parked in the same place for some time. This is a blatant sign that an automotive fluid of some kind is leaking. The major topic of this post will be engine oil leaks, which are the most prevalent kind of fluid leak. We will briefly discuss various sorts of auto fluid leaks that can happen, how they can be diagnosed, and where they are commonly noticed before we go into more detail about oil leaks, their typical causes, and how to prevent acquiring them.

These lubricants for vehicles include:

  • Antifreeze Fluid Leak – If you see a patch of thick fluid surrounding or beneath your automobile that is yellow, pink, or green in colour, you may have an antifreeze leak.
  • Steering Fluid Leak: This kind of leak usually affects the front of the automobile. The fluid is often thin and can be either brown or red in appearance.
  • Water Leak – Under the automobile is a common place to find leaks of water. You could see a little pool of clear, odourless liquid if you have this leak.
  • Transmission fluid leak: If your vehicle is stopped and you look closely, you could see a large area of brown or red fluid around the middle of the vehicle. This could indicate a transmission fluid leak.
  • Brake Fluid Leak – If you see an oily patch with a clear to brown hue next to the passenger side seat or around the wheels of your automobile, it may be a sign that your brake fluid is leaking.

If you see a fluid patch under or around your automobile, you may have one of the problems mentioned above. The aforementioned leaks are less frequent than engine oil leaks, though.

The Value Of Keeping Your Car’s Oil Level Proper

Your car’s engine is its most crucial component and it is the one that keeps it moving. When your automobile is moving, several of the engine’s parts are normally operating concurrently. There is frequently a great deal of friction in this area of your automobile because of the action of all the engine parts. In most cases, engine oil functions as a lubricant, decreasing friction between all the parts and ensuring that your automobile operates smoothly while also increasing the lifespan of every component. You must constantly maintain a sufficient supply of high-quality engine oil in order to keep all engine components operating as they should.

This implies that you should routinely replace your oil. At Smart Mechanics in Essex, we advise that you carry out this maintenance at least once every five months or 5,000 kilometres. If you don’t replace your oil, your engine will experience increased friction, which will result in rust. If you don’t replace your engine oil as suggested, the oil may become less viscous and less effective as a lubricant. This is referred to as “becoming dirty” by professionals in the vehicle maintenance sector. Regular engine oil changes are frequently accompanied with an oil leak. If your parked automobile has an oil leak, you could see a pool of greasy-feeling brown liquid beneath the front of your car.

However, it is important to keep in mind that certain modern automobiles have an engine cover that makes it more difficult to detect an engine oil leak. You may need to perform a more comprehensive inspection by opening your car’s hood and looking to see whether your engine is coated in oil or if there are little puddles that have built up around your engine in order to determine whether you have an oil leak.

Your engine oil leak may have been anticipated by a number of things, including:

  • Old oil pans and gaskets

An oil pan and gaskets that are typically found at the engine’s bottom hold the oil you put to it for lubricating reasons while it is pushed through the engine. If you frequently travel on rutted roads that are littered with loose gravel and other debris, they might harm the pan and gaskets, causing the oil to slowly leak out.

  •  Errors in Engine Oil Component Installation

If: The oil pan and gaskets are installed too tightly, your engine oil may leak. When installing the pan and gaskets, the tightness should ideally be spread equally. Because the oil filter is loosely installed, oil leaks as it enters the engine.

  • Defective Seals and Rings for Valve

Small oil leaks may occur if the valve seals and rings in your engine’s oil system are compromised. Never forget that your automobile might have an engine oil leak at any time. They can occasionally happen while your automobile is moving. If that occurs, the heat from your engine will burn the leaking oil, leaving behind a pronounced stink.

Your engine’s internal parts might sustain significant harm from an oil leak. You could even have to overhaul your complete engine if it remains unnoticed for a while. What is the best strategy to prevent the issues that arise from oil and other auto fluid leaks?

Get your oil changed as frequently as you can, take your car to the Car Mechanics in Stansted for regular inspections, and make sure your vehicle receives frequent maintenance. All of the aforementioned services are available from Smart Mechanics in Essex at reasonable prices. Simply call or contact the Car Mechanics in Stansted to make an appointment to get your vehicle tuned for maximum performance.

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