A lot of people say that changing the oil in your car is one of the most important tasks that you can complete. While this is often true, oil changes are one of the things that vehicle owners delay. This procrastination can result in some dire consequences.
The reason why you need oil in the engine is to reduce internal friction. When you have high-quality and clean oil, it will do this job perfectly and the components in your engine will not rub together and cause corrosion. The problem is that the oil will become contaminated over time and will lose its viscosity which means it is dirty. When this happens, the oil will not be able to prevent friction and the components in the vehicle will wear, cause erosion and eventually cause a mechanical failure.
One of the ways you can tell that you have gone too long without changing your oil is when it starts to leak from your engine. A typical sign of this will be a puddle of greasy brown liquid under your car after it has been parked for a while. If the puddle is pink, this is transmission fluid, but if it is orange or green, this will be your coolant.
There are many vehicles that have shielding on the undercarriage. This will often catch the oil before it hits the ground and you will not see a puddle. This can be a problem because it will hide a major oil leak. If your vehicle has this, you need to keep an eye on the low oil indicator which will be a sign that you have a leak.
What Causes The Oil To Leak?
The most common reason is a degraded engine gasket or failing oil seals. There are times when these components erode with time. However, the most likely cause of this kind of leak is having oil that is dirty and oil because you have not changed the oil recently.
Damaged Oil Gaskets And Pans
It is relatively easy for your vehicle’s oil gaskets and pans to be damaged by road debris because of their location. When you drive on rough roads a hole can appear which causes an oil pan leak. The pan’s gasket will generally have a lot of wear and tear or could be damaged which will lead to an oil leak.
Bad Rings And Valve Seals
Leaking rings and valve seals will also cause a vehicle to lose oil. However, when there are no holes in your gaskets, the oil will not actually leave the engine. This means that you will not notice it and the oil will be burned up in the combustion process.
You should change your oil as often as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer to prevent a serious oil leak, stop by Leahy’s auto and have it done. These recommendations are made to ensure your car runs for as long as possible. You will be able to find these recommendations in your manual, on the manufacturer’s website or by calling your local dealership. There is also no harm in getting your oil changed more regularly than this, you can call us to set an appointment.