What are engine oil leaks and how to know my car is leaking?
Engine oil is very important for the life of your engine. Among all of the causes that might damage your engine, oil leak is the one thing you wish not to face. Oil leaks may go further than damaging your engine; they can also endanger your own safety for it may lead to control loss of the car while driving. How do I know my engine oil is leaking? Well, you will know if your engine is leaking if you notice the following signs:
1. Dark puddles under your car:
A brown or black puddle appearing under your car is an obvious sign of an oil leak. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to know where the oil is leaking from; It could be from the drain plug if it had a bad gasket, the oil pan gasket, front and rear main seals, valve cover gaskets, or a variety of other places in the engine. It’s mostly advised to visit a profissional in order to place the exact leaking spot.
2. Burning oil smell:
In some cases, the oil leak may not reach the ground, the oil could be dripping onto other parts of the engine. When the engine metal parts heat up, a burning smell will be released. An instant assistance would be needed in this case.
3. The dashboard warning:
Your dashboard oil sign will alert you if the oil level or oil pressure is lower than normal. If so, go ahead and check your oil level, if it’s lower than expected your engine oil is most likely leaking.
What causes engine oil leaks?
As mentioned earlier, when the engine is leaking; it’s quite hard to find the exact spot that is leaking. However, you might know what caused this leakage and why your engine got this far. Read on to find out why your car might be leaking oil.
A Bad Gasket:
The gaskets are essential for lubricating the engine. They are responsible for the transfer of fluids such as oil, coolant, and gas throughout the car. However, gaskets can wear out over time, usually after 100,000 miles, and may lead to oil leak.
A worn oil filter:
One of the most common reasons for oil leak in a broken oil filter. An oil filter is used to protect the engine from any contaminants that might damage it, but after a long use, the filter might start to wear out from overuse. Not to mention it’s best to change the oil filter with every oil change and to make sure it’s installed properly because misplacing it would also cause an oil leak.
A broken filler cap:
If you notice that the cap of your oil tank is becoming loose or broken, it could be the cause of the oil leak. You can easily tell if the cap is the reason because you will see a dark puddle directly under the engine itself.
Too much oil:
You may sometimes notice a dark puddle under your car but the engine oil light on the dashboard is not flashing. In this case there is no need to worry, you may have simply poured too much oil in the engine which caused an overflow.
How to fix an oil leak problem?
The key to preventing oil leaks is regular inspections and maintenance. No matter what can be the cause of oil leak, it can be solved. Here are a few ways to fix an oil leak problem.
1. Oil change and filter change:
Regular oil and filter change can prevent oil leaks and the use of fresh oil will enhance the health of your engine.
2. Usag of the right oil
Check the user's manual for the right oil for your engine. Using the wrong type of oil can damage your engine and lead to oil leaks. So It’s advised to use the right type of oil. Check out TotalEnergies various car oil products to help you decide.
3. Proper oil fill:
Make sure that the oil is filled appropriately with the right amount, no more and no less.
4. Consulting a mechanic
As we said before, to find the exact spot of the leak can be difficult and needs a professional to help find it. Consult a mechanic if anything is wrong in your car.
In the End, any leaking problem can be solved. Whether simple or not, there is no need to panic now after you know more about types of leaks, you can jump to fix the problem.