One of the most important things you can do to maintain your vehicle is to get the engine oil regularly changed. The oil is critical to keeping it running its best. Without it, the engine would quickly destroy itself from heat and friction. That's why an oil leak is a serious problem you should have investigated right away! If you find a puddle of oil beneath your vehicle, or suspect your engine might be burning oil, find out the five things we think you should know below.
5. Older Engines Can Develop Oil Leaks
A brand-new engine in a modern car is built to precise engineering tolerances, and designed to provide a long, reliable service life with just a little bit of routine maintenance. However, over time, engines with many thousands of miles on the clock can develop small oil leaks. These can be caused by a failure of seals and gaskets which become brittle and crack from stress. To keep your engine in tip-top shape for as long as possible, be sure to have the oil changed regularly. Fresh, clean engine oil helps to condition the seals and gaskets, so they keep the engine sealed up tight longer.
5. Older Engines Can Develop Oil Leaks
A brand-new engine in a modern car is built to precise engineering tolerances, and designed to provide a long, reliable service life with just a little bit of routine maintenance. However, over time, engines with many thousands of miles on the clock can develop small oil leaks. These can be caused by a failure of seals and gaskets which become brittle and crack from stress. To keep your engine in tip-top shape for as long as possible, be sure to have the oil changed regularly. Fresh, clean engine oil helps to condition the seals and gaskets, so they keep the engine sealed up tight longer.
4. Is Your Engine Burning Oil Instead?
Not only can seals and gaskets spring leaks to outside the engine, failures of the head gasket or piston rings can allow oil to get inside the engine's cylinders. That's where gasoline and air are mixed and burned to power your engine -- but, on an older engine, some oil could seep into the cylinders where the engine will burn it up. If the engine is burning a significant amount of oil, you'll even be able to see grey-black smoke coming from the tailpipe whenever the engine is running. If your oil level is falling, but you can't find an oil leak, consider that the engine may be consuming oil instead.
3. Oil Leaks May Not Drip Onto The Ground
When you picture an oil leak, you might imagine a big, black blob on the ground beneath your car. But, when they just start, engine oil leaks are often very small and may not even reach the ground. Instead, the heat from the engine as you drive will cause the oil to congeal on the engine's exterior and other items under the hood. To find an oil leak on your engine, look for a build-up of black gunk around seals and gaps, such as where the engine block meets the cylinder head.
2. Major Oil Leaks Need To Be Repaired
An oil leak itself isn't always a major issue -- but a lack of oil in the engine can lead to much bigger problems. Without enough oil in the engine, metal parts can grind against one another unprotected. That can cause severe engine damage. Worse, the engine is likely to overheat from excess friction if there is a lack of oil in the engine.
If a component like a head gasket, valve cover gasket or rear main seal is leaking a significant amount of oil, you'll want to have an expert technician replace the offending component to keep your engine running its best without suffering major damage.
1. You Can Live With Small Oil Leaks
But there is good news! If your car is consuming or leaking just a small amount of oil, you may not need to take such drastic measures. For example, if you find that your engine is burning 1 quart of oil every 3,000 miles, you might just need to top off with an extra quart of oil once between each oil change. To find out the maintenance schedule that's right for your car, just consult with a technician at Capitol Subaru! We'll help you keep your car on the road as long as possible for as little as possible.
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- More Service Listicles From Capitol Subaru
Capitol Subaru of Salem
920 Auto Group Ave NE
Salem, OR 97301
- Sales: 503-587-5500
- Service: 503-587-5500
- Parts: 503-587-5500
