The oil stain under the engine is highly typical in vehicles with many years and miles on them.
However, there are a variety of potential causes for this stain, which we must be aware of to gauge the severity of the issue.
There is no question that engine oil is necessary for its operation and, more importantly, for its durability; without it, the engine’s moving parts would sustain irreparable damage, and all of its components would overheat dangerously.
Because of this, it is critical to take action if there is a potential leak that results in oil loss in the engine; occasionally, refilling the oil is inadequate because, as we have previously stated, this might be disastrous for the engine’s structural integrity.
But before anything else, we need to figure out whether the liquid we see on the ground beneath the engine of our automobile is oil or something else, such as coolant or antifreeze.
Because the ducts through which the cold air circulates allow moisture from the environment to condense and drip, this second situation is highly typical, especially during the summer when air conditioning is used.
This is not a concern, but if we touch the liquid and it is thick, we will be sure that our engine has an oil leak, which is a concern. Now, we must take the following actions:
We utilize the oil dipstick to evaluate if the car is losing a lot of oil. To do this, we must park the vehicle somewhere flat and wait for the engine to cool.
If the oil level is below the minimum quantity mark, we will presume that there has been a significant loss and a severe breakdown.
The best action in that situation is to call a tow truck to safely transport the vehicle to the garage. If not, we can go to the garage on our own.
The reason for the leak, which could be caused by several factors, some of which we shall discuss in the following paragraphs, will be found once the automobile has arrived at the location where we wish to have it repaired.
Despite this, high-quality oil and adhering to the manufacturer’s maintenance and servicing recommendations are the best ways to prevent or reduce issues.
Over the long run, this will be advantageous for the engine and provide improved durability and performance.
Oil loss’s root causes
We will concentrate on the most prevalent causes and those that mechanics tend to handle most frequently because there are numerous reasons why an engine can lose lubrication.
Following an overhaul
No one is perfect, and occasionally during a car overhaul operation, the mechanic may slightly overfill the oil tank, or the oil may have spilled, leaking later after draining through the various sections of the engine.
In the first instance, the exhaust also emits a distinctive smell of burned oil and bluish smoke.
It’s also possible that the leak was caused by an engine component being damaged or something being placed improperly.
Checking the oil level using a dipstick is the first and simplest step, followed by physically inspecting the engine.
The best course of action is to return the automobile to the shop and, while presenting the invoice, request that the issue be fixed at no additional expense if we cannot agree.
The seal on the cylinder head
This is one of the most concerning causes, and we should never start the car’s engine instead of calling a tow truck to transport it to a reputable mechanic.
The cylinder head gasket serves as a connection between the engine block and the cylinder head. Its job is to seal the assembly, preventing leakage of compression gases and antifreeze or lubricants from the lubrication channels.
Since coolant and oil would otherwise mix during combustion, one of the functions of the cylinder head gasket is to prevent this from happening.
A significant temperature overshoot that causes the gasket to burn is the primary cause of losing its quality.
This is typically brought on by the engine overheating, which results in coolant or water leaks, but it can also be attributed to a loose cylinder head-to-block fit.
The gasket must be changed to a new one to stop the leak, but this does not guarantee that the issue has been fully resolved because other damage may have developed.
Therefore, it is customary also to do labor-intensive and expensive cylinder head replacement, grinding, and cooling duct cleaning procedures.
The gearbox
The crankcase, a substantial metal component, closes the bottom of a vehicle’s engine block. This component stores the oil that lubricates the engine, protects it and gives it stiffness.
In many cases, the sealing washer, the plug, or the fact that it has slightly loosened, is to blame for the leak in this component.
Tightening it up is typically sufficient, but if that doesn’t work, the easy and affordable remedy is to replace both pieces.
We shouldn’t completely rule out a leak brought on by the car’s underbody scraping or being struck by something like a stone or the ground.
A turbo
Finally, we’ll discuss the scenario in which our car loses oil via the turbo. We will identify a more or less expensive fix based on the cause, which can be any number of things.
One of the turbo’s seals has typically lost some of its qualities, which can happen for one of two causes. The first is that the oil is subpar and contributes to wear that could have been stopped with a better solution.
Additionally, the turbo typically has a lifespan of around 250,000 kilometers. If this is the case, the only option is to install a new turbo, which often costs more than 1000 dollars.
Other causes of oil loss include a sleeve crack, a looseness in the filler cap gasket, or another type of gasket due to the materials expanding with heat or time.
In these situations, the engine frequently appears fairly filthy and soiled.
