Simple Tips to Fix an Oil Leak in Your Car

Have an oil leak and don't know how to go about repairing it? The following section will focus on the steps that you should follow in order to deal with this problem and find a proper solution.

First, it is important to find out where the leak is coming from in order to repair the same. See if it's coming from the engine or the brakes, is it motor oil or is it the valve that is leaking. Here's what you do, place a cardboard under the car, covering the entire car and mark it―that is the different tires, the engine etc., on to the cardboard.

Now leave it overnight. When you check in the morning, you'll see where the leak is coming from. The part that is leaking will form an oil patch on the cardboard.

Check if the valve covers are tight. See if you can find any leaks there. Start by making sure that the valve cover bolts are tightened. You will need a proper socket wrench or screw driver for that. When you tighten all the valve bolts, it will probably be all that was needed for the leakage to stop.

In order to find any other leaks you'll have to spray and clean other areas to determine if they are leaking as well. Do this by spraying the areas that might leak with carburetor cleaners or degreaser cleaners.

See that the oil drain plug is not stripped and is tight. If you find a hole in the oil pan it could be due to running over a rock. The remedy for this is to screw a bolt (of the proper size) into the oil pan. It can also be repaired by a steep putty.

After this, make use of a socket wrench to check and verify whether all the bolts that attach the engine and the oil pan are tight.

Another probable cause for an oil leak could be due to the oil filter. The leak might be happening due to the oil filter not being properly installed or because the oil filter has bent, maybe due to off road driving.

This will require you to change the oil filter. The faster the better. The more you wait, the more the unburned gasoline will drip into the engine oil and make it leak.

You might adopt all these steps if you know how to carry out some car maintenance yourself. However, if you are not aware of any repairing whatsoever, it is better to get the help of a professional mechanic. Do not in any way, dissemble a part or screw in something that you know nothing about.

You might end up making the situation worse and have to pay much more than what you would've been required to pay, had you gone to a mechanic in the first place. And the repair cost which is a little high to begin with (in the range of $ 150 to $ 1200) depending on the part that has got a leak, will be even higher if you tamper with it yourself.

So now that you know a few things about oil leak repair, it will be easier to take control of what would've seemed to be a hopeless situation.

Disclaimer - This post is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.