Finding an oil leak can be a difficult task. Especially in today’s vehicles due to the overwhelming amount of plastic shielding and covers used, oil leaks can disguise themselves and be near impossible to detect. If you’ve grown up looking under the hood, then you’ve probably noticed the increasing amount of plastic covers and shields being used in the engine bays of new vehicles today. So what is all the plastic about? The plastic covers that are new being installed on top of engines are today’s replacements for wire coverings. Older vehicles would individually cover or hide wires in looms and conduits. Automobile manufactures have found it’s easier and less expensive to simply put a large cover over the entire motor rather than dressing up or covering individual components.
Besides the plastic covers on top of your engine, many vehicles also have a significant amount of plastic coverings under the car as well. The main purpose of the under vehicle coverings is to direct air flow. The plastic shields help direct air flow through your vehicle’s radiator and out of the back of the engine compartment helping to keep your vehicle cool as well as direct air around your vehicle while driving to help increase aerodynamics and reduce drag. If you have to remove any of this plastic shielding during any maintenance on your vehicle it’s important to replace it once the maintenance is complete to ensure proper cooling and aerodynamics of your vehicle.
Even though the plastic shields under your vehicle are there for a reason, they still can make it extremely difficult to determine the location of an oil leak. The starting point for discovering the location of any oil leak is by looking at the location of any drips you see on the ground after parking your vehicle. Plastic shielding under your vehicle may catch these drips and make it difficult to get an accurate idea of the leak location or leak severity.
If you’ve discovered an oil leak, the best way to find its location is to remove all the plastic shielding and climb under your vehicle with a flash light and mechanics mirror. Before you roll under your vehicle, make sure it’s not running, in park with the emergency brake on, and the wheels securely chocked for your safety. Once you’re under your engine, start looking for fresh oil. If oil has been slowly leaking for a long time it will have attracted a significant amount of road dirt and grime and will look more like black mud or dirt stuck to your motor. A fresh oil leak can be identified by wet, shiny oil spots dripping down your engine block or oil pan. As oil drips it will drip down your motor but also towards the back of your car as the air blows over your motor while you drive.
As you search for fresh oil, start your search at the bottom rear on the engine bay and move your way forward and up. The highest and most forward point you discover oil will be at the source of the leak. Don’t be fooled by oil leaking from a higher source down onto another component. If you have an extremely old vehicle, or dirty engine with multiple oil leaks it may be necessary to clean your engine to remove old oil and leaks to help identify the actual source. You can clean your engine using engine degreaser available at your local auto parts store or at a carwash using the under carriage cleaning option. After you’ve cleaned up your motor, go for a quick drive and then start your search for your leak.
If all this sounds like a lot of work and a long time on your back in the driveway, you’re right. Unless you get lucky and have an oil leak in an easy to identify location such as a valve cover gasket or oil pan gasket, you may be in for a lot of crawling around with dirt and dust falling in your eyes.
The great news is BlueDevil has developed an easier way to find your oil leak. If you add BlueDevil oil Stop Leak to your engine oil, it will seek out your oil leak from the inside of your engine, and when it finds the leak it will create a permanent seal. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak is a liquid leak sealer that will not harm or clog your engine in anyway. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak will mix with your engine oil to create a powerful seal conditioner that will revitalize and restore the seals and gaskets in your engine returning them to their original size sealing your oil leak. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak can save you the time and discomfort of rolling around in your driveway and help return your car to its normal, reliable operation.
Pickup BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak Today from any of our partnering local auto parts stores like:
- AutoZone
- Advance Auto Parts
- Bennett Auto Supply
- CarQuest Auto parts
- NAPA Auto Parts
- O’Reilly Auto Parts
- Pep Boys
- Fast Track
- Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Specialists
- S&E Quick Lube Distributer
- DYK Automotive
You can also purchase BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak directly from BlueDevil here: Oil Stop Leak
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Oil_Leak.jpg – By Rock and Roll Oil Recycling – Licensed by Creative Common Share Alike 3.0 via Flickr – Original Link
engine_oil_leak.jpg by Acenase – Licensed by Creative Commons Share Alike 3.0 – Original Link