Common Engine Oil Leaks and How to Get Back on the Road

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engine oil leak on driveway

There are few worse things for a car owner to spot than the car in park and a puddle of oil on the pavement. It can only mean one thing: an oil leak. Whether the leak is small or major, an Engine oil leak is a common problem. Luckily, they’re also typically an easy issue to fix. The steps you need to take to get your car back on the road, however, depend on where the leak is coming from and how bad the leak is. Continue reading below, and you’ll find everything you need to patch your leak in no time at all. If you’re still in need of assistance, our team at BlueDevil Products is always just one call away! 

Get in Touch! 

Find and Fix Any Engine Oil Leak

Common Leak Locations 

Engine oil leaks are more of a syndrome than a disease. That is, leaks are an umbrella term for a wide range of mechanical issues. The first step in fixing any leak is finding the source! Here are the most common locations to find an engine oil leak: 

Rear Main Seal

The rear main seal is at the back of your engine and seals where the crankshaft exits the engine to attach to the flywheel.  This seal is notorious for leaking on vehicles that don’t get used often or don’t get regular oil changes. Learn more about rear main seal leaks

Oil Pan Gasket

Another common engine oil leak location is your oil pan gasket. This gasket is thin and long. The pan is made of thin metal that expands and contracts when operating. It’s usually a quick repair, but on some vehicles (such as those with transversely mounted V6 engines), there can be many components obstructing the oil pan. If you can’t easily get to your oil pan, consider using BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak to stop the leak by revitalizing the gasket!

Valve Cover Gasket

Your valve cover or covers are very similar in construction to your oil pan and, typically,  right on top of your engine. Replacing them is relatively easy. On some 6 cylinder engines, the intake manifold may cover one of the valve covers.  In that case,  use BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak to seal the leak!

Timing Cover Gasket

Timing cover gasket leaks are considered a major leak. If your engine has a timing chain, the cover is at the front, shielding the timing components. The system is splash lubricated, so leaks from the timing cover gasket are often slow, but they can make a mess as they leak out around your engine’s drive belt and accessories.  Replacing the timing cover gasket is always an expensive job, as you’ve got to remove lots of other pieces before you get to the timing cover. 

Fix Your Leak Fast With Blue Devil Stop Leak

blue devil oil stop leak solution graphicThe best way to fix a leak is to prevent it from happening. Make sure your engine parts are leak resistant and seal minor leaks with our universal answer to all of your engine-oil-leak needs with BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. Our no leak solution is an industry-leading product designed to give your engine the protection it needs and your car the mileage it deserves. Learn more about the product and where to purchase below!

Fix Your Leak at Home!  

You can also find BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak at any of our partnering local auto parts stores:

  • 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 Distributor
  • DYK Automotive
  • Fisher Auto Parts stores
  • Auto Plus Auto Parts stores
  • Hovis Auto & Truck Supply stores
  • Salvo Auto Parts
  • Advantage Auto Stores
  • Genuine Auto Parts stores
  • Bond Auto Parts stores
  • Tidewater Fleet Supply
  • Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts
  • Any Part Auto Parts
  • Consumer Auto Parts

Pictures Provided By:
engine_oil_leak.jpg – By Edwinpics – Licensed by Getty Images – Original Link

 

BlueDevil Products can be found on Amazon.com or at AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, O’Reilly Auto Parts, NAPA, and other major auto parts retailers.

45 responses to "Common Engine Oil Leaks and How to Get Back on the Road"

45 Comments

  1. Elliot J. Paige on July 30, 2018 at 3:18 am

    Hello, Here you share the problem of Common Engine Oil Leak Locations. do you have any suggestion for saving Car Oil Licks?? & keeping the car’s clean & Fit? Thanks in Advance

    • BlueDevil Pro on July 30, 2018 at 10:45 am

      Elliot-

      If you are experiencing a leak and you are not quite sure where the leak is coming from, the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak (https://store.gobdp.com/oil-stop-leak-49499/) would be your best bet. The Oil Stop Leak is a universal application, and would be able to treat any of the rubber seals/gaskets in the fluid oil system. The best advice in regards to keeping the vehicle in good running condition would be to make sure the vehicle is being serviced regularly and getting oil changes at the recommended intervals.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

    • Taylor Dupont on May 4, 2019 at 12:32 pm

      I have a 2006 Chrysler it’s been parked for a few days ! Came home from work an there is full of oil under my car from the engine ! Can u please give me an idea of what to do ! I’m scared to drive it to bring it to someone to look at it ! I just bought the car . Thanks

      • BlueDevil Pro on May 6, 2019 at 8:54 am

        Taylor-

        Thank you for asking about your Chrysler. Are you able to locate where the leak is coming from? If you haven’t done so already, you may want to check the oil level to give yourself an idea of how much oil has been lost. If needed, top it off with oil and we would recommend taking it into a certified ASE mechanic for a proper diagnosis.

        Thank you!

        -BDP

  2. Robert Hooven on December 25, 2018 at 4:45 pm

    I have a oil leak on the drivers side of my 2011cheverloet Cruze put a new value cover gasket on but still is leaking from somewhere can’t find it where it is coming from

    • BlueDevil Pro on December 27, 2018 at 9:58 am

      Robert-

      Thank you for asking about your Chevy Cruze. Based on your description, we recommend using the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak (https://store.gobdp.com/oil-stop-leak-49499/). You should expect to start seeing results after approximately 100-200 miles of driving. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any questions.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

    • Shaheem Robinson on June 3, 2019 at 12:49 pm

      I had the same issue. I replaced the gasket and valve cover and no leaks. The valve cover itself could’ve cracked or something.

  3. Taylor on February 19, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    I recently got a 2001 VW Passat, tonight I put about half a quart of oil in and in under 2 min all the oil i had just put in was on the ground beneath it. I don’t know much about cars so I’m not really sure where to start. But it is something I would like to try to fix myself if possible.

    • BlueDevil Pro on February 20, 2019 at 8:38 am

      Taylor-

      Thank you for asking about your Volkswagen Passat. Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

    • Jaron Gant on June 15, 2019 at 7:30 pm

      My undercarriage bottomed out pretty hard when i hit a deep pothole in a local store parking lot (’99’ buick regal GS). I immediately got out the car and looked to see if anything was damaged. After seeing no damage, no flat tires, no bent rims, nothing hanging loose, I got back into the car and headed home. On the way home my car stopped 3 times, but immediately started back up when i turned the key, yet no oil or check engine light’s ever appeared on the dash. About 2 block’s from home i started to hear a loud, vibrating, rattling noise coming from the engine. After about 15 miles i pulled up at home, got out the car again to check it out. The whole front of the undercarriage was moist with what it looked like to be oil. I decided to try and start the car, nothing. After a few failed attempts i gave it a jump and it started, Only to die again 5 minutes later. I jumped it again, it started, died 5 minutes later, still no warning lights appeared on the dash. Why didn’t my oil or engine lights come on? What exactly caused the oil leak? Pretty sure my engine is toast i poured some Lucas oil in it the next day but it’s still the same. Do you have any answers for me?

      • BlueDevil Pro on June 17, 2019 at 2:47 pm

        Jaron-

        Thank you for asking about your Buick Regal. After checking the oil level, does it appear you have lost a lot of oil? Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.

        Thank you!

        -BDP

      • Michael Eldridge on May 3, 2020 at 8:41 am

        Timing chain is off

  4. Claire on April 21, 2019 at 10:48 pm

    I have a 2014 Chevy cruz, and the oil leaks more noticeably on an incline park, and it’s only on one side of the engine? What could be causing it?

    • BlueDevil Pro on April 22, 2019 at 11:39 am

      Claire-

      Thank you for asking about your Chevy Cruze. The location of the leak would be difficult to say, not being at the vehicle. Based on your description, we recommend using the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. You should expect to start seeing results after approximately 100-200 miles of driving.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  5. Rohit prasad on May 7, 2019 at 5:47 am

    Valve seal leak will cum on the side of the block

    • BlueDevil Pro on May 7, 2019 at 9:41 am

      Rohit-

      The BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak would be able to treat a leaking valve seal. As long as the leak isn’t more than a seep or light drip, you would be a good candidate for the product. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  6. Arnetta on July 3, 2019 at 9:21 am

    I jave a 06 subaru tribeca and its leaking oil from the right side of the engine… what could it be

    • BlueDevil Pro on July 3, 2019 at 11:31 am

      Arnetta-

      Thank you for asking about your Subaru Tribeca. It would be difficult to say where the leak is coming from, not being at the vehicle. It could be valve cover gaskets, timing chain gasket or even the oil pan gasket. As long as you are not losing oil too quickly, you would be a good candidate for the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. You should expect to start seeing results after approximately 100-200 miles of driving.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  7. Gilbert brown on July 8, 2019 at 7:51 pm

    I have a 2007 LEXUS ls 460. It runs great. However I’m losing all oil 9 quarts, in less than 2000 miles. None on ground. Gas attendant said maybe it’s leaking inside engine. How much trouble am I in.

    • BlueDevil Pro on July 9, 2019 at 9:58 am

      Gilbert-

      Thank you for asking about your Lexus LS460. Losing 9 quarts of oil in such a short span sounds like it would be an extreme leak. Have you gotten any engine codes or warning indicators on the dash? It doesn’t seem like you are experiencing any issues with vehicle performance, which would also be odd based on the amount and how quickly you are losing oil. We’d recommend bringing the vehicle into a shop for a proper diagnosis.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  8. Brett on July 9, 2019 at 2:58 am

    I have an 06 Ford Fusion I just bought with 117000 miles on it. It leaks in three places. Two are near the center of the hood and I’m pretty sure they’re transmission leaks. One is at the very front of the engine and after two days of sitting is just a wet spot a little bigger than a quarter. Would stop leak work for this leak?

    • BlueDevil Pro on July 9, 2019 at 9:34 am

      Brett-

      Thank you for asking about your Ford Fusion. Yes, the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak would treat the leak you’ve described. Also, we do manufacture the BlueDevil Transmission Sealer to help stop the leaks coming from the transmission. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  9. Ashley on July 12, 2019 at 10:22 pm

    Hi. I have a 2004 corolla le & I found it’s leaking both black oil and light brown oil. It was obvious the black oil was motor oil, but can motor oil leak out 2 different colors? The oil level is good & it’s not dripping much.

    • BlueDevil Pro on July 15, 2019 at 9:20 am

      Ashley-

      Thank you for asking about your Toyota Corolla. Motor oil will appear between a thin light brown liquid to a thick dark black, depending on its age. Is the leak occurring from around the same location? Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  10. Rahman Williams on August 8, 2019 at 11:05 pm

    I have a small oil leak on the passenger side of my Toyota Camry.. we replaced the gasket but it still is leaking. So what could be the issue?

    • BlueDevil Pro on August 9, 2019 at 9:12 am

      Rahman-

      Thank you for asking about your Toyota Camry. Is it possible that you are losing oil from a different location other than the gasket that was replaced? If so, we recommend using the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. You should expect to start seeing results after approximately 100-200 miles of driving.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  11. Denis Allard on November 17, 2019 at 10:16 pm

    Hi, Can i use it in synthetic oil?

    • BlueDevil Pro on November 18, 2019 at 8:36 am

      Denis-

      Yes, BlueDevil is safe and compatible to use with synthetic oil. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  12. Veealf on May 26, 2020 at 5:46 am

    I have a leak on the driver’s side of my Audi A6 V6 quattro biturbo, what could be the problem and how can it be solved

    • BlueDevil Pro on May 26, 2020 at 10:14 am

      Veealf-

      Thank you for asking about your Audi A6. Unfortunately, it would be difficult to say where the leak is coming from, however, it is more than likely coming from a seal/gasket that has started to deteriorate. We recommend using the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak to help stop the loss of oil and recondition the seals/gaskets back to their original shape and flexibility.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  13. Yaz on July 17, 2020 at 7:10 am

    Hi,
    I have an Audi A6 2011 and under the car there one little puddle of engine oil almost symmetrical on both driver and passenger sides at the front of the car under the engine. Any ideas?

    • BlueDevil Pro on July 17, 2020 at 8:57 am

      Yaz-

      Thank you for asking about your Audi A6. Based on your description, we recommend using the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak is more concentrated and is the universal application that will work for various leaks such as oil pan leaks, rear main leaks, valve cover gasket leaks, etc. You should expect to start seeing results after 100-200 miles of driving.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  14. DM on August 12, 2020 at 11:34 am

    Same happened to me once, cracked my fly wheel.

  15. merriam purcell on August 14, 2020 at 1:19 pm

    my 2006 mercury mountneer leaks oil underneath. it leaks out in about 24 hours sitting on my driveway. will oil leak be the best to try

    • BlueDevil Pro on August 14, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Merriam-

      Thank you for asking about your Mercury Mountaineer. Based on your description, unfortunately, it sounds as though you may be losing oil a little too quickly for the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. The product is intended for leaks that are seeping or lightly dripping. If you are losing oil too quickly, you would lose the product just as quickly, and wouldn’t really be able to keep the product in the system long enough in order to get the benefit of using it.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  16. Dorarise Smith on August 19, 2020 at 12:33 am

    2009 chevy aveo l have a oil leak on the front passenger side just had some hose fix because of antifreeze leak change oil Monday 8/17/2020 4gt only have 2 qt left the rest is on the passenger side floor.

    • BD Auto Pro on August 20, 2020 at 9:12 am

      Dorarise,

      Thanks for your question about your 2009 Chevy Aveo. Anytime you have problems right after having maintenance done we recommend taking your vehicle back to the shop that did the work to have them check things over and see if it was possible a mistake they made that caused the problem. If you’ve got that much oil leaking that quickly it should be pretty easy to see where the leak is. Also, make sure you keep your oil level topped off if you choose to drive it anywhere to make sure you don’t cause any pertinent engine damage.

      Thanks again for your question!
      -BD Auto Pro

  17. Kazi on October 17, 2020 at 9:37 am

    I own a 2012 Honda Accord and I was told timing cover is leaking and have to be resealed and replace all gaskets and seals. Is this something can be fixed using your product? Thanks in advance.

    • BlueDevil Pro on October 19, 2020 at 8:15 am

      Kazi-

      Thank you for asking about your Honda Accord. Yes, the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak would be able to treat a leaking timing cover gasket. You should expect to start seeing results after 100-200 miles of driving.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

      • Dan on September 28, 2022 at 4:05 pm

        Hey rusty.did u ever mind out the problem w your montero sport oil disappearance? I have had the same issue. I have a 2001 montero ltd 3.5 and same issues.no drips under the car, no exhaust smoke. I have gotten under my car and cleaned every surface I could get to by hand so we shall see. Let me know

  18. Rusty on December 6, 2020 at 5:16 pm

    Hello,

    I have a 1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport, 3.0 V6. 200,000 miles, It is “loosing” a lot of oil, about a quart every 1,000 miles, but there is no visible sign of a leak. No drips on the driveway, no exhaust smoke, no signs of oil leaking anywhere on the engine block. No symptoms at all, other than the oil is gone!

    Any thoughts before I bring the vehicle to a shop?

    • BlueDevil Pro on December 7, 2020 at 9:40 am

      Rusty-

      Thank you for asking about your Mitsubishi Montero Sport. Based on your description, it would be tough to say exactly where the leak is coming from, especially without any visual symptoms. However, it would be worth trying the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak for your oil loss. The product is 100% safe to use and could save you an expensive repair at the shop.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  19. Tyree on January 2, 2021 at 12:42 am

    Hey Taylor may I ask which Chrysler Sony have and did or was ur problem fixable ?reason why I asked is because I have a 03 Sebring that’s been leaking oil and after someone taking it upon they’re self to wash my engine…it won’t start period just turns over …and after getting under there I noticed a lot of oil running beneath … which I cleaned…thankskrucialkoituskreations96 @gmail.com is where I can reach me directly…

  20. Denise Love on January 30, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    I have a 03 Mercy Mountaineer 4.0 L
    I have oil underneath my SUV. Looks like it could be coming from the rear main seal im no sure if it is. How many other places will leak oil ?
    Thank you in advance.

    • BlueDevil Pro on February 1, 2021 at 8:43 am

      Denise-

      Thank you for asking about your Mercury Mountaineer. Based on your description, we recommend the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak is more concentrated and is the universal application that will work for various leaks such as oil pan leaks, rear main leaks, valve cover gasket leaks, etc. Whereas the Rear Main Sealer is less concentrated and specifically formulated exclusively for leaking rear main seals. If you are not 100% sure where the vehicle is leaking or there seem to be multiple leaks then we recommend using BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

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