Why do I Have an Oil Leak After an Oil Change?

Getting your oil changed regularly is one of the best things you can do to help extend the life of your engine and your car. The oil in your engine is essential to quiet and smooth operation of your vehicle and reduced friction in your engine. When you are getting on the highway or merging into traffic your engine can be turning as much as 6000 RPM meaning that your engine will make 1 full revolution every .01 seconds! While your engine is spinning that fast it is also transmitting a surprising amount of power and torque through the spinning crankshaft so the loads on the bearings can be quite substantial. Besides your main bearings traveling fast and carrying a lot of load, your pistons are flying up and down in the cylinder and incredible rates, sometimes traveling at over 45 miles per hour themselves!

All these high numbers mean it is extremely important to keep these components well lubricated. The lubrication will reduce the friction it takes to move everything in your engine which will help your engine operate more efficiently with more power transmitted to the wheels. Better lubricated and less friction also means less heat and wear on your engine’s components which will allow it to last much longer.

Engine oil has progressed a significant amount in the past few years and there are many options available to drivers today. Conventional oil, as it is called today, is a petroleum product and has been used to lubricate engines since cars have been around. It is made through a refinement process out of crude oil and offers great protection for your engine. Synthetic oils, made from a variety of products, have also recently become popular replacements for conventional oil and are even recommended in some newer and higher performance vehicles. For a quick read on synthetic oils, check out this article about synthetic oil technology. Both conventional and synthetic oils today are available with lots of additives to help fight sludge in your engine, high mileage wear, and even leaks.

Before we get into why leaks tend to pop up after oil changes, we feel obligated to make a quick mention of oil weight, or viscosity. As you’ve been shopping for oil you’ve probably seen something like “5W-30” on a bottle of oil. The number represent the thickness, or viscosity of the oil. The “W” indicates it is a multi-viscosity oil meaning it is thinner at colder temperatures. “5W-30” means this oil will act like a 5 weight oil, which is very thin, when cold and a 30 weight oil when warm. This is a benefit to your engine because when it is cold, a thinner oil can offer more protection but at normal operating temperatures you need a thicker oil to support the bearings in your motor. When you’re choosing the proper oil for your car, the best place to go is the owner’s manual. There is no universal right or wrong weight oil for every car. The oil your car needs is based on how the engineer’s that built it designed the bearings and oil passages. If your motor has tight tolerances and small bearing clearances it will need a lighter oil to perform properly. Make sure you choose the right oil for your car based on the climate you live in.

To answer why you have an oil leak after an oil change, we’ll go back to all the additives put in oils today. Old conventional oils were known for creating sludge or gunk in your engine. If temperatures got too hot the oil could literally bake onto the inside of your motor. Or if you let an oil change go too long, the wear products suspended in it could get caught in passages and corners of your engine blocking oil flow and reducing lubrication which will slowly kill your engine. To counter this, oil manufacturers started putting detergents and solvents in oils to help remove this sludge and the buildups that may be created. In many cases, especially in older cars, these buildups could often form at the point of a slow leak. Once the cleaners in the new oil wash the buildup away, the fresh oil can easily escape through that leak making a mess of your engine and driveway.

If you discover an oil leak after an oil change it may not be your mechanic’s fault. The good news is these kinds of leaks are usually small enough to be easily repairable! Simply pick up a bottle of BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak and add it to your new engine oil. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak is safe to leave in your car until your next oil change and will mix with your oil to create a powerful leak sealing agent. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak will travel through your vehicle’s engine revitalizing the old gaskets and seals restoring them to their original size and shape sealing your leak without the hefty repair bills.