Engine Oil Leaks - Inspecting your vehicle for engine oil leaks
Engine Oil Leaks - Inspecting you vehicle for engine oil leaksOne of the most troublesome problems that vehicle owners can face is an oil leak. Oil can leak for several reasons. If your vehicle is leaking oil, you should take it to a mechanic or do an inspection yourself to pinpoint the cause and get it fixed before it causes permanent damage to your engine.
What to look for?When doing the inspection yourself, although it may be challenging to find the problem, you can take some of the guesswork out by considering the most common causes of engine oil leaks:
The Oil FilterOil filters wear out and can be aligned improperly or be loose. Some vehicle models have additional parts in the filtration system, at the filter, that can leak. Whether you do it yourself, or it’s done by a mechanic, the filter should be changed every time you change the oil and should be checked for proper fitting.
The Oil Drain PlugAt the base of the oil pan is a drain plug, accessible from the underside of your car. A worn out thread, misaligned threads, or a loose oil drain plug can be a common oil leak cause. It is easy to spot as there would be fresh oil around the plug, and on the side of it where it drips down.
The Oil Filler CapOil doesn’t just drip down. If your filler cap, covering where you put oil into the engine, is missing, loose, or broken then the pressure of the engine could cause oil to spill out when the vehicle is running.
The Valve GasketThe gasket is probably the most common cause of oil leaks, especially in older vehicles or vehicles that are used frequently and have a high mileage. Over time, and with a buildup of sludge (oil that breaks down over time due to prolonged temperature exposure), the pressure increases which can cause leaks and failures in the seal of the gaskets. It’s best to speak to your nearest mechanic if this is the issue so they ca check it out. The sooner you can get this checked the better.
Sometimes damage to the oil pan on the underside can cause minor to severe leaks.This occurs when running over road debris, large rocks if traveling off-road, and even accidentally hitting an animal while traveling.Any of these can dent the oil pan and compromise the seal or oil drain plug.
Stopping and preventing oil leakages through seals
Rymax Oil Stop Leak is a specialty product meant for use when common problems like oil leaks or exhaust smoke occurs. It is specially designed to help rejuvenate seals and gaskets and improve sealing at valve guides, piston rings and cylinder walls. This results in a reduction or stop of oil loss and oil contamination and in better compression and thus superior engine performance.
How to use?
The additive can be used in all gasoline, diesel and LPG engines, with or without turbochargers. Mix this additive with the Rymax engine oils for an optimal result.
Dosage
Add the contents of one bottle Oil Leak Preventer to the warm motor oil, preferably shortly after oil change. The Rymax bottle of 250 ml Oil Leak Preventer treats 3 to 6 litres of motor oil. Note: make sure the oil contents do not exceed the maximum oil level in your engine.
