Oil Change for Leaks and Cracks

If when you leave a parking space or pull out of the garage you notice that there are dark stains or discolorations of the concrete or street it may initially be an annoyance. As time wears on however it is going to become clear that while the fact that here are chemicals leaking on the driveway is irritating it is nothing compared to the amount of damage happening inside the vehicle.

It is often hard to know where, exactly, a leak is coming from but it is worth thinking back to the last time that the car had an oil change. Often these things are the result of a mistake or a loose part. If the engine was serviced recently it could be possible that something is not tightened down correctly. To best ascertain what is going on before going into a mechanic consider locating the source of the dripping. Place a sheet of paper or cardboard beneath the drain pan and the rest of the engine compartment. In the morning it should be easy to see where things were coming down. If it seems like it was not the pan then look under the hood and see if you can see any wet spots that could be the source. Regardless of what you find it is important to get to the shop, have an inspection and have it repaired. Oil change service can be expensive if you are constantly having to by more lubricant because it is leaking out.

Hopefully the issue will be simply a loose bolt. If that is the case you will be pleased to discover that the repair was quick and painless. In some instances they may not even charge you if you return to the mechanic who most recently worked on the engine.

On the other hand if there is a leak through a hole or a crack things can get very expensive. Prevention of problems like this is the best motivation for having a frequent oil change. The service staff will hopefully quickly notice problems like minor leaks and fix them before they become major problems. Left unchecked what was once a small trickle could lead to catastrophic failure down the line. Worst case scenario is that the engine seizes and has to be replaced because it is irreparably damaged.

Oil change service can prevent any sort of future damage by catching it while it is early and easy to fix. Skilled mechanics will be able to find issues at their onset and rectify them quickly. They will even be able to catch potential trouble spots before they become full blown repairs because of the thoroughness of their inspections.