Of all the things that can go wrong with an old car, an oil leak is one of the most common. Some people see it simply as a part of a vehicle’s aging process. It’s unavoidable, and as long as you keep your oil levels topped up, it’s not a big deal.
But oil leaks should not be ignored. If neglected, the problem could damage other parts of your vehicle. Worse yet, the flammable substance could catch fire, destroying your car. Plus, any leak should be checked by a
says there are eight main sources that could need repairs if you find a pool of the stuff forming under your car.
Oil pan gasket
Oil is used as a lubricant for your engine. It gets pumped throughout the parts that make up the engine to keep everything moving smoothly. As gravity does its work, all that oil makes its way to the bottom of the engine, where it’s collected in the oil pan.
The gasket is a seal that keeps all that oil in the pan until it makes its way through the engine again. If your car is losing oil, it could be because that gasket has cracked. If this is true, it’s the best-case scenario. Depending on the car and mechanic, it will cost you $100 to $350 to fix.
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Repairsmith says a proper oil change requires three steps. First, you remove the drain plug and let the oil out. Then, you replace the oil filter. Lastly, you reinstall the plug and refill the oil.
Because the oil filter and drain plug are handled every time you get an oil change, they can easily become the source of oil leaks. Replacing an oil plug will cost you about the same as an oil pan gasket. Replacing a filter will only cost you a few bucks.
Valve cover gasket
A valve cover sits on top of the cylinders of your engine. Along with its gasket (read: seal), it holds the oil in from the top of the engine, just like the oil pan, but from the other end.
If the gasket breaks or the bolts holding the cover in place shake loose, oil will escape from the cylinders, bleeding out at the bottom of the engine.
Like the oil pan gasket, replacing a valve cover gasket isn’t a big deal. At most,
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The crankshaft is the backbone of your engine. All the pistons that control the intake of fuel into the engine are attached to the crankshaft. As the crankshaft rotates, each piston gets its turn at the wheel.
The crankshaft has seals on both ends. If they wear out or are damaged, you’re in for an oil leak. A small leak might only accumulate on the bottom of the engine. A larger one will be noticeable if you pop your hood.
Repairing the problem will likely put you out a few hundred dollars.
Camshaft seals
Your engine’s camshaft works with your crankshaft—while the crankshaft moves the pistons up and down, the camshaft opens the valves that provide the fuel and allow the exhaust to escape.
All this movement is what the oil is for, so naturally, the camshaft would have seals to keep that oil in place. Every engine has at least two camshafts, and each of those has a seal. The seal itself isn’t expensive, but the labor required to get to the rubber ring will cost you.
All in all, you’re likely to spend $350 to $450 to stop a leak caused by a damaged camshaft seal.
Timing cover gasket
If your car uses a timing chain instead of a timing belt, it will have a sealed cover over the chain to keep the oil lubricating that chain from escaping.
Both the timing cover and its gasket can wear out over time, causing an oil leak at the front of your engine. Fixing the gasket will cost you at least $500. Replacing the whole cover will cost more.
Oil filter adapter housing gasket or cap
The oil filter mentioned above often fits into a housing unit. That housing is sealed with a gasket. Some oil filters are designed as cartridges. Their housing units are sealed with caps. These caps can also leak over time.
The cost to repair these housing seals ranges pretty widely based on the make and model of your car. The more affordable ones might cost less than $200. The expensive ones can cost you over $650.
Cylinder head gasket
The cylinder head gasket is one long seal that sits on top of all your cylinders. If it wears out, it can cause internal and external leaks of coolant and oil.
Fixing this problem is very important to the health of your vehicle, but it’s also very expensive. The parts alone can cost $700 to $800 dollars. With labor costs, the whole job can cost you almost $2,000.
Any car owner should find a mechanic they trust. If you drive a newer model, you might rely on your local dealership for repairs. If your car is older, local mechanics will probably be able to fix your vehicle for a better price than dealers, but they can also be less reliable.
Repairs change a lot from model to model, so if you can, find a mechanic that specializes in the type of car you drive. They’ll likely be able to find parts and make repairs much faster than the generic garage, which will save you money in the long run.
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