Making sure that the oil level in your vehicle stays at the right levels should be a top concern. There are so many different factors that go into keeping the oil in the engine. The oil pan is one of the most important elements to keeping your oil where it belongs. Engine oil pans hold most of the oil in an engine at a given time. The oil pan is mounted underneath your vehicle and is sealed by an oil pan gasket. Usually, this gasket is constructed of rubber and will conform to the pan when it is installed.
The oil that is housed in the oil pan will leak out if the oil pan gasket is damaged or failing. The longer that the oil pan gasket is on the car, the more chance there will be that it will have to be replaced. Here are some of the things that you may notice when it is time to get the oil pan gasket on your car replaced.
1. Smoking issues
Among the most noticeable signs you will see when the oil pan gasket is in need of replacement is smoke coming from the engine. This is usually caused by the oil from the oil pan falling on the exhaust manifold. Letting this problem persist may lead to things like the oxygen sensors or various other components becoming damaged due to being soaked in oil which can cause sensors and gaskets to fail.
2. Engine Overheating
The engine oil is part of what keeps the engine cool. Along with the coolant, engine oil is used to keep friction and heat down in the engine. If the oil pan leaks and the oil level drops it can cause the engine to overheat. An overheating engine can cause extensive damage if left unattended.
3. Oil puddles under the car
If you start to see that there are puddles of oil under the car, then it may be due to a faulty oil pan gasket. The rubber that the gasket is made of will begin to deteriorate over time due to the high amount of heat that it is exposed to. Eventually, the gasket will begin to leak and will create the puddles of oil under the car. Neglecting to fix this issue right away can lead to a variety of issues such as low oil level and oil pressure that can compromise the functionality of your vehicle.
4. Lower than normal oil levels
In some cases, the leak that the oil pan gasket has will be very small and nearly undetectable. Usually, for leaks like this the only warning sign that you will have is a lower than normal oil level. Most of the vehicles on the market have a low oil light that will come on when there is an issue. Replacing the gasket will help to stop the oil leak.
YourMechanic can make getting repairs to your oil pan gasket easy by coming to your home or office to diagnose and fix issues. You can book a service online 24/7.
