Oil is an essential part of a car’s functionality, and we are not even talking about the gasoline that fuels the car. Oil is one of those elements of a car’s design that is simple on paper, but incredibly complicated in how it is implemented within the workings of the machine itself.
All that is to say that if you have a problem with the oil in your car, you have a serious problem. But at the same time, you might know you have a problem without knowing what has caused it. This is because as important as oil is, the complexity of the car can hide its issues.
How to Know it is Time to Have Your Oil Checked
So, aside from getting an oil change, what possible problems might you run into with your oil? Especially with its most fragile components, the oil pan and the rear main seal.
These are hard problems to spot, but not impossible. For that reason, we have put together a list of some of the best signs that your car is dealing with an oil problem.
- Engine Heat Problems
Imagine a situation: You replace the coolant of your car over and over again, but still you are getting an engine heat warning after driving for more than a few minutes to an hour. What is the problem here? Well, simply put, there is oil covering your engine and heating it up.
Do not be alarmed, the oil is actually oil vapor. Oil creates a lot of heat, so it is expected that it would result in your engine heating up when the vapor settles on the engine. However, if enough oil leaks and the temperature gets high enough, it will indeed ignite.
- Dark Puddles Under Your Car
This is what people look for first, but so many fluids flow out of your car that it can be hard to be sure that it is indeed oil that you are seeing. The best indication that it is oil is the rainbow pattern that light will cast on its surface.
- Oily Flexplate
This is an indication of an oil leak out of the rear main seal. Touch the flexplate and see if it is oily. If it is, it is a sure sign of an oil leak, as the material of the flexplate is meant to bond with oil to stop an oil leak.
Visit us to Get Your Oil Pan and Rear Main Seal Fixed
Oil changes and oil line maintenance are easy to put off. But managing these problems can mean your car lasts a whole ten years longer than usual. We can help you make sure you get as much out of it as possible.
Call us at 510-793-6067 and we will get you a quote on an oil change, as well as repairs to your oil pan and rear main seal. This will keep your oil under control for a long while.