When your car is driving well, you may not need to worry about it needing a oil change soon. However, it is always good to keep your car cleaned and checked for signs of wear and tear.
Over time, debris can build up in your car’s oil, including small oil leaks. If this happens, you must get your oil changed at the same time as your water flow is checked and corrected.
This article will talk about small oil leak after oil change. The correct way to deal with this is to always have a high-pressure wash such as a floor wax or tire sealer applied every few months to keep any solid material from building up again. This also helps relieve any pressure that may have built up during the Oil Change process.
Contents:
What happens when you do an oil change?
After your car gets a oil change, the car must be parked for a while to allow the oil to drain. When your car is parked, it must be checked for any debris that may have fallen into the oil.
If you noticed any small objects that looked like they came out of your oil, don’t worry—they’re probably just dust. However, if you noticed an object that looked like it came out of your oil, followed by an empty vase with no crystal clear water inside, then you may be talking about a smalloil leak.
Small leaks occur when the manufacturer doesn’t properly gauge how much oil a given engine can hold. This occurs because when the engine is new, there is not enough pressure to seal up the crankcase after an alignment or during startup to keep enough oil from coming out.
When this happens, there is not enough pressure to maintain proper levels of lubrication in the crankcase during operation. This causes problems such as poor cooling or heating conditions and eventually wear and breakage.
Small oil leaks after oil change are common
Despite the fact that oil changes are a fairly high-demand process, only a few drivers commented that the oil changed was slow. Another common complaint is about the amount of time it takes to fill up the gas tank.
This is true. At around half a tank you have to wait around for your oil change. You also have to pay at register, so make sure you do that!
The total time your vehicle takes to complete this process is around 5–10 minutes, making this an easy complaint to pick up. Plus, with such a small effect on performance, it may not be worth taking care of during your drive home!
There are two major causes of small oil leaks after oil change: poor filter replacement and poor filter cleaning. Replacing the filter every six months is an effective way to prevent this issue.
What should you do if you have a small oil leak?
First, you should determine if there is a leak at all. If there is only small oil coming out, then you can safely drive your vehicle without any changes to fix it.
However, if there is some oil coming out, then you should change the oil. This might require taking your car to the dealership for service.
The dealership can patch the small oil leak with a new piece of oil and a bolt that holds it in place. This takes time and effort, so do it when you are in a hurry or if there is no other damage to take care of.
It is also important to check your oil frequently to make sure it is changing out properly.
Bring it to the mechanic
A small oil leak can happen for a number of reasons. Some are bigger oil changes are just not enough to worry about. Others are when the oil change is more than just a change of oil.
If you’re noticing some minor oil drop or threading along the floor that looks like it might be oil, bring it to the mechanic. He or she can look at it and find the cause.
Sometimes, seeing the cause is as easy as bringing out your cell phone and calling your local Toyota dealership. They can come and check out your car to see if there is any sign of leakage. If there is, they can resolve the issue right away.
Have the lining replaced
If you’re doing an oil change, have the oil changed and then check to see if the lines on the car have been replaced. If they have, then check the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning and replacing the lines.
If not, then check to see if the lines are still in good condition. Some owners report that new lines show up darker than old lines, indicating that it was a long time between services.
If you find that old lines look thicker or new lines look lighter, it may be time to call your local dealership and ask them to replace them. Most will agree!
More often than not, a new set of Lines will match better than old ones did so there was no need for replacement.
Change the seal yourself
If you can’t find your oil filter at your local auto parts store, you can buy a new one for about $20. Or you can purchase a new oil filter and replace it yourself.
Either way, the process is the same. You take the oil filter out, wash it with soap and water to remove any oil residue, then place the new oil filter in and match up the gaskets and such to make sure they’re installed correctly.
Once that’s done, you fill the filter up with oil and let it sit for 30 minutes before using or driving.
Drive as safely as possible while having this issue happening occasionally.
Use stop-leak pellets
If your car has a new oil change recommended by the manufacturer, you should use stop-leak pellets. These pellets prevent oil from spilling when you pull on the car hood.
Stop-leak pellets are small pieces of steel that are placed in every oil filter’s filter housing. When your oil change completion specialist removes your oil change package, he or she will place the required number of stop-leak pellets in the filter housing.
This ensures that when the specialist is pumping oil into your engine, it does not spill. By having these pellets in the engine housing, there is no risk of foreign objects entering the engine and causing problems.
Additionally, when leaving the car cleaning up shop, you should put together a list of everything that was done to your vehicle at Car Wash & Detailing Center.
Use a dry spray lubricant
Instead of using oil or Transmission Wet Out, use a dry spray lubricant after an oil change. This reduces the risk of foreign objects being caught in the engine bearings and blocks.
These products are typically used on furniture to help prevent pulling when moved, and in homes with children, because of the possibility of a liquid spilled on a surface.
Using a dry spray lubricant reduces cleaning needs as well! Just add some brake fluid, wipe away and drive away!
Using an oil change without having any dry spray lubricant is suggested for safety reasons. When excess oil is seen in the seals, it can be protective against foreign objects entering the engine. If something does happen, then the dry spray will protect the engine from needing additional attention.