Signs It’s Your Car Engine Leaking in Rockville, MD

If you notice a pool of amber or tan-colored fluid on the ground where your car was parked, your Nissan might be leaking motor oil. With your engine leaking, it’s unwise to drive anywhere except directly to your local Nissan dealer to have it fixed. Without sufficient lubrication, the engine will rapidly overheat and break down. Here are five signs that your engine’s leaking oil and five common causes of leaks.

Oily Puddles Under Your Car

Pooling motor oil is the surest sign of a leak. But if you don’t have your own regular parking space, this might be hard to notice. When you suspect a leak, glance at the ground under your engine from time to time. You can also leave a piece of cardboard there overnight and check it in the morning.

Motor Oil Light on Your Dashboard

The monitors in a modern Nissan will quickly pick up a drop in oil pressure caused by a leak. You’ll then be warned by your oil light flashing on. Always pay heed to that light and have a technician investigate further.

Loud Ticking, Knocking Noises

Without enough oil, your engine will rapidly overheat. With its pistons and other mechanical parts starting to grind against each other, you’ll hear ticking and knocking sounds. You’ll also see the engine temperature gauge on your dashboard shoot up.

Smoke From Under the Hood

When leaking oil drips onto super-heated parts of the engine, it instantly burns up. This creates smoke that you’ll see seeping out from under your hood.

Sizzling Sounds

You might also hear the oil burning. This makes a sizzling sound, not unlike the sound of oil burning in a frying pan.

5 Common Sources of Leaking Engine Oil

The source of a leak will have to be identified and repaired quickly. You might be able to do this yourself if you know what you’re looking for.

• Oil Filter

When the filter isn’t regularly changed, it can spring a leak. An oil filter can sometimes be improperly installed by an inexperienced driver, which will also cause it to leak.

• Oil Pan

As it sits beneath your car, the oil pan can occasionally be damaged by a pothole or obstacle in the road. This will cause oil to leak out directly onto the road.

• Gasket

There are various gaskets acting as seals between different parts under your hood. If any one of these gaskets wears down too much, it can start to leak.

• Crankshaft Seal

The crankshaft seal keeps oil inside the engine. As such, it’s a weak point and can sometimes fail to do its job. With enough wear and tear, the camshaft seal might also leak oil.

• Drain Plug

The drain plug allows quick drainage of oil during your regular oil changes. A leak might mean that your drain plug is loose or worn out.

Have an experienced technician examine your engine and fix any leaks today at DARCARS Nissan of Rockville. Additionally, you can keep learning ways to maintain your car by visiting our blog today!

Tags: Engine Leaks, Nissan Service
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