Oil Leak From Car - Brown/Black patch under the car

A sign of an Oil Leak from Car is when you see a Black/Brown Patch or Puddle under the car or if has been mixed with water then it will have rainbow colors. This is caused by Oil Leaking out where it is not supposed to.

Cars up until the 90's always used to leak some oil. When you visited a New Car dealership they would have a tray under the engine and transmission to catch oil so it did not mess up their floor. Now we expect not to see that.

Where does Oil Leak in Car come from?

There are several places where oil leaks can be coming from:

- Oil Pan Gasket - This gasket wears out frequently. Oil Pan is at the bottom of the engine.

- Drain Plug - Metal bolt that goes into the Oil Pan. If not put back correctly after the car's last Oil Change then oil will leak from this

- Valve Cover - Seal to the Valve Covers need to be replaced regularly. Depending on your engine you may have multiple Valve Cover Seals to replace. Valve Covers are are at the Top of the Engine.

- Crankshaft Seals - As engines age these seals will wear out. One is at the side of the engine with the belts on it (Front Crankshaft Seal) and the other is hidden by the transmission (Rear Crankshaft Seal).

- Timing Chain Cover - If your car has a Timing Chain, it will be lubricated by oil and the Cover that protects it has a Gasket to stop oil leaking out. Over time the Timing Chain Cover Gasket will need to be replaced. It is located on the same side as the belts.

Oil Leak Car - Other locations of leaks

- If the car is rear wheel drive then it will have an axle with a differential. This differential has oil in it and this can leak out.

- Stick Shift (Manual Transmission) can leak oil of the same color as used in an engine. In this case the oil patch will appear under the transmission (gearbox).

Oil Leak Car - Mechanic Locating

For difficult to find Oil Leaks in Cars, Mechanics add a dye to the oil that shows up under a UV light. The dye is added and the engine run. Then after a while, the engine is turned off and the mechanic shines the special UV light onto the engine. This UV light makes the Dye show up and the Mechanic can trace the oil leak back to source. UV Light Kits and Dye are available from Auto Parts stores.