What are the main points to check when locating an oil leak in a car?

well i would agree with all the previous posts. just wanted to add that they make an ultraviolet additive to oil. clean engine, add the stuff to the engine, take it around the block...then check with a blacklight in the dark..the leak will glow. also, if your haveing a hard time finding the leak, but its going through oil, it might be burning it.What are the main points to check when locating an oil leak in a car?
Try and make sure it's not coming from the top of the engine. Often times, I find more leaks in the backs of valve covers or intakes that run down the engine and then splatters all over the place. The best thing to do is to thoroughly degrease the engine. If you don't, you could be looking for a while. Depending on the vehicle, I would check the valve cover gaskets, lower intake gaskets and work my way down. Atleast clean the area where you think it might be and then recheck, but I would clean the entire engine if i were hunting for a leak.What are the main points to check when locating an oil leak in a car?
oil filter, oil pan, around all gaskets, if you have a turbocharger check that out
Quite often it will be the valve cover gasket. If the vehicle has lots of miles on it the crank seals could be worn and passing oil. Depending on the make of vehicle some have seals around the cam shafts they too can leak. Even fittings like the oil line from the oil filter or to a turbo or ?
It would be a lot easier to help you if you could tell us what type of vehicle it is.





Certain vehicles leak in certain places for various reasons. If you want to be more specific like year, make, model, and engine size in question, I am sure I and many others cold help you.





Most common places...valve cover gaskets, oil pan gaskets, oil pan plugs, oil cooler lines etc.





Best thing to do is to start by cleaning the engine. Then check it periodically for seepage or leaks.
get yourself a big piece of cardboard and lay it under your car,and you will see where the oil leak is coming from.
Wash the engine down with a good solvent or at a carwash. With the engine clean, it will be much easier to spot where the leak is coming from. Check it very frequently after the wash job before the oil has a chance to be spread over the engine again.
Valve covers and oil pan.

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