What might cause an Oil Leak? What mainterneance issues cause this possibly and what can prevent it?

Maintenance issues with oil leaks?





In general what can be done to keep an engine in tip top shape


specifically for Chevy ';Cavaliers'; or any cars?What might cause an Oil Leak? What mainterneance issues cause this possibly and what can prevent it?
Oil leaks are caused by gasket or seal or sealant failures. The only way to prevent mechanical breakdowns is to not own anything mechanical!! Keep an eye on your oil level in the motor and transmission You should check all your fluid levels once a week unless you have a leak and more frequent checks are needed (yes I know no one does but they should!!) Finally follow the recomended maintenance schedule in your owners manual about getting everything checked at 15k intervals (dont go to the dealer service dept for this it will cost at least 400 bucks) go to a mechanic you trust and have him do an oil change and maintenance inspection. Ask if they have MITCHELL or ALL DATA info on your maintenance schedule. If they do they will probably do the inspection as part of the oil change (NOT A QUICK LUBE THEY ONLY DO FLUIDS AND FILTERS) if they see anything looking worn or about to fail they will tell you MAKE SURE you are explained everything properly and schedule the work with them to be done!! You will have many usefull years out of the car that way!!What might cause an Oil Leak? What mainterneance issues cause this possibly and what can prevent it?
oil leaks can occur when there is a breakdown of the gasket sealing two individual parts...common gaskets thats usually leak are Tappet cover gaskets, head gaskets, gearbox seals etc etc.








usually time effects these gaskets but thrashing your car and excessive revvs can also cause this damage....





if your driving the car respectably then i would advise you to just run your eye over the car and its oil level/ fluid levels every 2 weeks to be sure that your engine isnt missing out on vital lubricants.





Also be sure to book you car in professionally every 10,000 kilometres so the professionals can put there eye over your gaskets and seals.








Doing this will keep oil leaks at bay and have your engine running sweet for many years to come :)
Other than normal gasket breakdown from age, or using poor quality gaskets, and excessive piston ring blow-by, avoid improper torquing of gaskets, over-filling fluid levels, perform regular oil changes to prevent sludge buildup which can block drain-back passages, and probably the most preventable would be to make sure your PCV valve is working properly to avoid excessive crankcase pressure buildup.