Why your car might be losing oil

Approximately three months ago, whenever William Kawuma drove out of the garage, he would find a layer of oil just beneath where his car had been parked. It was not an issue he treated with urgency. He thought it was minor and let it go.
When he checked the oil dipstick, it would have intermittent oil levels. It would at times read normal levels and at times would be at its lowest mark. This meant that he would at some point have to do an engine oil top up.

Leakage in the oil gasket
“I drove the car to the garage and left it with the mechanic for the night. When the mechanic inspected it in the morning from where the oil leakage was coming from, he found out that it was coming from the engine oil gasket. He said the leakage from the gasket happens only when the car is parked because it is in constant use when the car is on the road,” Kawuma recalls.
To motorists such as Kawuma, nothing is as bothersome as finding yourself in a situation where you have to spend more money to service your car after a short time on the road. The funny bit with car breakdowns or service is that they happen unexpectedly.
Musa Kimera, a mechanic at MK Garage in Rubaga, says just like your fuel gauge lights red when your fuel tank is almost empty, oil leaks are aspects of your car that alert you that there is a mechanical problem you need to fix immediately. In most cases, when you take long to respond to a problem, it grows bigger and this means you will have to spend a lot more than you would have.

Old oil filters
Just like any other car part, the oil filter serves your car for some time and eventually grows old. An oil filter plays an important role of removing the dirty elements or particles from the oil before it can be circulated and used in the engine.
“If your oil filter has overstayed in your car and it is also not tightened, then there will be oil leakages at the filtering level,” Kimera says, adding that the best way to have a functional filter is to have it replaced every time you visit the garage.

Broken piston rings and seals
Eric Amadi, a mechanic at Dalas Auto Garage in Bunga, explains that when your engine piston rings and seals get broken, it means that some of the oil in the engine will gain access to the engine combustion chamber, yet it should at all times be kept oil free.
This, Amadi adds, means that engine oil would be burning faster than it would if the piston rings and seals were functional.
A common symptom that the engine combustion chamber is burning oil, without any leakages is that the smoke from the exhaust pipe will become or turn bluish in colour if you do not bother to check why your oil keeps reducing.
Other causes of oil loss in your car include cracked cylinder heads and a hole in the dipstick tank.

The valve gasket
According to goldeagle, an online portal, the gasket is probably the most common cause of oil leaks, especially in older vehicles or vehicles that are used frequently and have a high number of miles.

The gasket is a seal that joins the head two metal parts of the engine, such as between the block and the head(s) as well as the engine block and the oil pan. Over time, and with a build-up of sludge (oil that breaks down over time due to prolonged temperature exposure), the pressure increases which can cause leaks and failures in the seal of the gaskets.

Sometimes damage to the oil pan on the underside can cause minor to severe leaks. This occurs when running over road debris, large rocks if travelling off-road, and even accidentally hitting an animal while travelling. Any of these can dent the oil pan and compromise the seal or oil drain plug.

How to deal with oil leakages
Eric Amadi, a mechanic at Dalas Auto Garage in Bunga, advises that the best way to avoid oil leakages before you spend money on oil top ups is to follow your car service manual or schedules as recommended by your mechanic or service station.
Some motorists never bother to read their service manuals to understand when their next service schedule is.

As a result, you will drive beyond the recommended mileage written on your service manual. Instead of having spent, say Shs500,000 on service if you respected the mileage on the manual, driving way beyond it (service manual) does not only cover more distance but you will also spend a lot more money on service. This is because at a time you will remember to go for regular service, you will have overworked some of the car parts such as the oil and air filters and engine timing belts beyond the time they are supposed to be used.

“Servicing of your car should be as urgent as human health when you do not feel well. If you delay to service your car, you will subject it to more wear and tear. If you do not replace things such as oil filters and piston rings and seals, you will experience more oil leakages and burning,” Amadi concludes.

Make these new year car resolutions
It is the new year and it is the season when we make resolutions. Perhaps, some of us have already made our resolutions such as, wanting to eat better and exercise more, learn something new, quit smoking, manage money better or start saving. The resolution path is paved with good intentions but this year perhaps you should throw in a car resolution that shall make you a better driver or love the road.

Be a fuel-efficient driver
Aggressive driving and speeding can increase your fuel consumption drastically. Slowing down, giving yourself more time and planning your routes ahead of time are just a few of the many things you can do to save money and fuel, and lower the strain on your wallet.

Quit texting while driving
Sending a text while driving has become an epidemic. It is an activity that often leads to near misses or in the worst case scenario, accidents. Simply reading, or even sending a text while you are operating a moving vehicle requires you to remove your attention completely away from the road for a period of several seconds. Driving requires you to commit your entire attention to the task at hand. The bottom line is that this type of behaviour cannot be justified and should stop in 2019.

Maintain your car regularly
You have likely heard this a thousand times before, but regular maintenance is the best way to ensure your car lasts for a long time. Sure, skipping out on an oil change or two may save you some extra cash in the short run, but failing to maintain your car will eventually upset the automotive karma gods who may sting you in the worst way possible. Make a maintenance schedule and stick to it. It is better to spend the money now, and not when you are stranded on the side of the road.

Do a maintenance makeover
A total suspension refresh where you replace the bushings, ball joints, tie rods, differential mounts, brakes, shock absorbers, wheel bearings and so forth shall change your car in ways you can never imagine. In fact, you shall be surprised that your “new” car can drive the way it does after the makeover. Other makeovers include total spraying and engine replacements or the overhauls. Sure it might be an expensive venture but I guarantee you it is a rewarding process.

Check your tyres regularly
If you can remember to step on the scales and treadmill as part of a January keep-fit regime, you can check the pressure and condition of your tyres every once a fortnight, too. By checking your tyres regularly you will avoid premature wear and tear, and could even prevent a flat-tyre, puncture or, in more serious cases, an accident.