An oil leak is engine oil escaping past a gasket or seal, and the spot on your driveway rarely sits under the part that is leaking. AutoTech Clinic finds the true source with a clean, a dye test and a lift inspection, then repairs it at 24100 Michigan Ave in Dearborn. Many leaks are same day repairs.
Oil leaks matter for more than the driveway. Oil on a hot exhaust manifold smells bad and can smoke, oil on a serpentine belt ruins the belt, and a leak that drops the level far enough will take out the engine.
- How Long
- From about 1 hour for a valve cover gasket to a full day for a rear main seal.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Oil Leak Repair
- Dark spots on the driveway or garage floor
- A burning oil smell after driving, strongest at a stop light
- Light blue smoke from under the hood rather than the tailpipe
- The oil level dropping between changes
- Oil visible on the underside of the engine or the splash shield
- A low oil pressure warning light
What We Do
- 01
Clean and Confirm
We degrease the engine and underbody so we are looking at fresh oil, not fifty thousand miles of residue.
- 02
Add Dye if Needed
For slow or hidden leaks we add a UV dye, run the engine, then trace the source under black light. That removes the guesswork.
- 03
Check the Easy Causes First
An overfilled crankcase, a blocked PCV valve or a loose filter can all push oil out of a healthy seal. We check those before quoting a gasket.
- 04
Repair the Source
Valve cover, oil pan, front or rear main seal, timing cover, filter housing or sensor: we replace the part that is actually leaking.
- 05
Clean, Run and Recheck
We clean the area again, run the engine to temperature and recheck, so you know the repair worked before you leave.
Where Oil Leaks Usually Start
The valve cover gasket is the most common leak we see. It sits at the top of the engine, so the oil runs down over everything below it and makes the source look lower than it is. Next most common are the oil pan gasket, the front crankshaft seal and the oil filter housing, which on many late model engines is plastic and cracks with heat cycles.
The rear main seal, at the back of the crankshaft where the transmission bolts on, is the one everyone fears. It is a real repair because the transmission has to come out, but it is also far less common than people assume.
Is a Small Leak Worth Fixing?
Sometimes the honest answer is not yet. On a high mileage vehicle with a weep that does not drop the level between changes, we may tell you to monitor it and keep an eye on the dipstick.
What we will not do is tell you a leak is fine when oil is landing on the exhaust, soaking the serpentine belt or getting into the alternator. Those create a second failure, and that is worth fixing now.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Which gasket or seal has failed and how much has to be removed to reach it
- Rear main seals, which usually require the transmission to be removed
- Whether more than one leak is present, which is common on older engines
- Hardened plastic housings that crack and must be replaced rather than resealed
- Cleaning time on an engine that has leaked for a long time
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.