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Oil leaks (5)

All  |   Discussion (0)Oil and other fluids (General)

Oil storage and disposal: Always store old oil in oil containers that used to have new oil in them, so always keep them. That oil is recyclable at public garbage dumps - but you will have to pour it into the used oil drum. This is the only way to legally and safely dispose of used oil.   myxlfidian (150)

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Changing oil: For a medium-sized car, every four(4) months, or three(3) times a year is recommended. Change the filter every second time, or once every eight(8) months. When you pour the used oil into an old oil container, it will tell you how much oil you took out of the car. That is the correct amount to put back in, then run the engine for 5 minutes, wait 15 minutes and recheck. Top up as needed. Too much oil causes as many engine problems as too little, in fact it is very dangerous for engine functioning on many cars. Change the air filter once a year and fuel filter once every 18 months. Power steering fluid and gearbox fluid should be drained and renewed every 12-18 months maximum. Oil is an organic compound that loses its viscosity and other properties in around that timeframe. You will extend the life of your transmission and improve steering performance if you do this. Always remember that a certain amount of oil loss is normal in all cars, but it should be very minimal, about 100ml every 2-3 weeks at the most. Anything more than that indicates oil leaks either internally within the cylinder head (valve stem seals and/or valve guides) or externally. Rubber oil seals do not last as long as polyurethane and other synthetics. Rubber is not anywhere near as good an oil resistor over time. Always use an oil and compression resistant liquid gasket sealant when installing a new head gasket. It will save oil leaks. Note: Of course, head gaskets should never be coated fully in sealant - they are one of the few gaskets that aren't. Use the sealant on the timing cover area, especially the section where it joins to the engine block, and any other thin sections. The main block to head area must have no sealant whatsoever - the seal is achieved through compression in that central area (about 90% of the total joining area). It's the narrow, thin sections at each end, and some of the curved sections around the ignition chambers, that need the sealant to make up for their weaknesses in containing oil.   myxlfidian (150)

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Gerabox oil: Critical as you can lose an entire gearbox if you drive around for a fairly short time with a heavy leak. Check it weekly. Sometimes you have to cycle through the automatic gears while idling and on a hot engine, slip it into neutral and check then. When cold, the level will be lower on the dipstick (look for the "Cold" lettering on it) but should still show something on the dipstick. To drain, remove the pan. Refill and renew the filter every 12-18 months. Push a plastic tube into a small narrow funnel to create an easy filling device. If there is evidence of gearbox oil present on the box, you may have too loose nuts on the pan or worn circular oil seals where the driveshafts go in. It is unlikely you will need a change of the main housing to body gasket but it can deteriorate also. Note: Many gearboxes have driveshafts that have a "C" Clip or circlip-like clip on the end of the shaft that goes into the gearbox. This clip keeps the driveshaft or CV Joint from popping too far out of the gearbox while driving. It can be hard to install a CV Joint because of this clip (use a large hammer on the other end of the shaft, protected by a small piece of wood. If you do not use the C Clip, or it becomes distorted or breaks, you will fairly rapidly lose most of your gearbox oil as the driveshaft comes so far out of the box that oil is not prevented from leaking from it in that area. Make sure you get exactly the right clip (you may have to go to a wrecker or gearbox specialist) and immediately install it to the driveshaft to solve this problem.   myxlfidian (150)

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