If you’ve ever found yourself checking that dipstick and wondering why oil seems to disappear almost as fast as you can put it into your engine, then you are not alone. Many drivers have this problem. A car that has too little oil in it can suffer severe damage as bare metal parts scrape and slide against one another — creating tons of friction, too much heat, etc. Below are the 5 most common causes of why your engine might be losing oil. Learn more about your car, how to take care of it and where to go for help in the article below!
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- Engine oil leak: If your car has been running well but you still seem to be rapidly losing oil, there may be a leak present in the engine. If the leak is big enough, you may also notice oil stains underneath your car and your check engine light may be activated as well. If this is the case, you will definitely need to take it into our service center so that our experts can get to the heart of the problem.
- Low quality oil: Using low quality oil can also lead to rapid oil loss. How? Low quality oil will not adequately lubricate the components of your vehicle. This will force the engine to consume oil more rapidly. If your oil is dark brown or even black in color it is definitely time for an oil change. Try our oil change service and ask us about the best oil for your vehicle.
- Worn piston rings: Damaged or worn piston rings will cause oil to seep through and enter the internal combustion chamber of your vehicle. This will in turn cause the oil to burn while carbon deposits form on the rings and cylinders. This problem will only worsen until your piston rings are replaced.
- Old engine: After you’ve put enough miles on your engine, the various seals and gaskets will start to deteriorate and cause small leaks. This means the engine will simply consume oil quicker. Additionally, many older engines are simply not as efficient at burning oil as modern cars.
- Blown head gasket: Head gaskets are a crucial component between the engine block and the cylinder head — and when they fail, all sorts of things can go wrong. One of these things is that your car will become less efficient at using oil. Unfortunately, if this happens you will need significant work done to your vehicle.
If you follow this advice, you should be in good shape with your engine’s oil consumption. However, if you should need a cheap oil change in Torrance then Chevron Fast Lube can help you. We can perform a number of services to your vehicle to keep it up and running at peak efficiency.
