What is an Oil Pan Gasket?

The oil that every car or vehicle needs to operate is held in the container known as the engine sump, but more commonly referred to as an oil pan. There are times when the oil can start to leak from the oil pan, but is prevented due to the oil pan gasket. The oil pan gasket sits between the engine and the oil pan and without the presence of a gasket; the oil will always leak and never be able to reach the engine.

A gasket is a mechanical seal that is used to fill spaces or conjoin two different surfaces with the basic purpose to prevent any sort of leakage. Most people would argue why there is a need for an oil pan gasket, when the oil pan and engine can be easily conjoined with each other. However, what these people do not understand is that oil pan and the opening in the engine where oil enters are of different shapes and sizes, which does not allow the two parts to come together. Simply meaning, that there are too many irregularities between the two and you can try as much as you want the oil will always leak. This is where the gasket is so valuable because it was designed in a way to bring together all sorts of different items, regardless of the shape and size.

Gaskets are made from a number of different materials, such as rubber, paper, silicone, metal, neoprene, nitrile rubber, fiberglass and plastic. Sheets made from these materials are designed and cut into oil pan gaskets. Even though there were times when oil pan gaskets were made using asbestos, but the use of this hazardous and dangerous material is restricted, if not completely banned. Moreover, most manufacturers of both gaskets and products that require gaskets prefer them to be made with materials that can be easily and completely molded into any shape that will perfectly fit in between the oil pan.

The worst that can happen is an oil pan gasket does not fit in tightly into the desired area, which can lead to a number of major complications. Sometimes, even though there is no sign of an ill-advised oil pan gasket, manufacturers of engines will apply a sealant over the gasket surface, as a way to strengthen the hold and enhance the prevention of any type of leakage. The reason why oil pan gaskets are so highly desired is their ability to withstand heavy loads of compressive energy. However, there are still times when for one reason or another that a oil pan gasket leaks. For this reason, it is very important that everyone who owns a car or knows how to drive a car be adept in inspecting their engines for possible leaks.

A puddle of oil underneath your car is the first sign of a leaking oil pan gasket, which surprisingly always seems to be ignored by the driver because of where it is located. Most people don’t bother to look under the car while it is parked to make sure that there is no leakage and others find it too much of a hassle to sit in their car and move it a couple of feet up and then get back out to check for a possible leak. Another way that a car owner might be informed of a possible oil pan gasket leak is through the warning prompt signals that are present in the speedometer of the car. This warning signal is prompted every time the amount of oil reaches significantly low levels. However, this also poses a problem because there are a large percentage of cars, especially older models that consist of warning signals that malfunction, therefore, making it close to impossible to know when the oil is actually low. This is exactly why it is important that the car owner manually check the oil of his car on a weekly basis to make sure it is at normal levels.

Oil levels decrease at extremely low rates, which is why any sudden change for oil in the engine should be a taken as a serious warning sign. If there are signs of oil leakage but you are not 100% sure, there are certain measures that you are advised to take because ignoring the leakage can cause detrimental damage to the engine of your car. Another important point to mention is that it is not necessary that all oil leaks have to result in a puddle underneath the car. At times, the oil can start to leak from different parts of the engine. And if drops of oil continue to leak over a period of time, it is possible that these drops penetrate the inside of the engine and once this happens it can cause your engine to seize, which might result in either repairing the engine or completely replacing it. Once an engine is repaired, the performance level drops significantly and it might actually reduce to resale value of the car to worthless levels.

If you are unable to take it to the workshop, then it is up to take matters into your own hands. The best way for you to check for a oil pan gasket leak is to use an engine oil system cleaner into the engine. Once fill the engine to the top, you will eventually be able to tell whether your engine is leaking. The next step is to start the car and allow it to run for at least 15 minutes so efficient use of the oil can be made. After 15 minutes, you can shut the car off and let if cool for half an hour. After this period passes, the next step requires you to lift the car up using a ramp or jack. You should bend down to take a look at the oil pan gasket to see if there is more moisture than before. This might seem like a lengthy and time-consuming process, and the next best option is to make a visit to the workshop.

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