Internal Engine Leaks Have Blue Smoke
Mechanic August 19th, 2010Finding an engine oil leak is a tricky business. You might think it would be obvious if your car was leaking oil but we are not talking about a filthy black stain forming beneath where you park. Although messy this type of leak is very easy to spot. No there is a different kind of leak, one that is nowhere near as easy to spot and often much more expensive to fix.
Inside the engine oil is used to lubricate moving parts. One of these parts is the pistons moving up and down in the cylinder head. The piston is pumped up and down using forces generated in the combustion chamber. The head gasket forms a seal between the cylinder and they engine block where the combustion chamber is. The seal between these two has to be tight to stop energy from escaping the combustion chamber (without being harnessed through the piston) and to prevent oil and coolant from entering the combustion chamber. If they gasket becomes damaged, either worn down or brittle then the seal is broken and you have an oil leak except this time it’s on the inside of the engine and can be much less obvious. One of the symptoms of this is his if the car’s exhaust has a blu-ish tint to the smoke coming out of it.
The other way to tell us if you're oil pressure gauge is showing a low-level and you're frequently topping it up. Another way to tell is if the engine feels less powerful than usual but it is unlikely you would feel any difference under normal driving circumstances.
After getting a problem like this fixed you will need new oil. Always opt for an American petroleum Institute approved oil and do not be tempted to recoup some of the repair costs by choosing a cheap oil change.
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