Norfolk Auto Repair

You probably have a cabinet in your kitchen filled with pots and pans. Your vehicle has one very important pan in it as well. It's the pan that holds oil for your engine called, naturally, an oil pan.

The oil pan is a very important, though simple, component of your engine's lubrication system.  The oil pan is attached to the bottom of the engine and holds the oil that will be circulated through parts of your engine to keep them lubricated, reducing friction, so everything works smoothly and prevents damage.  It's important that the oil doesn't leak out, so there is a gasket between the oil pan and the engine block. 

The oil in your engine can get very hot while it’s running.  The heat causes your oil pan and engine block to expand at different rates – cushioned by the gasket. Your oil pan can also get hit and damaged by debris kicked up from the road.  Wear and tear, heat and time all take their toll, and it's possible for the gasket to wear out which can cause it to leak.  An oil leak isn't good for your engine since it depends on oil for long life. 

One sign you may have an oil pan gasket leak is a spot of oil visible under your vehicle where you park.  If the leak is bad enough and your engine has lost enough oil, the oil light in your vehicle may illuminate.

Let your NAPA Auto Care Service Advisor know if you are experiencing any of these things. It needs to be repaired, so you don't lose more oil and damage your engine.  Sometimes an oil pan gasket can be in a spot that's hard to work on and can take some time to replace.  Our trained technicians will also check the oil pan itself to see if it's been damaged and needs to be replaced.

The life of your engine may depend on it.