Jaguars are well-known for being powerful vehicles, but if your Jaguar’s oil pan gasket has sprung a leak, then you may notice your vehicle’s power draining away its oil. Although oil pan gasket leaks can be problematic, they are relatively easy to identify and fix. Below is everything you need to know about solving an oil pan gasket leak in your Jaguar.
Reasons Behind Oil Pan Gasket Leaks
Just like the rest of your Jaguar’s components, your vehicle’s oil pan gasket may be well-designed, but it’s not meant to last forever. Accordingly, the primary cause of oil pan gasket leaks is normal wear and tear. Whenever you drive your vehicle, the oil pan gasket is exposed to a variety of extreme pressures, high temperatures, and corrosive substances. Eventually, these factors may cause the gasket to shift, crack, and lose its ability to seal, thus creating spaces for oil to leak out.
Though slightly less common, another potential cause of oil pan gasket leaks is damage from external sources. For example, if your vehicle is in an accident, then the force of the accident may crack or shift the oil pan gasket, causing leaks. Alternatively, driving over road debris may cause similar problems, and may also damage the oil pan itself. It is very important to remain aware of your surroundings while driving and to avoid traveling over debris-filled roadways.
How to Tell if Your Jaguar’s Oil Pan Gasket is Leaking
Oil is essential to your Jaguar’s smooth functioning, which means that when it begins to leak, it generates symptoms that are fairly difficult to ignore. Typically, the first symptom of an oil leak is brownish puddles forming in your driveway, garage, or regular parking spots. If you notice these puddles, then your vehicle is almost certainly leaking oil, which means that you should check the engine as soon as possible to determine the source of the problem.
Visible puddles of oil in a vehicle’s regular parking spaces are often accompanied by another sign of oil pan gasket leaks: low oil levels. If you notice that your Jaguar is burning through oil abnormally fast, in addition to or independently from any other symptoms, then there is a strong chance that a leak exists somewhere in the system. Typically, this also will cause your vehicle’s check engine light to illuminate. If it does, then you should take your vehicle to a mechanic to have the leak fixed.
A third potential symptom of oil pan gasket leaks is smoke coming from your Jaguar’s engine. Usually, oil leaks cause a thick blue-gray smoke to come out of your vehicle’s exhaust pipe. If this happens, you should pull over and make plans to get your vehicle to a technician as quickly as possible. If you don’t, the oil that is dripping into the exhaust manifold may make its way to your vehicle’s electrical sensors, where it will cause serious damage.
The final and perhaps most dangerous symptom of oil pan gasket leaks is engine overheating. When oil leaks out of a vehicle’s engine, the engine loses its ability to lubricate itself, causing its components to grind against each other and generate heat. If left unaddressed, this can cause permanent damage to your vehicle’s engine, and may even make it unsalvageable. To prevent this from happening, you should keep a careful eye out for the other symptoms of oil leaks and should attempt to resolve any oil-related problems as soon as you notice them.
Fixing the Problem
If you suspect that your Jaguar is suffering from an oil pan gasket leak, do not attempt to fix the problem on your own. The oil pan and its gasket can be very finicky, and trying to fix these parts without the proper tools or expertise may make the situation worse. Instead of risking this, take your vehicle to a professional technician, who will be able to solve the problem safely and efficiently.
How We Can Help
If you’re looking for an auto repair shop in Green Bay, Manitowoc, or Sturgeon Bay, WI to fix your Jaguar’s leaking oil pan gasket, then look no further. Dell’s Service Center is the most trusted European auto repair center in the Green Bay area, and we would love to help you get your vehicle fixed and back out on the road. So give us a call today, or stop by the shop to speak to one of our expert technicians.