The oil in your car’s engine is important because without it there would be no lubrication for the internal components of the car. Keeping the oil in a car free of debris is important for extending the life and reliability of the engine. The oil filter is the first line of defense when it comes to keeping the oil debris free it screens the oil as it passes through the filter picking up dirt and debris. In order for the oil filter to seal properly it uses a oil filter gasket that seals between the filter and the engine block. These gaskets can be made of either rubber or paper and are vital in keeping the oil inside of the engine.
When the oil filter is changed, you will have to make sure that the oil filter housing gasket is in good shape. The fallout that can occur from a damaged oil filter housing gasket can be quite severe. Noticing the signs that this gasket is damaged is the best way to keep your car from experiencing damage due to a lack of oil.
1. The Engine Oil Light is on
There are a number of warnings that a car will give when there are issues that need to be addressed with the engine oil. Most cars out there have a Low Engine Oil Light that will come on if there is a problem with the level of lubricant in the engine. Cars may also be equipped with a Low Oil Pressure Light. When either of these lights comes on, you will need to check the oil filter housing gasket and other related parts to find out what the issues is. Running the engine without the right amount of oil is a recipe for disaster.
2. Oil dripping from the filter
Another very noticeable sign that the oil filter housing gasket is in need of replacement is oil dripping from the filter. Usually, there will be a puddle of oil underneath the car when this problem occurs. Among other issues this can be caused by a failing oil filter housing gasket. By doing a visual inspection, you will be able to get to the bottom of where the oil is leaking from.
3. Lower than normal oil pressure
If you start to notice that the oil pressure gauge on your instrument cluster is declining, then the oil filter housing gasket may be to blame. Engine oil is under slight pressure to help it get all around the engine where it needs to go. The more oil that leaks out of this damaged gasket, the lower the pressure in the engine will become. When the oil pressure becomes too low, the engine can fail if left unaddressed. Replacing the damaged gasket will help to remedy this issue and restore the pressure the engine needs.
YourMechanic makes getting repairs to your oil filter housing gasket easy by coming to your home or office to diagnose and fix issues. You can book a service online 24/7.
