Oil Leaks

These words cause many people to gasp and think about trading in their equipment. Oil leaks can be a very misunderstood problem. In many cases, the problem may be minor and easily repaired. Usually by the time you get around to checking out an oil leak, you have oil everywhere and it's impossible to tell where it is coming from. The best thing to do is start fresh and clean the unit up, so you can get an idea where the fresh oil is coming from. Here's a few questions you need to ask yourself to help determine the problem.

1. Does the unit leak oil when it is not running?
2. Where is the highest point where you see fresh oil?
3. Does the Engine blow oil or smoke bad when running?
4. Is the engine over full on oil or is the oil thin?
5. Is the engine leaking from more than one place when running?

We probably missed some questions, but these will give you a good start. So lets review them.

If the engine is leaking while setting: This is usually caused by a loose drain or fill plug, bad gasket, lower seal or possibly a crack or pinhole in the case. The latter would normally have showed up when the unit was new though.

How high on the engine is the fresh oil: Could it possibly be a blown head gasket or loose dip stick?

Does the engine smoke bad: It could mean internal wear or possibly crankcase pressure. All modern engines run with a slight vacuum in the crankcase. This is maintained by the crankcase breather valve. If this valve is not functioning or is installed wrong, you can be building a pressure in the crankcase. Many engine gaskets, seals and governor shafts are not designed to handle a pressure, so out comes the oil.

Oil that is to thin because of gasoline dilution can cause all kinds of leaking problems and smoking conditions as can water in the crankcase, which causes foaming. In the Summer heat many engine manufacturers recommend 30W oil.

Crankcase pressure can be a big problem and can have more than one cause. Many times it takes a trained technician with the right equipment to figure it out.

Not all oil leaks are serious to repair. It could be as simple as a loose drain plug or overfilled crankcase. Check it out, determine the cause and then make an intelligent decision on whether to replace the unit or have it repaired. Most of all check the oil level often.

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Also see Step by Step Two Stoke Carburetor Rebuild, Complete Engine Rebuild, Carburetor Rebuild, Loose Valve Seats, Starter Rope Repair,            Carburetor Troubleshooting Chart or My Engine Won't Start for more troubleshooting.

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