Oil changes are crucial to the health of your engine. There may be a time when oil is leaking from your vehicle after an oil change. If this happens, you'll want to find the root of the problem, so it can get fixed right away.
At Ira Subaru, our technicians can determine why your car may be leaking oil after an oil change. Discover some possibilities below, and contact us if you need service near Wakefield, Reading, or Danvers.
|  Issue |  Cause |
| Â Leaking from the Drain Plug | Â The drain plug simply not being tightened all the way |
|  Issues with the Oil Filter |  If the filter isn't on tight enough, oil will leak around it. That's why  you'll want to make sure there's no gap between the oil filter and the  engine. |
|  Additives in Oil |  If you wait too long to get an oil change, that buildup could block oil  flow, which could slowly kill your engine. Plus, this buildup could often result in a slow leak. |
1. Leaking from the Drain Plug
During an oil change, the drain plug that's inside an oil pan is removed. It then goes back into the oil pan after all the old oil has been drained.
It's normal to have a few oil drips a few hours after an oil change. However, any more than that, and you'll need to determine where the leak is coming from.
There are several ways to determine if the leak is coming from the drain plug, such as the gasket part being worn or dirty. When this happens, the drain plug will no longer have a tight seal on the oil pan. You'll either have to clean the part or replace it to stop the leak.
Another cause may be from the drain plug simply not being tightened all the way. Again, it won't have a tight seal on the oil pan and will result in oil leaking out. To fix this, simply get a properly sized wrench and tighten the drain plug up. You may also have to remove and clean it, as previously mentioned.
2. Issues with the Oil Filter
 An oil filter is the other object that's removed during a routine oil change. At the top of the oil filter is a gasket. Before a new filter is put on, the gasket gets lubricated with oil. When the gasket attaches to the engine, as the filter gets screwed on, it should be turned a further ¾ of a turn to form a tight seal.
3. Additives in Oil
Conventional oil can sometimes form sludge inside an engine. If you wait too long to get an oil change, that buildup could block oil flow, which could slowly kill your engine. Plus, this buildup could often result in a slow leak.
To counter this, detergents and solvents are starting to be put inside oil to help remove gunk from the engine. When the cleaners in the new oil wash the sludge away, that fresh oil can escape through the leak. This may make a mess of the engine but is easily fixable. A mechanic can simply seal the leak, allowing the new oil to do its job without escaping from your car.
Schedule Service for Your Subaru Today!
If your car is leaking oil after an oil change, you'll want to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Schedule service at Ira Subaru, and we'll get you back to driving around Wakefield, Reading, and Danvers in a leak-free vehicle in no time. Give our service center a call at 978-739-8850 today!
