Most people dream of owning a truck at some point in their life. After all, who would not like to drive on even the roughest terrain with little concern of the impact this might have on their vehicle. Unfortunately, most trucks are costly and may be beyond the budget of some. However, this does not make trucks solely for the rich.
You can get one for a song by opting for used trucks from an Arizona-based shop. Buying a used truck from anyone selling one might see you end up with a stolen or extremely rundown vehicle. When inspecting the truck, it pays to know what to look for to guarantee its optimal condition. One element most truck owners contend with is an engine oil leak. This is attributed to the deterioration of the various parts of an engine due to continued use of the truck. The following are the common locations you should inspect when looking for a leak.
The Oil Filter
A truck’s oil filter will naturally wear out or might be loose or improperly aligned, thus causing an oil leak. A few vehicle models feature extra components around the oil filter that might contribute to leaks due to malfunctioning. The oil filter should be changed each time the oil is changed, though some owners do not do this.
The Oil Drain Plug
This is located at the oil pan’s base and can be accessed from your vehicle’s underside. A loose drain plug and worn out or loose oil plugs can contribute to varying levels of oil leaks. Leaks around an oil drain plug are fortunately quite easy to spot since there will be fresh oil surrounding the plug and along the side from where it is dripping. The oil pan is also at a high risk of damage from road debris and rocks typical in most terrains. These will dent the pan and consequently compromise the oil drain plug.
The Filler Cap
This covers the part that you put oil into, in your truck’s engine. In some used vehicles, the filler cap is either missing, loose, or broken. With a faulty filler cap, the pressure from your running engine will ordinarily cause the oil to drip.
The Valve Gasket
This is the most common location of engine oil leaks, particularly in old truck models and those with high mileage. The gasket is a seal that is attached to the heads of various metal parts in the engine like between the oil pan and engine block, and the heads and block. Accumulation of sludge over time and the pressure increase in your engine are the key elements responsible for the deterioration of valve gaskets.
There is no reason for you to opt out of buying a used truck simply because you are apprehensive of some of the issues you will have to contend with. Now that you know the primary locations that contribute to an engine oil leak, you are empowered to make the right choice. Based on the issues you find, you can opt to have the cause of the leak fixed or have a new engine installed altogether if multiple parts are compromised.
