How much oil needs to leak into an Alternator to cause the Alternator to go bad
I sent my car with my Mechanic Friday afternoon to fix brakes, change fan and computer. My mechanic said car would be done and returned Saturday morning.
Saturday afternoon, he calls to tell me that I need a new battery and alternator. He said he drove it made several stops and Saturday morning took it to pick up parts. Upon returning to my car it would not start. He removed the battery took it home to charge and found battery and alternator needed to be replaced. Alternator had oil leakage in it. He replaced battery and alternator made several stops again and dropped my car off Sunday E
Saturday afternoon, he calls to tell me that I need a new battery and alternator. He said he drove it made several stops and Saturday morning took it to pick up parts. Upon returning to my car it would not start. He removed the battery took it home to charge and found battery and alternator needed to be replaced. Alternator had oil leakage in it. He replaced battery and alternator made several stops again and dropped my car off Sunday E
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
It would be difficult to say exactly how much oil it would take to cause the alternator to fail. However, oil leaking on the alternator due to leaking valve cover gaskets can cause it to fail. It seems as if the technician who is servicing your vehicle may not have performed a courtesy inspection to check for other potential issues prior to starting the other repairs you had requested. I would recommend having the alternator replaced if it has oil leaking on it as well as resolving the valve cover gasket leak to prevent it from happening again. You may try to use a different mechanic who is more upfront and honest in the first place. Consider YourMechanic as services such as this can be completed from your home or office.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Oil penetration can damage the alternator within a very short time and lead to failure.
On many vehicles the VTEC assembly is located directly above the dipstick and alternator. If the VTEC gasket has failed this is the source of your oil leak and alternator failure.
Some alternators have a vacuum pump attached to it that enables the brake servo to work. The pump is lubricated with oil from the engine. The oil seals that separate the pump from the alternator can fail and will result in an oil leak.
It is recommended to have a dedicated grease gun for alternator bearing re-lubrication only. Never mix lubricant types. As per the Installation, Service & Maintenance manuals, it is vital that the grease, grease gun, grease nozzle and relubrication nipple are free from abrasive materials and other contaminants.
Your car`s alternator may fail for various reasons: Age and use-related wear is often the reason behind a dying alternator. Engine oil or power steering fluid leaking onto the car alternator can lead to its failure. Prolonged idling while using multiple electrical accessories can prematurely wear the alternator.
To check alternator diode leakage, connect the multimeter in series with the alternator output terminal when the car is not running. Leakage current should be a couple of milliamps at most. More often, it will be on the order of 0.5 milliamps. Use care when disconnecting the alternator output wire.
While it might seem easy to ignore a few drops of oil on your driveway, it`s always a bad idea. Left unaddressed, a small oil leak can grow into a larger, much more expensive repair. Plus, if the leak worsens while a vehicle is in operation, it can cause the engine to seize.
Q: Can I still drive with an oil leak? A: It`s always advisable not to drive if your vehicle has an oil leak, but short distance drives, less than 10 miles, are not as risky when it comes to lowering your oil levels to a dangerous point.
Using WD-40 to repel water from spark plugs, distributors, alternators, and batteries is a good way to prevent corrosion and keep moisture away. You can also use it to ease the removal of spark plugs, especially if there is any rust or corrosion.
Prior to rinsing your motor you will want to cover your alternator with a microfiber towel or plastic bag, you do not want any water getting into your alternator that may potentially harm it.
Krytox™ lubricants are commonly used to extend service life of chassis components and power train components including: Anti-lock brakes. Alternators.
A special water-based degreaser and demineralized hot water is used for cleaning. Once the cleaning has been completed, the alternator will be tightly covered and will be dried by a portable heating and drying system.
One of the most common problems you`re likely to experience with an alternator is a failure in the bearings. There are needle bearings in the alternator that allow the rotor to freely spin inside the housing, and those bearings can break down over time as a result of exposure to heat and dirt.
While a car alternator usually lasts the car`s lifetime, it can deteriorate and malfunction under certain circumstances. Factors such as normal wear and tear, damaged parts, exposure to water or heat, and overuse can cause your alternator to stop working.
While you can technically still drive with a bad alternator, it is not advised. This is especially true in newer vehicle models. This is because there is more electricity involved compared to an older model.
Look for an ideal alternator reading of around 12.6. Start the car, and look for a reading of between 14.2 and 14.7. A reading of over 14.7 means the battery is being overcharged, while a reading under 14.2 means the alternator is undercharging the battery.
Use WD-40 and spray the entire greasy engine compartment with it. Remove the grease and grime with water and rinse it off. Depending on how dirty your engine is, you can also use a small brush to remove the grease for the hard-to-reach parts.
Also, you can look at the bottom of the engine to see if there are any oil spots or drips. If you notice a significant drop (more than ¼ of the dipstick) in a week`s time, check carefully for new leaks or other problems.
Engine Gasket
This is the number one area where oil leaks can develop and, we won`t lie, it`s devastating. There is a long seal between your cylinder heads, oil pan, and the engine block, and if this seal breaks, oil can leak into the cylinders and damage your engine.
Leaking Oil Filter
The filter is one of the most common causes of an oil leak. Ideally, the oil filter should be replaced with every oil change. If you change your oil at home, you may forget this important step or the new filter may not be installed properly.
The first sign of an oil leak isn`t necessarily a major problem. Once you determine you have adequate oil in your engine, it is possible to continue driving in the short term. It`s always best to treat an oil leak as soon as possible, however, to ensure a larger oil leak doesn`t catch you off guard.
To keep the alternator from overheating, make sure it`s clean and free of any dirt, grease or other debris on its exterior. Anything that traps the heat inside the alternator will kill it in short order. Check the condition of the electrical connections on the alternator and at the battery.
Alternator repair kits are usually less than $30, depending on which components you need to fix. Again, you need the proper tools and a little know-how, but if you`re able to find the right kit and know what you`re doing, you can rebuild an alternator for a fraction of the cost of even a remanufactured unit.
Most alternators will last between 80,000 and 150,000 miles — or about seven years. However, your driving habits and the area where you live could wear it out prematurely.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
How much oil needs to leak into an Alternator to cause the Alternator to go bad
ANSWER : It would be difficult to say exactly how much oil it would take to cause the alternator to fail. However, oil leaking on the alternator due to leaking valve cover gaskets can cause it to fail. It seems as if the technician who is servicing your vehicle may not have performed a courtesy inspection to check for other potential issues prior to starting the other repairs you had requested. I would recommend having the alternator replaced if it has oil leaking on it as well as resolving the valve cover gasket leak to prevent it from happening again. You may try to use a different mechanic who is more upfront and honest in the first place. Consider YourMechanic as services such as this can be completed from your home or office.
My car is leaking oil i got an oil change for it last month but it is still leaking oil what will cause my car to leak oil ?
ANSWER : Most older cars have oil leaks. Sealing technology has just not kept up with mechanical improvements to engines so much so that leaks often kill engines rather than mechanical problems. So, it is not unexpected at all to have an, indeed many, oil leaks on a 23 year old car. Oil leaks vary hugely in terms of severity and priority of repair. Oil leaking onto a hot engine manifold is the worst case (the oil can start a fire; at best, you are left breathing oil fumes in the cabin, as the oil burns off of the manifold) while de minimus seepage of oil at the oil drain plug or oil pan gasket, while annoying and messy, if limited enough is not an emergency. Some leaks are easy to repair, while others literally require the engine to be removed just to get physical access to all the leak points. In your circumstance, if you smell burning oil, oil is probably leaking onto a hot engine part such as the exhaust manifold. A certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, can perform an oil leak diagnostic and then let you know of your repair options and costs.
As far as the check engine light, that is not related to the oil leak(s). If you request a check engine light diagnostic, a certified mechanic from YourMechanic would use a code scanner to retrieve the specific diagnostic trouble code(s) from your car’s PCM that have caused the check engine light to illuminate. Using those codes, the appropriate individual vehicle components or sub-systems (often a sensor, circuit, and the like) are then carefully tested, based on specifications set forth in your car’s Factory Service Manual, to pinpoint the cause of the fault or the reason why the check engine light has illuminated. Once the faulty part or component is identified, it is explained to your satisfaction and the mechanic will let you know of the cost to repair. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
My mechanic is saying the timing chain is bad (causing oil leaks). Does a timing chain cause oil leaks? What are your thoughts?
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. Timing change themselves cannot cause an oil leak but the timing chain cover can cause an oil leak. In order to replace the timing cover gasket, you will have to remove the serpentine belt and anything that has belt driven. This includes the alternator power steering pump air conditioning compressor and crankshaft pulley as well as the water pump. Once all of this is remove the timing cover can be removed and the gasket can be replaced. I would strongly recommend having this job performed by a professional as many parts are required to be removed in order to even access the timing cover. Here at YourMechanic, we can have a technician come to your home or office to perform this replacement for you.
Oil was leaking, put in over 4 qts of oil and oil leak stopper. White smoke coming tailpipe,engine shakes, car dies. Oil leaking.
ANSWER : Oil additives are not recommended by any vehicle manufacturer for any reason. Additives that purport to resolve oil leaks are useless, a waste of your money, and may result in engine damage. Every vehicle manufacturer strongly recommends against use of these materials. There is only one recommended and approved repair strategy when it comes to oil leaks: fix the leak.
You can only add the manufacturer specified amount of oil to an engine. If you add too much oil, or too little oil, that will cause engine damage. You should check the engine oil dipstick to determine if there is presently too much oil in the engine. If there is too much, the excess will have to be removed to prevent engine damage.
The leak that you are referring to can be repaired if you request an oil leak diagnostic. If you have further questions or concerns as you decide what to do, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic because we want you to make the most of your repair dollars and help you get the best possible results.
Are these oil leak problems related?
ANSWER : If the oil filter housing is integral to the oil cooler, or the housing had to be removed to service the cooler, a professional mechanic with knowledge of the limited service life of rubber seals would have absolutely (guaranteed) replaced the filter housing gasket that you are now belatedly finding leaks. However, if the leaking gasket is in an assembly that was not touched, or is not part of the cooler, they might be on reasonable grounds to have not fooled with it. These cooler configurations vary (from Mercedes Benz model to model) so, having the advice I just gave, you can just simply ask them what configuration you have and go from there. The bottom line is, if indeed, the gasket that is presently leaking was "right in front of them" while they did the warranty work, it should have been replaced simply as a matter of course. Indeed, the weak link on modern engines has become gaskets and seals. The engine will mechanically far outlast the gasket and seals but the problem is to replace all of them (once they all leak) you have to literally take the engine out of the car and take it apart just to put all new seals in. Please let us know how we can help further on this issue.
lost all oil pressure, replaced the oil pump, low oil sensor, oil pressure sensor, oil pan gasket,
ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.
2006 BMW oil filter gasket keeps breaking and oil leaks from oil filter. Oil leaks only after starting car in morning. PCV valve?
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may need to replace the oil cap o-ring. If you haven’t done this before there are two O-rings to replace; a small green one on the base of the filter cap stem and the large black one that seals the filter cap (which seems to be the one you are having issues with). The large O-ring sits in a small square-shaped groove that is at the base of the oil filter cap. It is very easy to not properly seat the large O-ring because the threads for the oil cap are quite large and will accept the O-ring if you are not careful. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
It sounds like you may need to replace the oil cap o-ring. If you haven’t done this before there are two O-rings to replace; a small green one on the base of the filter cap stem and the large black one that seals the filter cap (which seems to be the one you are having issues with). The large O-ring sits in a small square-shaped groove that is at the base of the oil filter cap. It is very easy to not properly seat the large O-ring because the threads for the oil cap are quite large and will accept the O-ring if you are not careful. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
A mechanic at sears auto center told me I had a oil pan leak. But i have not seen any oil leak from under my car. He recommende
ANSWER : Oil leaks should be repaired because leaking oil can damage external engine components such as rubber motor mounts. If you want the source of the oil leak identified and the repair estimated, simply request an oil leak diagnostic. Your vehicle has an engine oil maintenance reminder system to let you know when it’s time to change the engine oil and filter. The allowed interval for oil changes depends on your unique driving habits and can be up to, but not more than, one year. If you haven’t driven the vehicle a lot, don’t needlessly worry about having gone perhaps 2-3 years without the required oil change. It is critical though, at this juncture, to change the oil and filter immediately. Synthetic oil is recommended. If you desire that this maintenance be performed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request an engine oil/filter change and the responding mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic.
