My mechanic told me that my car has an oil leak. And that oil leak has damaged my water pump. Is that possible?
My mechanic told me that my car has an oil leak which caused the water pump damage. Is that possible? My car is 125000 miles already.
Also could the oil leak be a damage from an accident from 4 years ago that wasn't fixed properly?
Thank you!
My car has 99000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi There,
It is unlikely that an oil leak may have damaged the water pump, although not impossible if somehow the oil may have gotten inside the water pump. Again, this is not likely to happen. Water pumps often times will begin to produce a bit of a whining sound when they are starting to fail. A common problem also associated with this is the water pump may begin to leak around the water pump shaft due to the seal being damaged. Gaskets can also fail over time due to excessive heat and will eventually shrink causing them to fail and create an oil leak. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and repair your oil leak.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Oil leaks are most often attributed to worn or broken down pieces in your VW`s engine. If your vehicle`s engine gasket needs to be replaced or the oil pan, seals, or connections have been damaged or become degraded, an oil leak will most likely occur as a result.
If either coolant or oil comes out of the weep hole, one of the seals has failed. In virtually all cases, this requires that you install a new water pump.
A small leak can quickly become a large leak. If this happens while you`re driving, you could lose all your oil, which quickly leads to engine damage. Leaking oil can create slippery surfaces in your garage, driveway or parking space as well as on the roads.
The average cost for a Volkswagen Beetle Oil Pan Gasket Replacement is between $399 and $476. Labor costs are estimated between $296 and $374 while parts are priced between $102 and $102.
VW water pump usually leaks from the following areas:
Age and/or high mileage is the most common cause of internal bearing and seals weakening or failing. Bad water pump bearings and seals usually cause a leak from the water pump shaft. Premature failure is typically due to contaminated antifreeze.
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.
2. Oil Pump Gasket. An external oil pump is sometimes attached to the engine block, with bolts and a gasket, which can wear out and leak. Major damage can be caused if there is insufficient oil in the oil pump, which leads to premature wearing to the pump, and oil starvation to the engine.
Driving a car with an oil leak can be dangerous for you and other road users. Oil can become flammable when it reaches a certain temperature and parts of your vehicle`s engine can get very hot, which may result in a fire. However, oil can also cause damage to seals and rubber hoses, which could result in a breakdown.
Use a flashlight to check underneath your car and around your engine – telltale drips might lead you right to the problem. There are several common locations for oil leaks in your car, including: At your oil pan gasket. At your oil filter or drain plug.
What makes Volkswagen oil changes expensive? One reason is that VW cars require synthetic oil, which is more expensive than regular motor oil. Also, the design of Volkswagen engines is another factor that can contribute to the higher Volkswagen oil change costs.
When you take too long in between oil changes, the sludge that accumulates from contamination by dust and soil particles gradually increases the pressure in the oil gasket seal, causing the seal to break down and start leaking. The oil pan can also be a source of the leakage in your VW.
As a rule of thumb, you`ll want to schedule an oil change on your Volkswagen vehicle every 10,000 miles.
When you take too long in between oil changes, the sludge that accumulates from contamination by dust and soil particles gradually increases the pressure in the oil gasket seal, causing the seal to break down and start leaking. The oil pan can also be a source of the leakage in your VW.
Engine oil leaks are one of the most common causes of engine damage. They cause rapid deterioration of the engine and result in expensive repairs. Worse yet, engine oil leaks pose a safety threat. They may lead to the loss of control of the vehicle while driving.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My mechanic told me that my car has an oil leak. And that oil leak has damaged my water pump. Is that possible?
ANSWER : Hi There,
It is unlikely that an oil leak may have damaged the water pump, although not impossible if somehow the oil may have gotten inside the water pump. Again, this is not likely to happen. Water pumps often times will begin to produce a bit of a whining sound when they are starting to fail. A common problem also associated with this is the water pump may begin to leak around the water pump shaft due to the seal being damaged. Gaskets can also fail over time due to excessive heat and will eventually shrink causing them to fail and create an oil leak. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and repair your oil leak.
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 water pump is leaking but I replaced timing belt and pump a year ago. Can I just replace the water pump this time?
ANSWER : Hello. You can just replace the water pump in this case. Although, the cost of just the timing belt is fairly negligible in comparison to the total labor of the job. My estimator says the water pump is a 6.5 hour job. Multiply that by whatever the shop rate is and you have the total labor without parts. You end up saving about $100 or less on parts if you only replace the pump.
The deciding factor will be the condition of the timing belt. If it has problems, you won’t be saving yourself any money by reusing it. In addition, there are seals and pulleys that may need to be replaced as well.
Assuming all the related parts were replaced the first time around, there isn’t a reason you can’t reuse them. I would say you should weigh the savings of reusing them against the actual condition of the parts. This is best determined after a complete disassembly. Keep in mind, time estimates will vary a bit depending on many factors. Either way, the labor is the largest cost.
If you would like to have the water pump replaced, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to perform this service at your convenience.
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.
Just noticed a huge oil leak trailing my car. It seems to be coming from below the engine. I recently had my oil changed a month
ANSWER : You might have a problem with the oil filter leaking when you rev the engine and increase the oil pressure. This can be from a collapsed oil filter media or excessive oil pressure from the engine. I recommend having the oil and filter replaced using a good quality filter and have the oil leak verified to be from the filter. Make sure to not run the engine low on oil. If you are finding you do not want to drive with the leak, a mobile technician from YourMechanic can come to your home or office, and replace both your filter, and oil.
My engine blew out due to my water pump leaking…i didnt have no problems with my car over heating, no steam, running weird,
ANSWER : It is quite likely that when the car was hit, the radiator may have been punctured which would have caused a lot of the coolant to leak out of the vehicle.
If the water pump failed or if it were low on coolant, there would have been overheating indications on in the dash, so you should have had some kind of warning either way that the coolant level was low.
If you’d like to get this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come diagnose the leak firsthand and help address any other potential issues.
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.
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.
