Oil changes are a regular part of vehicle maintenance so it’s important to make sure that they are done properly. As this video shows, one problem that can arise during this service is that the oil filter gasket, which should stay attached to the filter when it is removed, will sometimes detach and stick to the engine block. It is not always easy to see a dark gasket stuck to the engine because it is often out of sight or in a small, obscured and poorly lit area. The best way to avoid this problem is to always look at the filter after removal and make sure you see it there. This video shows a filter MINUS the black seal/gasket, which had stuck to the block and was removed by our tech after he noticed it missing from this blue filter. If a new filter is installed on top of an old seal, a “double gasket” situation occurs and oil security is 100% compromised. The oil will either completely blow out as soon as the engine starts (huge mess!) or even worse, will NOT blow out until the car gets down the road a few miles. If this happened while you were driving, the oil light would come on and/or the oil gauge would drop to zero as the oil blew out underneath and behind the car. Unfortunately, you might not notice your dash lights or gauges or hear or see anything. If driving continued even for a short distance, audible engine noise would occur and driving performance would immediately suffer. At this point, the car would need to be cut off immediately and towed for service or catastrophic engine damage would occur.
Video provided by Forest Automotive: Complete Auto Service and Repair for Lynchburg, Forest, and Goode, VA
