Engine Oil Leak Repair
Most oil leaks come from a gasket or seal that has hardened and shrunk, and the oil you see underneath often started somewhere higher up. We clean the engine, trace the leak to its source, and replace the failed seal so the fix is the last one.
From AED 449Written quote after diagnosis, before work startsConvenience fee applicable · shown on your written quote
- 2-5 hours for a valve cover; a rear main seal can take 1-2 days
- Pickup and delivery from your door
- Convenience fee applicable · shown on your written quote
- Diagnosis free with repair
Signs you need engine oil leak repair
- Dark drips or a wet patch where you normally park
- Burning oil smell after a drive, from oil landing on a hot exhaust
- Oil level dropping between services with no smoke from the tailpipe
- A greasy, dirt-caked area on the side of the engine or the sump
- Oil pressure warning flickering at idle when the level is low
- Blue haze under the bonnet when the engine is hot
What usually causes it
Valve cover gasket
Sitting on top of the engine in the worst heat, this rubber gasket bakes hard and lets oil seep down the sides, often onto the exhaust manifold or spark plug wells.
Oil pan (sump) gasket or drain plug washer
The sump gasket is at the lowest point, so the drip lands on the ground. A crushed or reused drain plug washer is a simpler cause and worth ruling out first.
Crankshaft and camshaft seals
Rubber lip seals around spinning shafts wear and leak, and the front and rear main seals are labour-heavy to reach. The rear one usually shows between engine and gearbox.
Oil filter housing, cooler lines and sensors
On many modern engines oil passes through a plastic or aluminium housing with several small gaskets. A leaking oil pressure switch or cooler pipe seal also masquerades as a bigger problem.
How we do engine oil leak repair
- 1
Degrease and dye
A leak looks worse and moves around once oil is smeared by airflow. We clean the engine, add UV dye to the oil, and run it to confirm the exact point.
- 2
Quote the real source
You receive photos of the leak, the gasket or seal responsible, and the labour involved. A rear main seal costs more mainly because the gearbox must come off.
- 3
Replace the seal and surfaces
We clean the mating faces, fit the new gasket or seal with the correct sealant, and tighten fasteners in the manufacturer's sequence and torque so the new seal does not distort.
- 4
Fresh oil and recheck
If oil was lost or contaminated, we replace it, run the engine and re-inspect with the UV light. A final check after a road test makes sure it is dry.
By make and model
BMW
Valve cover and oil filter housing gaskets are known weak points on many BMW six-cylinder engines; both are common sources of oil on the exhaust side and the belt.
In Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman
Rubber ages quickly in Gulf heat, so valve cover and sump gaskets here can harden years earlier than the same car would in Europe. Oil dripping onto a very hot exhaust in summer also smokes and smells strongly, so people notice a small leak sooner than they would elsewhere.
Questions about engine oil leak repair
Is a small oil leak safe to ignore?
A slow seep is not an emergency, but it only gets worse, and oil on belts, hoses and driveshaft boots rots rubber. Keep watching the dipstick and fix it before the level gets low.
Can an additive stop the leak?
Stop-leak products swell seals temporarily and can thicken oil, so we do not recommend them. A proper gasket replacement is the lasting fix.
How can you tell oil from other fluids?
Engine oil is brown to black and slippery, coolant is green, pink or blue and sweet-smelling, and transmission fluid is usually red. We confirm by tracing, not guessing.
Can I choose cheaper parts?
Yes. The quote lists OEM and aftermarket gaskets, and used where it makes sense, with the price for each. Labour is the same, so cheap parts save little on seals that are hard to reach.
Last updated
Get a written quote
Tell us about your car. You get an itemised quote before any work starts, and you choose OEM, aftermarket or used parts.