Small Oil Leak under center of engine?

[brillo]

So I noticed today that under the car after it being parked for a few days a small oil spot on my garage floor. The spot appears to be under the middle rear of the engine from what i can see. There is alot of underbody cladding under the engine but its under the aluminum piece. I know the spot is new since I cleaned the garage floor last weekend from some oil that spilled when I changed the oil a month or so back.

The car has 3,900 miles, the engine bay is nearly stock other than my oil cooler but that is in a totally different area of the engine bay and no where close to the spot I'm seeing (unless the oil migrates and then dripped).

I know about the leaky plate issue on the passenger side and that doesn't seem to be the issue.

What could be leaking? everything looks fine under the hood, I'm going to get under there good tomorrow when I replace my pads to take a better look around but this has me sorta concerned.

Appreciate ideas on what could be the issue.

[brillo]

it occurred to me that the leak could be from the pan bolt, I reused the crush washer and perhaps I should put a new one on? My oil levels are fine (I check every fill up).

[Shagaliscious]

Could be this issue.

There is a fix for it here.

Edit, yea, reusing a crush washer could be causing it.

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by brillo

it occurred to me that the leak could be from the pan bolt, I reused the crush washer and perhaps I should put a new one on? My oil levels are fine (I check every fill up).

If it's the crush washer the drain plug will be wet with oil. ALWAYS fit a new crush washer. The old one might work but, of course then again it might not. That's why pros always use a new one.

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by Suberman

If it's the crush washer the drain plug will be wet with oil. ALWAYS fit a new crush washer. The old one might work but, of course then again it might not. That's why pros always use a new one.

I've never understood why people don't just use a new one every time. I went to my dealer and asked to get some and they handed me a handful of them and told me they were free of charge.

Even if they did cost money I think they're like $0.63 each...

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by brillo

it occurred to me that the leak could be from the pan bolt, I reused the crush washer and perhaps I should put a new one on? My oil levels are fine (I check every fill up).

That would be the first place I would check ....

Back in the day, I used "crush washers" over and over and over ..... and never saw a leak .... maybe because there were so many other things dripping and leaking, I didn't ever notice.... ?? .....

humfrz

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by humfrz

That would be the first place I would check ....

Back in the day, I used "crush washers" over and over and over ..... and never saw a leak .... maybe because there were so many other things dripping and leaking, I didn't ever notice.... ?? .....

humfrz

I too reused crush washers. However, they were copper not aluminum. One car I owned used reinforced resin plastic or perhaps nylon crush washers. They didn't crush and didn't leak even if reused repeatedly.

Modern drain plugs use aluminum crush washers. They are intended for one crush only. If you reuse one and it doesn't leak consider yourself lucky.

Engine manufacturers are returning to cartridge oil filters and starting to design engined for top only oil changes. Drain plug and oil filter leaks or seized oil filters are continual problems for service personnel.