Worth getting oil leak fixed?

I just had my car MOT'd last week (300 quid worth of repairs! *angry face* ) and on the advisory notice, they told me that there was an oil leak from the side of the engine. The obviously didn't think it was a big problem as they fixed everything else that needed done but not that. Today, after having a bit of a drive, I noticed I had quite a bit of oil under the car where I was parked. In my haste, I decided to go book it into a garage to get fixed (they didn't quote me any prices). But now, having driven around a bit more, checked my oil level, and looked under the car after it's been parked for hours, my oil level is alright, I've got not even a drip under the car, and all seems fine.

Do you guys think it's anything worth getting fixed? Having re-assessed it, I personally don't think so, but a 2nd opinion would be lovely.

I know that "side of engine" isn't all that precise as to where the leak is, but from the sounds of it, do you think it'd be an expensive fix? I'm worried that accessibility to "side of engine" could make it pricey.

It's an 02 Ford Fiesta 1.25 zetec, if that helps. Yes, it's an old car, which is one reason why I don't think it's worth worrying about.

Oh, and I don't think I've ever smelt burning oil while driving it, even on long trips.

It could be anything from a loose bolt to a bad gasket or worse

check your oil levels

when you said your oil levels are okay did you mean in the tank or on the floor (not joking)

i suppose you have already tried to trace the leak. Check your levels over the next few days and see if the leak has stopped. Also does it leak a lot more after a longer journey when the engine is hotter?

that would happen anyway even if it was just excess on the surface because of the oil thinning with the heat. If you can get at it and try to trace the leak back to its source you might just find something very simple you can take care of yourself. Like a loose nut or a hose clip

its worth try isn't it

don't get running it dry out of oil or your screwed

Just keep an eye on your oil level until you get it fixed. Oil leaks can be simply DIY jobs. You can wash the side of the engine off, and put talcum powder etc over it to find out where it's coming from. If it's from a gasket, then simple and easy job would be to seal it up from the outside with some heat resistant gasket sealant. If it's only a minor leak, then it's not so bad and you may be able to fix it yourself and save you some money. Check it out first, see what you can find, if it's major or in a hard place and you don't think you can do it, then find someone who will do the job.

Most oil leaks are really diy jobs.

I would say check your oil level once a day at first, then slowly check it less frequently. If the only problem is that you need to replace a little oil every month, don't get it fixed. If it is leaking a lot of oil, get it checked out. You could always just pay for an assessment and find out exactly how much it would cost.

I have a similar situation with my car. The car's value is about $1600, and the fix would be about half that.

Any long term oil leak could end in a seized engine. So unless you want a 4 wheel flower pot, get the leak taken care of.

As long as the oil level is maintained it's not a problem. If you are putting a litre in every hundred miles or so it is.

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