Is your car leaving a little oil stamp on the floor? Maybe you should take it to the experts.
Felipe Sacristán isn’t the type to sugarcoat things. He shows all about his work on TikTok—where more than 62,000 people follow his workshop tips—he says it straight: “When you see a drop of oil on the floor, go immediately to the workshop; oil leaks never fix themselves.”
Sounds intense? It should. A small oil leak can mean your internal combustion engine has already lost half a liter or more of motor oil. That’s enough to put your engine under real stress. Ignore it, and you could be looking at repairs that cost way more than you want to spend.
One customer in Sacristán’s workshop saw a drip in his garage about two weeks before coming in. Just one drop here and there. When they checked, the leak was from the rocker cover gasket. Easy fix this time, but if he’d waited, it could have damaged the cylinder head gasket or the turbo, and that’s a whole different level of expensive.
Why a leak is never “just a leak”
Oil isn’t just some extra liquid your car carries around. It’s the lifeblood of your car’s internal combustion engine. It keeps metal parts from grinding together, stops things from overheating, and makes sure the engine lasts.
Pay attention if your car is dripping. You might only notice a spot on the floor, but inside, the level is dropping. Less lubricant means more friction, more heat, and more wear… And that’s just until something breaks.
Throwing cardboard under the car might not get your driveway dirty, but for sure it won’t save your engine. And once you’re replacing a cylinder head gasket or repairing a turbo, you’ll wish you’d fixed that small leak months ago.
Quick checks that can save you thousands
You don’t have to be a mechanic to look after your car. Every so often, crouch down and check underneath. Keep an eye on your motor oil level. If you see fresh spots where you park, don’t ignore them.
Sacristán gold rule is simple: fix leaks while they’re small. Because they don’t fix themselves… ever!
These little habits are part of good car maintenance, just like checking tire pressure or topping up coolant.
Straight From the Workshop
On TikTok, @tallerredista, Felipe Sacristán shares these real-life cases, like the lucky owner whose rocker cover gasket was detected in time, preventing serious damage to the cylinder head gasket and turbocharger.
Listening to people who see this every day can save you a lot of stress (and money). If you spot even one drop of oil, take it seriously. Get it checked, get it fixed, and keep your engine (and your wallet) happy.
Your car also needs to go to the doctor from time to time
There are many little tricks we can do ourselves to check our cars and keep them up to date: you can keep your car in good shape by checking fluids, tire pressure and tread, lights, wipers, battery connections, and basic safety items like the horn and seatbelts.
But there are other checkups you cannot do or even know unless you’re a technician.
Some repairs need knowledge and abilities that only an expert can give your car. So just like you go to the doctor when you feel sick, take your car to the specialist from time to time, and especially if you are noticing something’s off.
Preventing serious breakdowns can be easier than you think. And for Felipe Sacristán, it is something that we all must internalize, just like checking tire pressure or coolant levels.