Mitsubishi Repair: oi mitsu mirage es oil leak, 2 quarts, many cars

Question
our mirage with 76000 mi. has started leaking oil recently. we were almost 11/2 quarts low after a trip of 300 miles. never had a problem before. don't see black smoke. wondering what could be cause?

Answer
Alan: Did you have the oil changed a bit ago or maybe just before your trip? If at the shop you go to, the person changing the oil was doing to many cars and jobs; he or she might have forgot to tighten something down. Such as the oil pan bolt or the maybe the oil filter. You need to have those things checked, as you might be loosing just a bit while driving down the road but it will with time get worse. Now if either of those things are tight, then I would check the valve cover gaskets, as they will get to leaking sometimes. So then you will need to get those gaskets replaced. But still if the car never has used any oil before, I would be checking the oil pan bolt and that oil filter. I hope this helps and good luck! Linda

HEY ALAN; THERE IS ALSO A SENDING UNIT THAT COULD BE LEAKING THE OIL TOO. OIL DON'T JUST LEAK OUT OF AN ENGINE IT HAS TO BE LEAKING FROM SOMETHING OR OUT OF SOMETHING. WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE VALVE COVERS, DID YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHERE IS A GASKET THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED IF IT IS BAD ENOUGH FOR THE OIL TO BE LOST OUT OF THOSE COVERS? TIGHTING THEM DOWN WILL NOT STOP THE OIL LOST IF THE GASKETS UNDER THE COVERS ARE BAD. THOSE GASKETS CAN JUST GO BACK NO MATTER THE YEAR OR MILES OF THE CAR. JUST GOT TO THINKING ABOUT THE SENDING UNITS, THEY DO SOMETIMES GET TO LEAKING TOO. LATER NOW... THANKS FOR THE GOOD REPORT: LINDA