Judson951

I saw a small puddle under the car so I checked it out and this is what I found...







Anyone know what this could be?

Mike Murcia

It's your starter in the last pic. The oil leak is probably coming from the rear main seal behind the clutch.

Edit: It could also be running down from the cam tower or the oil pan seal. I can't tell from the pics. By looking at the middle pic, it could be from the rear balance shaft seal. (can't figure out what angle the photo was taken)

PorscheDoc

Actually first thing i would check would be your oil air seperator seals, and the rear balance shaft seal (located near the oil air seperator seals), oil will run down the side of the block and drip off the cross over pipe, starter, etc. It may require pulling the intake to be able to see if oil is pooling up on the side of the block. There are a couple lips where it will pool.

Cyrus951

If the majoirty of the oil leak is on top of my x-over pipe, what's leaking?

Judson951

I looked on top of that hole and didnt see and fluid ontop I think its just coming from the open hole??

The car goes in to the shop for a front nose job on the 23rd. Will this be hard for them to fix while doing that?

Mike Murcia

Wait, I looked at the pic again, and the fluid is coming from the clutch inspection hole. The only possible sources are the rear main seal (difficult fix) or the clutch slave cylinder (easy fix). If the clutch slave cylinder is leaking that badly, it might strand you soon. Can you tell if the fluid is oil or brake fluid?

hosrom_951

I second that, but if it were the master/slave cylinders, you would have brake fluid leaking.

This is engine oil, suspect rear crank seal is blown or rear top cam tower gasket (easy cheap fix).

PorscheDoc

For both cyrus and Judson:

The rear balance shaft cover and oil air seperator seals can leak so bad that it drips down the back of the engine, seeps between the bellhousing cover and the engine and will drip just like a rear main. Ask me how i know. I would crawl underneath the car, and try and reach up on the drivers side of the engine block and see if you can get your fingers oily (find where the dipstick tube enters the block, and reach farther up and to the rear of the side of the engine). So your options are: Rear Main, Oil/Air Seperator Leak, Rear Balance Shaft Cover Leak, and Cam Cover/Rear Cam Cover leak. Hope it isnt a rear main, as that means you will be doing a clutch job. The OA seperator and the rear balance shaft cover will require you to remove the turbo to get them sealed up properly (It is about a $10 fix and a good days labor). Is your clutch slipping at all?

Cyrus951

I think I'm also leaking brake fluid, because every other week I have to put abour a 1/4 tank of fluid back in the reservoir. Btw, that is with LIGHT driving.

Judson951

I dont think its break fluid I think its oil. I looked at the dip stick and the oil does seem to be full and fine. The tranny is not slipping at all. The only thing I have noticed about the tranny is when I down shift into 2nd the car shakes bad???? I am at work now but when I get home I can get under there and take better pictures. Oh by the way I just got my new hood crest and 930s steering wheel in today. Another project.

PorscheDoc

I had a similar problem. One was the hose from the coolant res to the master clutch cylinder was slit. Replaced that, still was loosing fluid. This baffled me for weeks, and i didnt find it until i noticed the paint starting to erode away on the driver side shock tower. Turns out one of the orings on the brake pressure regulator was shot, and every time you hit the brakes, it would squirt some fluid out. The brake fluid of course ate away the paint on the shock tower. I tried to seal it up with goo to no avail, finally had to give in a buy a new one for 70 bucks....That was the one and only experience i will ever have with Automobile Atlanta.

Edit: But if you are noticing fluid on your cross over pipe, i would check the slave cylinder and the hose running down to it.

meangreen

I would clean everything up with some degreaser and let it dry out. Then add some UV dye to the oil and run it around a bit. Then you could use a black light or UV wand to locate the start of the oil leak. May be easier to trace this way.

Drive On,
MeanGreen