Yellow liquid from mufflers?
#1
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Yellow liquid from mufflers?
Car has been parked since the snow and extreme cold moved in here in the NE (about 1 month). Weather went from below freezing to 60F yesterday so lots of condensation in the garage. I noticed small puddles of a yellow liquid under both mufflers, Very bright yellow but also symmetrical on both sides. My son thinks its a combination of all the pollen we had in the summer combined with the condensation from the sudden weather change, I am attaching a few photos and wondering if anyone has ever seen anything like this. All color is under the mufflers so it doesnt appear to be coolant or feel like any other fluid the car uses. A forum search didnt show anything either. Apologies if the pictures look huge as they do on my screen. Not sure how to make them smaller and Im curious to see what others may opine with regard to my query. Thanks.
General location - same on both sides
closer view
General location - same on both sides
closer view
#2
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Strange. That's really a bright yellow.
Nice epoxy floor, btw.
Where's all this "condensation " coming from with a sealed epoxy concrete slab?
How would pollen have survived the muffler heat this many months past??
Animal urine would be my WAG.
Nice epoxy floor, btw.
Where's all this "condensation " coming from with a sealed epoxy concrete slab?
How would pollen have survived the muffler heat this many months past??
Animal urine would be my WAG.
#3
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
If you zoom in on the photo you can actually see water droplets around the yellow puddle from condensation. I imagine the condensation is coming from the huge temp and humidity change and the fact that the whole floor was super chilled until yesterday. There are some random dirty water drops in other areas but again, the car hasn't been driven so its just dripping off of the cooler spots. No idea about the yellow. Trapped in the engine compartment somewhere and flowed out with condensation? No idea. The symmetry of the puddles on both side is also odd.
Thanks about the floor. Its not epoxy, its polyaspartic which I was fortunate to secure through my employer.
Thanks about the floor. Its not epoxy, its polyaspartic which I was fortunate to secure through my employer.
#4
Rennlist Member
It's ok. Your motor just learned of potential IMSB issues and pissed it's self.
#6
Rennlist Member
OP , I wouldn't worry about it, just check you fluids, clean it up and if no other symptoms drive it. I've never seen anything like it, but then again I have never seen that much condensation, except from the A/C. Where in the world do you live?
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#8
Rennlist Member
coolant -- pink these days
trans. oil -- looks like oil
engine oil -- looks like oil
power steering fluid -- reddish
a/c fluids -- oily, like oil
a/c condensation -- wet, no color, not greasy or oily
battery acid -- sulfuric acid
brake fluid -- oily, pungent
windscreen fluid -- usually blue, but can be orange, green, or yellow
However what you are seeing might just be condensation mixing with some coating on the muffler. Next time you drive your car for awhile, park it, and immediately take some snow and put it on the hot tailpipe and see if that melted residue that comes off is yellow.
trans. oil -- looks like oil
engine oil -- looks like oil
power steering fluid -- reddish
a/c fluids -- oily, like oil
a/c condensation -- wet, no color, not greasy or oily
battery acid -- sulfuric acid
brake fluid -- oily, pungent
windscreen fluid -- usually blue, but can be orange, green, or yellow
However what you are seeing might just be condensation mixing with some coating on the muffler. Next time you drive your car for awhile, park it, and immediately take some snow and put it on the hot tailpipe and see if that melted residue that comes off is yellow.
#12
Instructor
It could be the fluid from your motor mounts. I noticed an odd fluid dripping from the bottom of an exhaust tip and traced it up through the heat shields to the ruptured mount. At first glance it seemed like it might have been coming out of the exhaust tip and the bottom of the muffler can, but it wasn't. That said, I don't recall the fluid being that distinct of a color. Also odd for both of them to rupture at the same time... but maybe the cold temps were too much for the old rubber?
#13
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Originally Posted by DeanClevername
It could be the fluid from your motor mounts. I noticed an odd fluid dripping from the bottom of an exhaust tip and traced it up through the heat shields to the ruptured mount. At first glance it seemed like it might have been coming out of the exhaust tip and the bottom of the muffler can, but it wasn't. That said, I don't recall the fluid being that distinct of a color. Also odd for both of them to rupture at the same time... but maybe the cold temps were too much for the old rubber?
#14
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Thread Starter
Fluid does not have any distinct odor. Smells slightly like an engine bay. Like water and not sticky. Residual refroze in the garage since it’s cold again. Will take it to work and check pH, try to evaporate and burn it, and anything else we can think of to try. Will let you know what we find. Appreciate the replies everyone.
#15
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