Hi everyone. This is my first post, although I've been a member for a couple of years now. Anyway, looking under my car tonight to evaluate damage from running over a truck tire carcass (ouch, but that's another story), I noticed that the engine behind the left rear tire/suspension is covered with oil/dirt as if there's been an engine leak for awhile. No spots on the garage floor though. I'm generally familiar with cars, but I'm totally unfamiliar with 996 engine layout, so descriptions I've seen of the RMS being where the engine and the transmission meet are of no help to me. So what part of the engine is behind the left rear suspension? And where (pictorically) is the RMS? Sorry if I started another long thread on the RMS!

And yes, sorry, I haven't posted a picture yet either. Thanks for your help.

 

This is your engine separated from the transmission. The rms is the ring circled. As you can see when it leaks it can make a mess.

 

Are you certain it is oil? Could it be a slow antifreeze leak that has collected dirt/dust? That sounds to be about the right spot for a leak from your coolant tank.

 

Great picture, that actually is very helpful!!

SO, the question then is how hard is it to change that seal. Looks easy if and when the clutch is out for replacement and you pop off the flywheel....

Thoughts?

 

+1 for sure


other fluids in that area could be......brake fliud, leaking shocks, colant from another source (ie. AOS) oil from any number of areas.

Best to take a coule picture if you can, the top notch team here will help you thru the trouble to brighter days........

 

One sided slow oil leaks like this one can frequently come from cam covers. An easy fix. IMS/RMS leaks are usualy at midline.

 

Cam cover seals are a "relative" easy fix. To replace, one should have a cam retainer tool and it's a lot easier to lower the engine.

 

Sounds like the leak that was on both sides of the 996 I test drove on sunday, it was the cam cover seals in that case. It was leaking on the exhaust manifold as well, and the entire bottom of the engine was covered in oil as well...

 

Is it possible to have an RMS issue and not have a visible oil drip?

 

yes... they sweat. then mixes with dirt. But no drip. But, it does need to be replaced.

If it's behind the drivers side, near the suspension... it is not rms. RMS leaks in the middle between the tranny and engine. The OP might need a new air oil seperator or in that area is the source of the leak.

 

May also be a spark plug tube.

You need to post a pic!

 

Thanks everyone for their quick responses to my post. Unfortunately, I don't have the car here to take any pics at the moment. It's now at the body shop, which was the initial reason I was looking under the car in the first place. On the freeway Saturday night and this big 4x4 truck in front of me kicks up a big tire carcass. It went up in the air high enough to make me think at first that it was an empty black trash bag. But as I got closer and it came down, I realized what it was and too late. Bammmm -- as I drove over it, I just cringed as I heard it hitting the underside of the car. Result, shattered front bumper and torn up shrouding underneath all the way back. Hopefully that's it and all repairable. Thank goodness for insurance! Oh, and to add salt into the wound, I go to start it this morning to drive to the shop.....and the battery is dead! Just not my day.

I'll clean up the oil mess and take pics when I get it back. Thanks again everyone!

 

You said you've been a member for a while? couple of years! Your profile still says user?

 

I think he meant that he has registered and has a logon ID.

 

ever figure out what was leaking?