Help! I gotta leak.
Jun 19, 2006, 01:10 PM
#1
Help! I gotta leak.
Well I noticed at the track on Saturday that I had something wet on the bottom of my car. It wasnt dripping and it was clear so I wasnt too worried. I couldnt see anything leaking from under the hood and all the moisture was right by the front crossbrace.
Well I finally get the car up on jacks today and the leak is worse than I thought. It seems to be coming from the top of the transfer case, from the brass plate that you can see in the pics. There seems to be some kind of bung on there. What could be causing the leak? Has anyone had this problem? The thing is that area is almost impossible to get to so its hard to really tell where its coming from. The car has been driving fine, no weird noises or hard shifting etc.
Well I finally get the car up on jacks today and the leak is worse than I thought. It seems to be coming from the top of the transfer case, from the brass plate that you can see in the pics. There seems to be some kind of bung on there. What could be causing the leak? Has anyone had this problem? The thing is that area is almost impossible to get to so its hard to really tell where its coming from. The car has been driving fine, no weird noises or hard shifting etc.
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Jun 20, 2006, 07:28 PM
#8
Sorry but where its at I cant get any better pics.
Its not water, I havent even used the A/C. Its slick like oil when you rub it between your fingers but its clear with a slight yellow. Kinda like fresh synthetic engine oil but alittle clearer.
In the second pic you can see the top of the t-case is wet/oily. It seems to be coming from that brass plate on top of the t-case with the round bung on it.
Its not water, I havent even used the A/C. Its slick like oil when you rub it between your fingers but its clear with a slight yellow. Kinda like fresh synthetic engine oil but alittle clearer.
In the second pic you can see the top of the t-case is wet/oily. It seems to be coming from that brass plate on top of the t-case with the round bung on it.
Jun 20, 2006, 07:38 PM
#9
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if it's not a/c condensation, it's radiator fluid. Look for drips coming down from higher up, there should be nothing leaking out of the t-case that isn't gear oil. That's all that is in it.
Jun 20, 2006, 07:39 PM
#10
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Are you sure it's not brake fluid leaking down. Brake fluid is clear and yellowish 
. If it was your transfer case oil. It'll be dirty and grayish.
. If it was your transfer case oil. It'll be dirty and grayish.
I really couldnt smell anything. Does anyone know what that white bung is on top of the brass plate?
Jun 20, 2006, 08:33 PM
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Why don't you jack up your car and put it on jack stands and crawl under there and see if ou could spot anything dripping down? Did you check you brake fluid resavoir and see if it's still at the max to eliminate that?
Jun 20, 2006, 08:53 PM
#14
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that white bung is a high point vent for the t-case. Trust me, you are not leaking anything out of that vent unless you seriously overfilled the t-case, and even then, it would have a definite gear oil look and smell. If it's low viscosity (like water instead of thick gear oil) and slippery, it's either coolant or brake fluid. You have 4 hoses running running above the white vent that you are so worried about. One is an uninsulated low pressure freon hose, there is also a high pressure freon hose which could be leaking, and freon does have a substantial amount of oil in it, one is a coolant hose and one is a brake hose. The low pressure freon hose could be supplying atmoshperic condenstation and dripping down, the high pressure freon hose could be leaking freon out and oil (clear and slippery but not really odorless) with it, the coolant hose could be supplying a light green/yellow fluid that is slippery if it was leaking, or it could be brake fluid, but if it doesn't smell like brake fluid, that's probably not it either. If it doesn't smell, it's got to be condensation. If it's slippery, it's got to be brake fluid or radiator fluid, each of which smell. And if by chance it's gear oil, that smells also. Check your t-case level, coolant level, and brake fluid level. If they're all ok, run your a/c and see if it cools really good.
No idea beyond that, good luck.
No idea beyond that, good luck.
Jun 20, 2006, 10:56 PM
#15
Collect as much as you can to see if you can ID (see smell test guide below), If cant determine source, clean it and see if reappears
Transfer case oil - stinks bad
Transaxle oil - kinda pleasant
motor oil - characteristic (you'll know)
Brake fluid - has a bite
Dont try the advanced taste test quite yet JK
Good luck
Transfer case oil - stinks bad
Transaxle oil - kinda pleasant
motor oil - characteristic (you'll know)
Brake fluid - has a bite
Dont try the advanced taste test quite yet JK
Good luck