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WOW! You think you have an oil leak!

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10musketeer

10musketeer

Jedi Trainee
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The other day I noticed oil all over my pants. I had recently checked the oil on the dipstick and passed it off as dumb carelessness. Next day- new pants, more oil. After looking around I noticed the seat belt is soaked in oil. End result is I have a leak that is so bad it's somehow getting through the tunnel and onto the floor board under the drivers seat where the seat belt is wicking up the oil! I need to find out where it's coming from and how it's getting into the car and try to clean the oil out of the belt. Guess I have my winter project now. :frown:
 
Maybe, just maybe your oil pump cover is leaking.
 
But, I'd toss that seat belt & buy a new one.
 
Is the oil "clean" or "dirty"? If it is clean-looking, it could be leaking from the tranny, which would put it right near the seatbelt mounting point!! That sound like a lot of oil to be making it that far back from the engine!! Before you trash the seat belts, try soaking/cleaning them with Marine Spray 9 (IMHO the BEST degreaser around...and also a disinfectant!!). I would also use the same product for de-greasing the rest of the mess, including inside the tunnel!
 
Are you sure that the line to the oil pressure gauge isn't cracked?

If oil is getting into the passenger compartment any other way, I'd expect it be all over the firewall or transmission tunnel and easy to see.
 
It's clean, so I think it's the gearbox. I'm assuming its leaking on the tray and "working" its way to the floor via the emergency brake (?) or some other opening. I noticed when I last filled the tranny with 20w50 the PO had used gear oil. I think the thinner oil is getting by the seals.
 
stick your hand up inside the tranny tunnel from the back. That should let you know.

My first thought was the oil gauge as well. But probably not that far back.
 
There is only a quart in the tranny. What is the level? Is it down, with that much oil it should be.
 
Maybe now would be a good time to suggest a RHD conversion
grin.gif
 
HA! That got me thinking. I checked the right side floor to make sure there is no problem there, but it's dry. Oil probably flows to the driver side because I'm usually alone so the car leans left. :smile: At least the interior smells more british car-like!
 
Wonder if it is comming out the oil filler hole.
 
10musketeer said:
...I noticed when I last filled the tranny with 20w50 the PO had used gear oil. I think the thinner oil is getting by the seals.
Click to expand...

what damage could gear oil do to one of these transmissions? (don't worry, I have not done this!)
 
Little slideing things do not slide correctly mostly. The stuff is too thick.
 
as you describe it, I'm supporting the cracked oil gauge/ sender pipe as the culprit. There is only three transmission places the oil could be coming from.

1. the back - in which case it would be thrown back onto the car underbody.
2. the front - in which case it would drip but not likely be thrown or
3. the shift hole itself - I've never heard of oil being thrown out of this as nothing is spinning right there.

Likewise, it would have to be thrown very hard to penetrate the emergency brake and soak the interior to that level. And, oil doesn't wick uphill on steel.

On the other hand, the oil in the oil gauge pipe is there at 20-60 lb per square inch and a little crack could force it out at a decent pressure. you also wouldn't necessarily see it if, for instance, it were at the junction of the pipe and the gauge. Here I could imagine a scenario of the oil running along the inner back lip of the dash and dripping on the carpet on the tranny hump - the cloth carpet would wick the oil.

when I was trying to get Ms. Triss started, I discovered I had not tightened the oil gauge nut enough and there was a pretty impressive drip just from that.

at any rate, I'd be looking there first - good Luck!
 
Since it is clean oil, I still think it is probably tranny oil! If it was from the guage, I'm thinking you would have much more oil further forward (at least in line with the dash) than where the seat belts attach. Make sure you didn't over-fill the tranny as it will leak from the rear seal when over-filled. Also, if you park the car with the nose up-hill it could leak from the rear seal! You can look into the tunnel from above at the shifter and from under the car at the rear to see if there is a lot of oil in the tranny tunnel. It can build up in there as it is a pretty good catch-tray. Oil spilled while filling the tranny and from leaks can build up in there and about the only place it will escape is at the hand-brake!!! If there is a lot of oil in there a good way to sop it up is with an "oil-sorb"...these are "diaper-like" pads found at a marine supply. They are great in that they absorb oil like a sponge!!!
 
Maybe the seal at the rear of the transmission where the spline eneters is failing that would put oil directly in that location. It is probably seeping in around the ER Brake lever as that is closer to the tunnel floor.

Mark
 
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