It is nearer the nearside wheel, and seems to be dripping down onto the axle/wheel-related components and then dropping to the floor in about three places. The drops you can see are amber in colour and it smells slightly like cooking oil, though it hasn't much of a scent.

Now my other issues are sorted (see long MOT thread!) I may finally get round to looking at these drips. No appreciable loss of any liquids or lights, seems to mostly happen when warm.

Power steering fluid?

9 minutes ago, MikeTheThinker said:

Power steering fluid?

Mike, I thought that all Mk2 have electric power steering instead of a hydraulic system.

From the way oil is spread over the rubber gaiter it would suggest to me that oil is being dripped down from above

27 minutes ago, pikpilot said:

Mike, I thought that all Mk2 have electric power steering instead of a hydraulic system.

From the way oil is spread over the rubber gaiter it would suggest to me that oil is being dripped down from above

You're right, of course. I was in the middle of doing something else and flashed on problems I used to have with the Citroens we had for some years.

Yeah there are no issues with steering.

I put in a tin of a recommended stop oil leak product, as quite frankly I don't need the car back in the garage and it's a very minor leak, from a local reputable car supplies store, and after a long drive and five or six hours parked, I couldn't see any drips.

Keep an eye on it. The oil stop leak does work but I find that its not a permanent fix. I assume that its the engine oil you added it to but might be gearbox leak at drive shaft and level is now low so not leaking so much. Might be worth checking level on Gbox

Alasdair

Edited 15 April, 20251 yr by Alasdair1

1 hour ago, Alasdair1 said:

Keep an eye on it. The oil stop leak does work but I find that its not a permanent fix. I assume that its the engine oil you added it to but might be gearbox leak at drive shaft and level is now low so not leaking so much. Might be worth checking level on Gbox

Alasdair

Thanks, it's been a pretty consistent drip pattern for a few months and seems to have stopped, though it is hard to tell as it has rained for the first time in two months now and so the ground is wet and hard to see!

How can one check a gearbox leak? Would I expect symptoms relating to driving or gear changing?

Check where the drive shafts go into box plus underneath box itself. If its a amber colour It may not be engine oil unless yours has been changed recently. Any oil leak I have had is usually black/brown from engine unless its fairly recent oil change. Check the brake reservoir as well. It could be brake/clutch fluid.

Alasdair

8 hours ago, Alasdair1 said:

Check where the drive shafts go into box plus underneath box itself. If its a amber colour It may not be engine oil unless yours has been changed recently. Any oil leak I have had is usually black/brown from engine unless its fairly recent oil change. Check the brake reservoir as well. It could be brake/clutch fluid.

Alasdair

They all seem ok. Though I admit, some of this is beyond my ability to check.

Today the leak has still stopped and the familiar triangle of drip marks (all of which were black and oily) have stopped.

There was a small single drip of something, which looks like it has made its way down from higher up, which was almost clear but slightly oily to the touch, and odourless.

I've never had the engine bay cleaned so there is oil there on various parts, from "historic" leaks. I mean would that warm up and drip or mix with condensation?!

This morning was nearly freezing then of course the engine gets up to 90.

If its stopped and the oil marks were black then I reckon the additive you added has worked and its from engine. Maybe rocker cover etc. I would keep and eye on it and check levels regulary. The stop oil leak additives worked for a while with me a while ago but eventually started leaking again I had a failing crank seal that eventually got so bad I had to replace it.

Alasdair

2 hours ago, Alasdair1 said:

If its stopped and the oil marks were black then I reckon the additive you added has worked and its from engine. Maybe rocker cover etc. I would keep and eye on it and check levels regulary. The stop oil leak additives worked for a while with me a while ago but eventually started leaking again I had a failing crank seal that eventually got so bad I had to replace it.

Alasdair

Yeah I will keep an eye on it. I previously used Lucas Oil in 2022 to stop a leak so that lasted three years or so.

THat said, it has had a LOT of attention this year with fuel injector testing and replacements and had a new rocker cover gasket last week, so hasn't done many miles but has been fiddled with a lot.

Well here's a queer thing...

On my way to Bristol to pick my wife up the engine management light came on (steady amber).

Whilst sat in the car park waiting for her, and bored, I got a rag and actually cleaned underneath the engine (couldn't raise the car so it was whatever I could reach).

It was black and oily but... when starting the car, the light was gone. I am not familiar with whatever is under the car but there is a "thing" attached to a wire; a sensor maybe that was gunked up?

Very odd, anyway!

Mine uses to do the same due to sticking turbo. EM light on but when I stopped and started it it went off. I did a quick scan for codes and it was randomly overboosting. I would get it scanned to see if its stored anything.

Alasdair

26 minutes ago, Alasdair1 said:

Mine uses to do the same due to sticking turbo. EM light on but when I stopped and started it it went off. I did a quick scan for codes and it was randomly overboosting. I would get it scanned to see if its stored anything.

Alasdair

Yeah will be doing so.

What are symptoms of that, if any?

Used to make a slight blow off noise. Hardly noticeable then limp mode with sometimes EM light on other times not. My actuator was sticking. I sprayed with oil and manually operated it until it became free again. The lights would go off and limp mode cancelled if I pulled over and stopped then started engine again. If your lights coming on randomly and going off when car is restarted I assume its not a consistant fault.

Alasdair

14 minutes ago, Alasdair1 said:

Used to make a slight blow off noise. Hardly noticeable then limp mode with sometimes EM light on other times not. My actuator was sticking. I sprayed with oil and manually operated it until it became free again. The lights would go off and limp mode cancelled if I pulled over and stopped then started engine again. If your lights coming on randomly and going off when car is restarted I assume its not a consistant fault.

Alasdair

What would a blow off sound like?

Now there's a question...

Sometimes on accelerating there's a brief high whine, but it's done that for the 7 years I've had it.

Difficult to describe Similar to subaru impressa/ mitsi evo but much much quieter. Almost sounds like a quick puff noise from exhaust.

Alasdair

2 minutes ago, Alasdair1 said:

Difficult to describe Similar to subaru impressa/ mitsi evo but much much quieter. Almost sounds like a quick puff noise from exhaust.

Alasdair

Hmm no nothing like that I'd say.

Hope a quick scan will help pinpoint it or hopefully its a one of.

Alasdair

Question answered:

It was brake fluid, from somewhere near the ABS pump. The pump itself appears wet on top so I guess it's from a pipe, hose or similar somewhere nearby.

This was mixing with general engine oil on its way down and making misleading black spots on the floor (though there may have been a small oil leak too).

However there was no effect on the brakes until this weekend, when suddenly the pedal would go almost to the floor before starting to think about braking, so will be getting the specific source of the leak indentified asap.

Glad you got it traced and lucky it partly failed. I would be worried why no low brake fluid warning? unless its drawn in air with still enough fluid in tank

Alasdair

22 minutes ago, Alasdair1 said:

Glad you got it traced and lucky it partly failed. I would be worried why no low brake fluid warning? unless its drawn in air with still enough fluid in tank

Alasdair

Well the warning came on at the same time this weekend so it is on now.

I guess it was the equivalent of a slow puncture.

Good luck finding where its coming from. Hopefuly its just a brake union thats become loose. Might be worth checking the pipe that supplies the clutch as well.

Alasdair

Thanks, wherever it is, it's high up and somewhere seemingly immediately under the battery.

If the clutch still works then its probably ABS or pipe thats perhaps been rubbing and worn through or connections. As its high up it should be fairly easy to spot. Give the whole area a good clean with brake cleaner and let dry. Makes it easier to spot where the leak is.

Alasdair