Hi Group,

Regarding this vehicle: I bought it new and I do my own maintainance. I drive about 5K a year, so once a year I rotate the tires and change the oil and filter. It is just out of warranty. A few days ago, I did the yearly maintainance, and I noticed some kind of fluid on the brake lines below the master cylinder (lines are tight), on the bottom of the drivers side accordian rack boot, and oil spread over the bottom of the frame cross member, back of the engine. I never spilled anything and all levels are up. I wiped everything clean and had a friend put it on his rack. He thinks it may be from the steering rack, but no traces of leaks.

We put some dye in the P/S fluid and will monitor the situation.

Any others with this problem and the source of same? Or other guesses?

Thanks.



Denny

 

Well...just a thought, might not be the source of your problem, but if the car sits, you should change the oil more than once per year even though you just put 5k a year. I believe the manual states 5 months or 5k miles. You should be changing the oil at least twice a year.

 

Thanks for your comment. I thought about this myself but I do use Mobil 1 and a K&N oil filter and do combination city/Hwy driving (using the car about two times a week). I think I am O.K.

Denny

 

Denny-
Consider the moisture that doesn't get burned off when the engine comes up to operating temps. That is why you change at 5 months (if you have not 7.5K miles yet) - corrosion!

As for the leak - yup. Wipe everything down (clean the engine if needed) and put it up on a lift (if avaiilable) or jack STANDS [ don't be foolish with your life!] and look for the leak. Have a buddy cycle the steering and also press the brakes and clutch.

Please let us know what you find.

 

Well Guys, I do not want to get off the main issue (oil leak) and I do not want to beat a dead horse, but Mobil states that Mobil 1 will go 1 year or 7,500 miles (I called them). They could sell more oil, perhaps, by stating "follow your owner's manual" but they don't.

I follow this procedure in my 85 Isuzu DIESEL and in the past 5-6 years I only now drive 3K a year in that vehicle. I have 160K on it and it runs like new and uses no oil between changes. Looking inside of oil fill cap and the valve train is clean and looks like new.

Do not necessarily follow your owners manual all the time. Case in point: If you do, then you will NEVER flush out your factory fill brake fluid after a few years, because it (the owners manual) completely ignores this, and we know that is not good practice, not to change out the brake fluid.


Denny