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Oil / Liquid under the car? (picture heavy)

T

The Digital Slacker

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Sep 5, 2002
Messages
1,705
Location
Lancaster, PA
Backstory:

I just got the suspension done: springs, struts, endlinks, swaybars... everything. When i got the car back it seemed like it was harder to turn the steering wheel and it pulls to the right. The shop said to drive it around for two weeks and see if it goes away. I have 97 miles on it since getting it back.

I am also having trans issues so I figured i'd jack the car up and take a look at the shifter linkage but I got distracted by a very wet underside... which is strange since i haven't moved the car in 4 days.

I'm just going to throw a ton of pictures up here showing all the (oil / ps fluid). I did check color of whats all there with white papertowls and its either black (dirty) or honey colored. The PS steering tank is maybe 2-3-4mm under the min line so it is low.

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Any thoughts as to wtf?
 
Looks like a power steering hose is leaking. If you still can't tell clean it all with brake cleaner then put dye into the power steering system and drive it.

When you get back put a black light on anything leaking and it will turn bright yellow if it is power steering.

If not then put dye into the engine next and try again. Eventually you will find out what is leaking.
 
looks like p/s fluid to me. I had this same issue. I just replaced one of the lines and my alternator because too much fluid got on it and my alternator started charging the car at 18.4 volts :crazy:
 
Okay.

I cleaned up all the mess that I could and none of it was redish or tacky... that doesn't sound like PS fluid to me? A buddy of mine came over to check it out and look at some shifter stuff and he said it looks like the timing cover gasket to him (he has he said the same leak on his cougar).

Thoughts?
 
That side is pretty common place for oil leaks, timing cover; around the crankshaft etc.

Stick your finger in the PS resevoir - remember the smell... Smell the fluid thats leaking all over.
 
Pudmunkie said:
Stick your finger in the PS resevoir - remember the smell... Smell the fluid thats leaking all over.
Click to expand...


Done. Not PS fluid. Only thing red is the grease from the moog endlinks.

Its def engine oil. The leak is above the alt, but i can't tell where. The bottom of the alt was drenched in oil. After a spirited drive and everything was hot i jacked it up again and got under it. No leak from the drain plug or the oil filter. It seems like its just leaking down the pass side of the engine. Though its still all over everything... belt, pullies, alt, rails, endlinks...

What gaskets are over there that could be replaced? I am assuming that anything I do on this side will require removing the belt, which is oil soaked and should probably be replaced anyways, and the pullies.
 
Well, first thing first, check your valve covers to make sure they arent leaking down.

Next I would try to replace the crankshaft seal as that is the next likely victim. You'll be able to rip the old :censored::censored::censored::censored: out with a seal puller easy, but putting the new one in will be a :censored::censored::censored::censored:.

The alternative is to pull the timing cover and freshen up the gaskets, but at that point you've pulled off the valve covers and oil pan... PITA. :shrug:
 
Pudmunkie said:
Well, first thing first, check your valve covers to make sure they arent leaking down.

Next I would try to replace the crankshaft seal as that is the next likely victim. You'll be able to rip the old :censored::censored::censored::censored: out with a seal puller easy, but putting the new one in will be a :censored::censored::censored::censored:.

The alternative is to pull the timing cover and freshen up the gaskets, but at that point you've pulled off the valve covers and oil pan... PITA. :shrug:
Click to expand...

Now that the car is up on 4 jackstands, I guess i'll start the real troubleshooting. Thanks for the advice!

*goes to install the ford CD*
 
I would look for a bad head gasket (as in leaking oil) or if you're lucky a loose oil gallery plug located under/ near the alternator bracket. I had a loose one on the radiator side that would drip oil onto the shield by the A/C compressor, but not nearly as bad as yours.
I am linking a few pictures of the firewall side of the engine to show the oil gallery plugs location bare in mind the alt. bracket will be partially blocking the view.

http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=38727&highlight=long+tube+headers
 
Being the alternator is soaked I would almost guarantee you your harmonic balancer is out of balance, the rubber dampener in the balancer gets hard and the outter pulley starts to slip and the rubber gets torqued, rsulting in an out of balance condition. This causes the crank seal to go bad. Fix is new balancer and seal. It can be accessed thru the right wheel well. Common on the 2.5L I suggest you change the serpentine belt also! Not a hard job. You will need a puller, do not use a hammer to put on the pulley on. Get a long bolt and use it to get it started until the balancer bolt can grab a thread. Also use a new balancer bolt and torque to spec. Once fixed you will actually feel the engine run smoother.

BTW get it fixed quick, that oil will kill your alternator!
 
have same issue I think

have same issue I think

leak is near right front wheel. I'm not into engine maintenance and have no time with my young family--what would an experienced mechanic charge for such a change--the balancer and seal?

I'm in SE Michigan--does anyone know of a good shop whose done that before? (or a good dealership mechanic...)
 
bheldke said:
leak is near right front wheel. I'm not into engine maintenance and have no time with my young family--what would an experienced mechanic charge for such a change--the balancer and seal?

I'm in SE Michigan--does anyone know of a good shop whose done that before? (or a good dealership mechanic...)
Click to expand...

see if a CEGer will do it for you. They will charge a LOT less. You might be a little
 
hi, the last post ended abruptly

hi, the last post ended abruptly

"you might be a litttle"

The last post ended ubruptly--you were saying...?
 
I could come to you unless you want to drive it to the W. Side. I will be A LOT cheaper than any shop.
 
Kevinm said:
Being the alternator is soaked I would almost guarantee you your harmonic balancer is out of balance, the rubber dampener in the balancer gets hard and the outter pulley starts to slip and the rubber gets torqued, rsulting in an out of balance condition. This causes the crank seal to go bad. Fix is new balancer and seal. It can be accessed thru the right wheel well. Common on the 2.5L I suggest you change the serpentine belt also! Not a hard job. You will need a puller, do not use a hammer to put on the pulley on. Get a long bolt and use it to get it started until the balancer bolt can grab a thread. Also use a new balancer bolt and torque to spec. Once fixed you will actually feel the engine run smoother.

BTW get it fixed quick, that oil will kill your alternator!
Click to expand...

Would that have anything to do with the serp belt squeaking when you chirp gears? Or is it just bad tensioners?
 
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