Leak on a 1997 Vs Clubsport

[bobskibruno]

Need some ideas on where there could be a leak on a 1997 Vs Clubsport. Took it to the mechanic and had it on the hoist and he still couldnt find it. Any ideas and help will be appreciated! sorry for the shitty recording, best i had on my camera roll. Not sure if this could be a common problem with the vs. Thanks in advance! A mate of mine said it could be the rear main, but even on the hoist we could not see anything.

 

[Immortality]

I'd start by degreasing everything so you can see where the oil is coming from much easier. Common culprits are rocker cover gaskets.

 

[Deuce]

Could also be power steering or trans breather if over full.
(Sorry, didnt watch video)

 

[losh1971]

Are you going through any PS fluid? They are common to have leaks, although the colour doesn't appear to be redish. If it is the rear main it's engine out and remove crank. Lets hope it's not the latter. Is it the crank seal?? Going by the vid it looks like it's coming fairly steadily with the engine running, which could suggest crank seal.

 

[gtrboyy]

Get everything clean then run it for short period so can trace leaks...will probably find a few.

 

[bobskibruno]

I'd start by degreasing everything so you can see where the oil is coming from much easier. Common culprits are rocker cover gaskets.

Will be doing this tomorrow after a trip to super cheap auto! Will keep you updated

Could also be power steering or trans breather if over full.
(Sorry, didnt watch video)

Maybe buti doubt it would leak in that position

Are you going through any PS fluid? They are common to have leaks, although the colour doesn't appear to be redish. If it is the rear main it's engine out and remove crank. Lets hope it's not the latter. Is it the crank seal?? Going by the vid it looks like it's coming fairly steadily with the engine running, which could suggest crank seal.

before its recent service apparently the power steering fluid reservoir was empty and the mechanic topped it up and only since then did we notice the leak being bad, but as you said the colour isnt red at all. If anything its a light brown which i am told is related to oil . I really hope its not rear main but ill be degreasing it tomorrow and hopefully will be able to see where the leaks comming from.

 

[BlackVXGTS]

It looks to me like the smoke is from oil leaking onto the exhaust pipe. Had a similar problem with my VS Calais 383. If you jack up the car when the engine is cold (say overnight) you should be able to see the oil on top of the exhaust pipe. You can also remove the dust cover between the engine and trans and see if there is any evidence of leakage from the rear main. You didn't say if your car was an auto or a manual. With my Calais (auto) the oil leak seemed to come from the rear main and drip onto the inside of the flexplate and then get thrown around the inside and leak out in strange places.

Having said that, engine oil leaks tend to be more grey/black in colour, trans tends to be light brown rather than red, and coolant is mostly green whn wet or white when dry (on the Holden V8s anyway). A point to note is that the worst leaks tend to happen when the car has had a bit of a flogging rather than being driven around like a nanny.

 

[losh1971]

I think your leak is PS fluid. If you had to top it up, the fluid has gone somewhere. It's not like an engine that will burn a small amount between oil changes and expect to go down slightly on the dip stick. I had a PS fluid leak in my resi and it looked like it could have been coming from four different places, yet there was only one leak. A leaking steering system will spit out a fair bit of oil, which yours appears to be doing and it can end up running all over the place, even around the rear of the engine. Like BlackVXGTS just said the oil from the steering does tend to be light brown by the time it makes it way down, mine was which did confuse myself and the mech into thinking I may have also had engine oil leaks, not just the PS resi. Steering pump leaks are really common. Given the age of the pump, I'd say unless the pump has had some new seals fitted previously the pump is at least one place that will be leaking oil.

 

[losh1971]

I think what can throw you a bit, as it did with me is when you see light brown oil and think it is engine oil. I thought mine was engine oil because it was still quite clean on the dipstick.

 

[bobskibruno]

Get everything clean then run it for short period so can trace leaks...will probably find a few.

Yeah doing that tomorrow for sure, stocking up on degreaser haha

It looks to me like the smoke is from oil leaking onto the exhaust pipe. Had a similar problem with my VS Calais 383. If you jack up the car when the engine is cold (say overnight) you should be able to see the oil on top of the exhaust pipe. You can also remove the dust cover between the engine and trans and see if there is any evidence of leakage from the rear main. You didn't say if your car was an auto or a manual. With my Calais (auto) the oil leak seemed to come from the rear main and drip onto the inside of the flexplate and then get thrown around the inside and leak out in strange places.

Having said that, engine oil leaks tend to be more grey/black in colour, trans tends to be light brown rather than red, and coolant is mostly green whn wet or white when dry (on the Holden V8s anyway). A point to note is that the worst leaks tend to happen when the car has had a bit of a flogging rather than being driven around like a nanny.

yeah sorry about that its an auto, yeah there is oil ontop of the exhaust so thats why im thinking it could be rear main . The color of the oil is defiantly a light brown and with driving it normally it will still leak to the point where you can see smoke from the engine bay and from the rear of car. (not bad just noticeable).

I think your leak is PS fluid. If you had to top it up, the fluid has gone somewhere. It's not like an engine that will burn a small amount between oil changes and expect to go down slightly on the dip stick. I had a PS fluid leak in my resi and it looked like it could have been coming from four different places, yet there was only one leak. A leaking steering system will spit out a fair bit of oil, which yours appears to be doing and it can end up running all over the place, even around the rear of the engine. Like BlackVXGTS just said the oil from the steering does tend to be light brown by the time it makes it way down, mine was which did confuse myself and the mech into thinking I may have also had engine oil leaks, not just the PS resi. Steering pump leaks are really common. Given the age of the pump, I'd say unless the pump has had some new seals fitted previously the pump is at least one place that will be leaking oil.

Powersteering was the first thing that we thought it could be as it was just after the mechanic topped it up but after talking to a few people and looking online everybody kept talking about the fluid from powersteering being a red colour. So we ended up ruling that out, but ill defs msg you tomorrow with an update once we clean out all the **** with degreaser and a pressure hose.

I think what can throw you a bit, as it did with me is when you see light brown oil and think it is engine oil. I thought mine was engine oil because it was still quite clean on the dipstick.

Bro all i know for now is that its some type of oil haha, if it could help i can post a pic of the colour of the fluid?