Mystery Oil Leak

[Fu Manchu]

Hoping for some ideas on this oil leak on our Alloytec Calais.

Normally it’s an easy thing to figure out a leak.

All under the car is wet with oil mixed with road schmutz. I can’t figure if it’s power steering fluid, trans pr engine oil.

Looking from under the bonnet, it can be seen near the alternator (which is new) But there doesn’t seem to be too much of it on the alternator.

I thought it might be the sump gasket but it’s all clean around the gasket.

So maybe trans or a steering rack leak?

If steering rack, how did it run so far back. Only slightly low in power steering reservoir.

The car has been parked up for about 3 months. There is a drip on the pipe going back to the trans.

Hole in the trans line?

I will be cleaning this up soon and monitor it, but after ideas?

 

[Fu Manchu]

I cleaned up the area, without degreaser, just a damp cloth.

Seems to be the bottom left corner of the timing cover. Gave as many bolts as i could a little tweak. It was only that corner I could safely tighten, other parts of the timing cover wouldn’t move with slight torque.

They are not a tight torque at 20Nm.
Hope that sorts it.

 

[Sabbath']

These timing covers are notorious for leaking. They really need to be removed and resealed to stop the leaking properly.

 

[whats up]

Hoping for some ideas on this oil leak on our Alloytec Calais.

Normally it’s an easy thing to figure out a leak.

All under the car is wet with oil mixed with road schmutz. I can’t figure if it’s power steering fluid, trans pr engine oil.

Looking from under the bonnet, it can be seen near the alternator (which is new) But there doesn’t seem to be too much of it on the alternator.

I thought it might be the sump gasket but it’s all clean around the gasket.

So maybe trans or a steering rack leak?

If steering rack, how did it run so far back. Only slightly low in power steering reservoir.

The car has been parked up for about 3 months. There is a drip on the pipe going back to the trans.

Hole in the trans line?

I will be cleaning this up soon and monitor it, but after ideas?

 

[Fu Manchu]

I had thought that. It was my gut feeling. After taking the line support off and giving everything a good clean, they were dry.

 

[krusing]

I was going to say from the 4th image, it looks like engine oil,
Usually run you finger alone it and have a smell of it,
Engine oil and Power Steering oil both have a distinctive smell.
I was also going to mention to get stuck into it with degreaser, and a parts cleaning brush at the hard to shift area's,
Then you should be able to see where is coming from in the next couple of days.

 

[Fu Manchu]

It won’t be running for a bit longer. Just found the ac liquid line to the condenser has a cracked hose. Just connected the bloody thing to the tx valve at the other end a few weeks ago.

I have had a smell. It doesn’t have the distinct transmission oil smell yet it is a fine oil.

I read in a Holden tech article that transmission oil will show under blue light as opposed to engine oil which does not.

I checked the other night with a blue light in the dark and it was inconclusive. Maybe. Maybe not.

Thanks for the input folks. Good to bounce ideas around.

I will degrease it once it’s out of the garage. (Not messing the floor up.)

 

[krusing]

On another note, Air Con Oil is florescent green,
which what I have on the underneath of the hose I notice a couple of weeks ago, when I was changing the oil and filter,
As I removed the air deflector under the front, so I can replace the oil filter.
And noticed it had been weeping.
I have found a S/H replacement hose on the web, and does it has the same fault,
or buy a new OEM one is the question,
or do I go to a hose suppler, and will they have the same fittings.

 

[Fu Manchu]

That was what I asked re: the liquid line which terminates in the bottom corner on the passenger side.

Best advice was to repair the hose with higher quality hose by Enzed or similar. Unfortunately for me, turned out a nearby hose place was too far. Holden was closer and sold the new pipe and hose for what wreckers wanted.

 

[DavesSV6Tonner]

On another note it looks like it's also time to replace your serpentine belt.