Sprung a leak...

Got home from a spirited drive and noticed a slow leak under the engine/oil crankcase. Actually, all I really know at this point is that it is dripping onto the very edge of the main diffuser tray. I'll know more when I get it up in the air and take those trays off.

One thing crossing my mind is that I reused the oil drain plugs during Stoogefest at Vince's earlier this summer. Also, I checked the oil level and it was maybe a quarter inch above max...but previously had been reading between min & max.

Funny thing is that it doesn't really smell like oil. I'm wondering if it could possibly be coolant since I was just tearing that out last weekend with 3forty8. The color is closer to the coolant than oil too.

Anyway, just thought I'd post up and see what the Brotherhood thinks is going on before I get off my azz and dig into it.

 

Yeah, interesting theory which I'm hopeful is the case. One other clue, there were some wisps of smoke coming up from the valley as soon as I popped open the engine cover. Did 'Not' smell like burning oil at all. Lends some credence to Eric's theory.

 

Who said I didn't taste it? I slathered it on some FBB special chicken wings and washed it down with fresh gear oil.

So, mystery solved...definitely coolant. The drips turned flourescent blue (the color of the BMW coolant). The coolant in the system was a golden color but once we drained the resevoir this past weekend to get to the power steering tank, we replaced with what I had on hand which was a 50/50 mix of BMW coolant and distilled water. The initial leak was golden color which had me thinking it could be oil but it didn't smell (or taste) like oil. When the drips went blue ... then I knew.

Anyway, took the cover off the power steering and coolant tank to get a better look and what was going on - snapped a couple pics.

Pic #1 - you can see some bluish-green fluid pooling up on top of the throttle cable linkage doo-dad. If you peer back to the deep middle left, you'll see the largest coolant hose with some wet trails.

Pic #2 - you may notice some blow-back and splatter on the brand new metal bracket holding the power steering tank in place. Also, the closest hose clamp is the wrong size (Eric pointed this out to me) and it won't get super snug/tight but I don't think this was the issue.

Back to Pic #1...that larger hose from the bottom on the coolant tank with the 'wet trails'. I took a screwdriver to that hose's clamp and was able to tighten it another full turn+. I think this was the culprit. I guess there was a reason these were Gorilla tight after all, Eric.

Anyway, I think that should do it...I'll take her for some exercise tomorrow and see if it's all sorted.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login