328 Fluid Leak

I'd love to help you but the word "offside" means nothing to me.

Right or left however do have a meaning to me.

Additionally you refer to a "fluid". What nature of fluid is it? A color will suffice.

 

If I recall my British car terms correctly, "offside" means the side that would be away from the curb, in this case, the left side of the car as you face forward. If that is the case, at is where the fuel pump and related lines are located. If those lines have never been replaced, you could have a fuel leak rather than an oil leak.

Brian asked the key question -- what kind of fluid is it? Gas (Petrol to you) is very different than oil in viscosity, and fuel has a distinctive smell to it. And if it is coolant, you should be able to tell that as well.

In either case, unless you know the source and how badly it is leaking, I'd be reluctant to drive any significant distance. If it is fuel, definitely do not drive it. If it is oil, and the leak is serious, the oil can get on the exhaust pipes and cause a fire just as quickly as gas. And since you've got a nice big gas tank and lots of fuel lines running in that area, a fire is not a good thing. And if it is coolant and you blow a hose while driving, it can be a major problem and mess.

Find the source of the leak before you go driving it. That much of a leak should be fairly easy to spot.

 

Coolant overflow, fuel pump and oil cooler are all in that general vicinity.

 

Driver side (right), off-side (left) for RHD cars in UK speak. One reason I use port and starboard. No confusion regardless of which way you are looking or where you are standing.

 

Break Fluid ? check the reservior.

 

I hate guessing games.


Play on.

 

Unless giving helm orders where we say right and left

 

LOL --- at this point, it could be a spilled cup of coffee accidentally left in the engine bay for all the info established at this point

 

Yet another reason why owning a Ferrari is like owning a boat

 

Check your brake caliper on that wheel ---- if it has been leaking, you will see the wetness / trickle path on it.

It's sometimes difficult to tell what color a fluid is once it has hit concrete. Try taking the tip of a white paper towel and wicking up a bit of the fluid --- this will give you a better indication of its true color (as well as some of its fluid properties).

 

In a RHD car the Off side is the right hand side (same as it is on a cricket pitch )

The near side is the LHS - nearest the kerb

My guuess would be water pump or possibly just a loose coolant hose clamp.

Unless its oil in which case cam oil seals or oil seal housing O ring

Suggest remove the RHS rear wheel & inner arch liner( two bolts & 4 screws) & have a look at the front of the engine & see what you can see.

 

Thanks --- that clears it up ????!!!!!

 

Yep, I thought it might !

 

all you have to do to tell if its oil or coolant (or brake fluid) is- touch it with your finger pretty well, then dunk finger in water and gently rub it with thumb. If its coolant, when you remove finger, no residue will remail. Coolant of course is water soluble, get it?

Now, cant tell if it rubs off in water if its brake fluid or rad coolant. Science, even rudimantary science has its limits when dunking fingers.

 

My 308 left a quarter size dollop of Oil just below the lower control arm,found my oil filter base Gasket let go,replaced the gasket from T Rutlands $3.95 new Filter no leaks ,I used a mirror while the engine was running and found the leak towards the oil temp Switch easy Fix.

 

The pedant in me says the offside would still be the drivers side on a LHD car

Please spare a thought for us poor Brits on this forum, not only do we have to remember when anyone mentions "drivers side", its the left, but we also have to mentally translate everything. For example what is a "control arm" (above post)? Wishbone presumably.

Not to mention the fact that US cars are completely different and have all kinds of gubbins on them which we dont have but appear to be designed to reduce engine power. The weirdest seems to be something called a "smog pump" although why anyone would want to pump smog is anyones guess