458 Oil Leak | FerrariChat

458 Oil Leak

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by Scout123, Jun 26, 2020.

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  1. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
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    #1 Scout123, Jun 26, 2020
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2020
    Took my 13 458 Spider in for its first non-dealer service (bought it last Oct. from Ferrari Scottsdale) all prior service done under 7 year warranty. My mechanic found this oil leak build up. Car has just shy of 17k miles (I have put around 1200 miles on it). They are beginning process to see where leak is coming from. Hard to believe dealer never noticed this as the oil shown has been there a while.
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  2. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

    Sep 18, 2007
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    Would like to find out if this is truly a leak. Clean up the case and then you will be able to trace any fresh oil.
     
  3. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    Clean it with brake cleaner. Check it next oil change. Brake cleaner is cheap.
     
  4. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
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    Plan is to clean it all up, do oil change, and then drive a few weeks and check again. I never had any low oil warning, etc.
     
  5. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

    Sep 18, 2007
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    Good plan. Don’t start doing mechanical stuff until you know the problem.

    My 458 ‘14 has 122,800 miles and no oils leak ever. I’m going in for an annual service next week. I’ll let you know if they find an oil leak.
     
  6. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    123k miles is impressive!


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  7. RayJohns

    RayJohns F1 Veteran
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    That looks more like just dirt or exhaust blow-by as opposed to an actual oil leak. As other's have said, clean it up and see if it reappears. I would also inspect the under panel just below that. If it is an actual leak, then you should have evidence of something on the under panel.

    If it were a leak in that area, it could be from an input shaft seal in the gearbox and/or perhaps a rear main seal. However, even a very tiny drip in those areas will create a giant mess and leave fluid dripping under there. If it was a fluid leak, I think you'd see a lot more evidence of fluid when you removed that panel under the flywheel.

    Here's a photo of my Toyota transmission, which did have a fluid leak (both at the rear main and input shaft). As you can see, there is ample evidence that liquid was involved. I don't see that present in your photo.

    Ray

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  8. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
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    There was some accumulation on the underbody panel. My mechanic told me the one area he saw it to cause him concern was some dried oil in an area where only It could’ve come from a transmission seal. Something like a bell housing area?
     
  9. RayJohns

    RayJohns F1 Veteran
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    Yeah, on the DCT there is a bell housing and then you have the starter and flywheel on the back of the motor - just like most RWD setups, except it's more of a transaxle design, as opposed to a traditional transmission - but it's a very similar layout overall. Here's a photo; you can see the little open area in the lower left front (I added a purple arrow), which is that in inspection window you posted a picture of.

    Ray

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  10. RayJohns

    RayJohns F1 Veteran
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    Ask you mechanic to get a little inspection mirror and look around up in there if you can. Sometimes you can see where things are leaking from. If it's a rear main, it will be coming down from the back side of the motor. If it's an input seal, it will usually be more on the bell housing side of things.

    If it's not a huge mount of fluid loss, it might not be too much to worry about just yet. It will be interesting to here what the final conclusion is here. They also have UV dye kits, which you can add and then see if the liquid has dye in it, etc.

    Ray
     
  11. RayJohns

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    I would also check the exhaust coupling seals and gaskets. To me, that looks more like exhaust gas build up (which often has moisture in it) and which can tend to cause normal road dirt and grim to build up. So be careful rushing to conclusions here.

    Ray
     
  12. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

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    Of course, I need to point out that the mechanics at the Ferrari Service center go thru intensive periodic educational classes. The certified Ferrari service center has the correct diagnostic computers and tools to do a meticulous and accurate inspection of your vehicle, as well.
     
  13. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
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    thanks. My guy is pretty good. E.g. Folks send F-40s From all over for him to work on , has most up to date Davinci software, etc.
     
  14. dgoldenz94

    dgoldenz94 Formula Junior

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    Tip of the hat to you sir, that's awesome.
     
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  15. Carnut

    Carnut F1 Rookie
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    I agree with Ray on this I don't think it is a leak. I rarely use the dealer for anything unless it is free, but I always put my cars up on my lift before they do go to any dealer. These days there are service techs and then there are mechanics sadly mechanics are much harder to find since these techs just plug in a computer cable and that tells them what is wrong if nothing comes up nothing is wrong. They dont go looking for things like they used to. By the way no guarantee that if you had a bad seal or gasket that the oil light will come on, more chance is that you would see something on the ground under where you park the car.
     
  16. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

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    just finished my service. No oil leak.

    any word on your car?
     
  17. humdizzle

    humdizzle Karting

    Mar 9, 2016
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    i had a ppi done prior to sale. shop said they found a small oil leak (mine is a 2010 / 15k miles). A little less than 2k to fix.

    odd because i never saw any oil on my garage floor.
     
  18. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

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    how was it fixed?
     
  19. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
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    Taking it back next week to put up on lift and remove under panels to take a peek. Thorough review from up top shows everything clean as a whistle.
     
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  20. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

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    I think that the 458 engine is very robust and durable. Very few issues. The earliest cars are hitting the 10 year mark!
    Wondering how the 488s compare in this regard.
     
  21. Mlachance

    Mlachance Rookie

    May 29, 2021
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    What was the conclusion ? Have the same problem at the moment with my 458 spider ?
     
  22. 458guy2012

    458guy2012 Rookie

    May 26, 2021
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    I have a strange leak coming from the front of the car, right under the front axle. Any idea what this could be??? That “tube” or flap under the car is where the leak is coming from and it just looks like it should be there in the first place...
     

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  23. flash32

    flash32 F1 Veteran

    Aug 22, 2008
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    The ac condensation

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  24. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    Yes, a/c drain. A good tech will blow some air up through there when doing a service to keep it from clogging.
     

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