Anyone want to guess where this leak may be coming from?

Our local Fcar tech recommended using tracer spray to detect oil leaks when turbulence and park leveling make it difficult to determine the original source. Most auto stores stock dyes that are used as an additive to the oil and result in fluorescence that can be seen with special glasses and/or secret-agent sniper glasses.

I might try the spray version before this however, here is a product from a 10-second Google search:
Castle Leak Tracing Powder

Note I have no experience with either of these products, just offering options. Good luck.
Ken

 

You need to look at the headers... My guess is that the headers have failed and the engine is burning oil. Check the cats for signs of failure. That black fuzzy coating is exactly how things get when the header fails and the exhaust insulation gets blown all over the engine compartment. There are a number of small seals in the front of the engine that can seep a bit of oil.

If the headers have failed, you are not going to be having a good time, because my guess is that the subsequent the engine leakdown test will tell you some bad news (that you need to rebuild the heads). Check to see if you are one of the lucky ones with the bronze valve guides.

 

You have three kinds of oil there, engine, transmission, and hydaulic. I think its engine oil judging by the burnt color, as fbb said it should be fairly obvious from the smell. Smell some motor oil from the oil tank and smell some gear oil from the transmission dipstick. It looks like its from the transmission heater lines and it followed the cover then ran down the f1 rotational sensor.

On another note your f1 sensor from the first pick looks bent my guess is its cracked and they used silicone to stop the gearoil leak. If its not weld up the protector ring thats ground down so it doesnt brake and cause you 300 bucks for nothing.

 

well as dirty as it is, and I can see oil on the top of your block Id say oil filter housing or the power steering are helping that look down right nasty.

Oil may blow up but it wont blu up on top of your block and not be filled with dirt, that is oil thats waiting to run down the block. the dirty stuff is oil that has road dirt joined to it into that grity mud.

clean it top to bottom and don't be scared to take the motor out to reseal it.

 

As said above that oil on top is from the same system the transmission oil heater. It might be possible for that engine oil to follow the lines down to that cover and then under the transmission. Check to see if those lines running down to the d/s cover on the transmission are wet, they are just infront of the d/side cv boot and they run up to the heat exchanger. I would think it should be obviouse. Good luck

 

Hindsight is always 20/20, but if you're ever in the same situation again, it might be better to attempt to track down the source before dropping the engine. There is a fluorescent dye you can add to the engine oil to try to find leaks. Unfortunately it's not nearly as bright under the UV light as the stuff you use to find coolant leaks, but there is some green glow to it when you use the UV light and special glasses. You could therefore try to clean up the area as best you can, put the dye in, then (since you live in WI) jack up the rear of the car to get the wheels off the floor, start the engine, put it in gear, let the clutch out, then you can hop out and let the wheels spin at engine idle speed for a while and hope the leak occurs again, then check for fluorescence in a very dark environment . Might work, might not, but worth a try

 

Doh! I missed the entry that went over all this already.

 

That sensor looks OK.
Change your gear oil, and the gear oil O-rings at the heat exchanger while you are at it. That is the only source of oil at the top of the engine, after you rule out the red steering fluid.

 

Thats a really tough call, just looks like you have multiple leaks from above and the bottom working its way back. The shift shaft seal would just be greasy around the driver side of the trans but it looks like your wet all the way down. Snap another picture of the area between the engine/trans and zoom in on the holes between also.

 

that is a lot of leak Mark. You likely have

Heat exchanger leak
Cam seals leak
Valve cover leak
main seal
and if you lost any F1 fluid then the slave cylinder is leaking too,

Good news is now you can fix them all.

 

Not the one in the front, but yes the gear box comes off to inspect the rear main seal.

 

I thought the f1 sensor looked bent but it is possible the grinding i told you to weld up is bent making the sensor not appear to be parallel.

 

That is why braden says look at the holes. Those weep holes help you make the dx of rear main leak. If that is leaking split gearbox off motor which is real easy with engine on subframe and the seal shows proudly and os an easy repair.

 

Yep Doesn't look like your rear maim is leaking.