trailrider098

Well I entered my first track day with my C63 today, I have several years of track experience(Mazda Miata). So 3rd lap around the track and I'm black flagged and sent to the pits with a cloud of smoke behind me. Back in the pits I find oil dumping from the front of the bell housing. It def was not tranny fluid and it was coming out pretty heavily. It's an 09' C63.

Take a guess!
1) rear main seal?
2) possible oil overflow?
3) another seal I don't know about?

ZephyrAMG

Oil overflow?

Scared me thought you got into an accident...

olszowa12

Same here.
Glad you're ok.

trailrider098

That would be really horrible! I just lost the chance to race for a day and a few hundred dollars in registration fees. Luckily the car is under an extended warranty. I just would like to know what everyone's opinion was.

Critter

That my friend is bad luck, sorry to hear about your track day. From the sounds of description it could be rear seal, whatever else is back between the engine and trans it probably means the engine removed from the car.

Never had extended warranty so just how does it work when the vehicle has been tracked, do you not say anything other than "it leaks". I mean no malice when asking but can the dealer not extract vehicle info from its computer that would show things like engine RPM, speed, acceleration/deceleration signals.

avery.whss

Wtf???? How did you manage that? I BEAT the **** out of my car...I drive it like I stole it and nothing ever breaks..how hard were you pushing it? 7k all day long or something?

m a x i m u s

just my guess, but i wouldnt think that would matter. or at least it shouldnt. no disrespect to OP, but unless you're tommy kendall, i'd say you're probably no where near the limits of the car where it would void a warranty. besides, im sure some people drive harder on the streets than at least some track day people. unless OP was riding at red line for an entire lap, which i'm sure wasnt the case.

roadtalontsi

You sure its not red at all? Rear mains dont normally pour like that unless the seal is literally pushed out - maybe clogged up crank ventilation. not sure what you mean by overflow? did you over fill it? anyways that does suck sorry to hear.

trailrider098

Good news for the last few posters, there was a gopro camera inside the car and you can see the tach very clearly. Hit 7k once or twice but never into the red. The first lap I was trying to get used to the car and was switching between sport and manual modes. I tried late braking at the end of a long straight and almost overshot the corner on the second lap.

But most importantly like Maximus said, I was nowhere near the limits of the car. Hell, I've probably done short highway bursts on the way to work that were worse. I think it was just bad luck and the seal was ready to go. Engine has 56k on it. Ill try editing the video and get it posted up.

-Jeff

hyperion667

damn that sounds worrisome.......good luck OP

splinter

Sucks about your AMG but this thread’s title had me envisioning crumpled tinwork...or worse.

Keep your Miata as the track day toy. :D

trailrider098

What was meant by overflow was that I just had a recent oil change and full service at the local MB dealer. Idk if they overfilled oil level and when the car got heated up on the track it came out some breather I don't know about on the back of the engine. I was not really considering this though since the top of the bell housing looked clean and dry

Merc63

Maybe you blew the crank case vent that goes to the intake manifold off or cracked it. The plastic is really brittle that connects the two.

thats the only thing that I can think of. It woukd blow oil out the back over the bell.

Merc63

Maybe you blew the crank case vent that goes to the intake manifold off or cracked it. The plastic is really brittle that connects the two.

thats the only thing that I can think of. It would blow oil out the back over the bell.

Karl901

So, what did the dip stick show you?
Could you drive it home?
Let us know what was wrong with the car today?

trailrider098

So right after I pulled into the pits the dipstick showed proper full oil levels. I had it towed home(thanks AAA). So I started it yesterday to check it out, no leaks, oil level is fine. I test drove it around the block taking it easy, no smoke. After another check I take it back out, got on it a bit harder, no smoke.

I still plan on bringing it in to have the dealer check it out but it might be a few days before I get to it since I work 7-5pm 6-7 days a week.

C63fan

Not thing I can help so far! Be careful! Keep us updated! Would like to learn more about the root cause!

Decame

Something similar happened to my my old C55. Got in a heated driving exchange with a red Mustang GT and then all of the sudden a cloud of smoke in the rear of the car. Quickly stopped, opened the hood, smelled burning oil but was able to drive it home. Next day, as if nothing had happened. Took it to my mechanic and turned out to be a leaking rear valve cover gasket. Under high pressure from running hard oil pushes out and drips on to the headers. At least that is what the mechanin told me. Happens to be a common thing with the C55 and a very inexpensive fix. Hopefully that is what happened.

Critter

possible the PCV was overcome with oil from a overfill situation where the dealer puts in 9+ quarts but did not drain the cooler so in effect you had a overfill condition. You stated that the level was okay which meant the additional oil on the ground and blowing in the wind came from somewhere. The PCV has a small vent on the canister back of the passenger head, take a white cloth and wipe the canister and piping just to see if any oil colour is present. Hope all works out for you.

trailrider098

Well everyone, heres the update. The leak was the O ring seals on the transmission valvebody where the wiring harness enters the transmission.

I'm glad it was something so simple and covered by my warranty but confused by two things. The first is I just had a tranny service done a few weeks before this problem, could they have broken the seals while doing the service? And the second thing, the service writer guy says its common they blow on the AMGs cause of high pressure in the tranny. Seems like they should be able to handle a little more then just 3 laps on a road course.

The car is all fixed and cleaned up but I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem now

roadtalontsi

no a transmission service is dropping the pan, changing the filter and gasket. not physically removing the valve body which is the only way to replace this seal. I definately wouldnt call this failure common on any of the 7 speeds. Its interesting you said it was oil brown/black/tan, and it turned out to be transmission fluid which is red/pink

CoolBDPhenom03

If OP just had service done, the tranny fluid should be almost brand new and still red.

trailrider098

I'm kinda disappointed in myself for thinking it was engine oil and not tranny fluid. All I had was a blue colored microfiber cloth to wipe up the skid plates so maybe that's why I thought it was darker.