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I noticed tiny spots in my driveway recently and assumed it was my pilot connector bushing on the tranny. But I wanted to check a little more with a camera and now see tons of oil.
Last night after a drive I pulled in the driveway and this was the size of the puddle that dripped freshly. It’s now about double the size. It’s by the door and past the wheel about a foot into the width of the car
In this video it actually looks like an abc hose is soaked? Is there one that’s in that spot? I don’t have my transmission cover on so you can see clearly
DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR until you figure out where the leak is coming from.
I assume your car is model year 2006 or older. You need to remove the front wheel well lining to get to the pulsation damper / pressure valve assembly located behind the fender.
Last edited by sivikvtec; Apr 21, 2021 at 11:26 AM.
Jeez, I hope that’s not the case I’ve been driving for about a month like this and my mb shop is an hour away
This is a 2004- I’ve had a similar leak in 2018 from that fender area you suggest behind the lining, but nothing is coming from there and that just went away by itself which everyone says is impossible!
EDIT- Huge update
I just found that old thread and watched the video in there..holy crap you can see it leaking in the middle of the car in the same spot in 2018 that is leaking now- look at the 5 second and 12 second mark!! I’ve never noticed till now that the middle of the car also had that weep!!
The only option is to find the leak, whether you do it yourself or take it to a shop. Personally, I would not dive that car more than a few miles from home with a leak like that. Depending on what’s leaking, you are potentially going to blow a hose and kill your pump.
Coming down the wheel well behind the fender liner is several of the ABC lines, pull that liner out and find the leak. It will be obvious, as you see, it's covered in fluid.
If you're in there, it's worth it to replace all the rubber lines in the area, as they are all the same age and if one is failing, the others are close behind usually. I've seen on more than one occasion where a leaking line was replaced, and during the rodeo/bleeding, another line fails due to the hard pressure spikes. The rubber has crimps holding the metal lines to it, and the rubber has just shrunk up and hardened with age, there's not much you can do but replace them at this point.
Have ABC lines been replaced on this car in the past?
The metal lines with the square blocks welded to them are connected directly to the front valve block.
When those lines are replaced, it of course is necessary to unscrew the two lines attached to each of the square blocks. The first thing I would do is have all four of the lines unscrewed from the blocks and then retightened and property torqued.
The problem you might be having could be caused by the threaded fittings that hold those lines to the blocks not being tight enough or they were cross threaded by a careless mechanic when the lines were replaced.
I wouldn’t replace any parts before checking this.
Last edited by sivikvtec; Apr 30, 2021 at 01:04 PM.
Have ABC lines been replaced on this car in the past?
The metal lines with the square blocks welded to them are connected directly to the front valve block.
When those lines are replaced, it of course is necessary to unscrew the two lines attached to each of the square blocks. The first thing I would do is have all four of the lines unscrewed from the blocks and then retightened and property torqued.
The problem you might be having could be caused by the threaded fittings that hold those lines to the blocks not being tight enough or they were cross threaded by a careless mechanic when the lines were replaced.
I wouldn’t replace any parts before checking this.
Hi Sivi,
Thanks for the input. I literally held off for now to see my options. The mechanic at the shop actually suggested that the fitting might be loose and he tried to tighten it but it was tight to no avail.. we started the car on the lift and it had a very slow drip. He said I can still drive it but watch the fluid level. Good it’s not a hose. In the past perhaps before my ownership. But the leak is new so I wouldn't think it's something recently.
Do you think that full throttle sealer can fix this?
I was quoted 6 hours of labor because he said the hose goes all the way to the front of the engine.
Last edited by Das Geld 2; Apr 30, 2021 at 01:58 PM.
Are you sure it is not a leak in the pulsation damper hose that is running down to this connection? It is unusual for a leak to start on the metal components, once the fittings are tightened and leak free they usually stay they way. My bet would be a leak where the steel line crimps to the hose on the high pressure line from the pulsation damper. You can pull the fender lining and get a much better look.
Are you sure it is not a leak in the pulsation damper hose that is running down to this connection? It is unusual for a leak to start on the metal components, once the fittings are tightened and leak free they usually stay they way. My bet would be a leak where the steel line crimps to the hose on the high pressure line from the pulsation damper. You can pull the fender lining and get a much better look.
I know right! I'm scratching my head. Do you mean hose 340(red)?
we started the car on the lift and it was clearly coming right out of the nut(yellow circle)
Have them bust it loose and retighten, it might have been cross threaded. It will take all of 5 minutes.
wish they tried that when I was there! Place is an hour drive from my house..There’s no reason it should be leaking in that area right? Is that area pressurized? Could I do it myself? Don’t think there are any seals in there or rings like he mentioned. I just took the car and drove back home washed it and put it under a cover -,-
Last edited by Das Geld 2; Apr 30, 2021 at 10:02 PM.
That particular line/fitting is under high pressure when the engine is running.
I’m concerned your mechanic didn’t have enough common sense to try this while you were there. How much further away is a larger city that might have better shop?
That particular line/fitting is under high pressure when the engine is running.
I’m concerned your mechanic didn’t have enough common sense to try this while you were there. How much further away is a larger city that might have better shop?
Dohh, I took it to that shop only because it was an exotic performance shop that works on only Italians, exotics and euros. The irony. I guess I could take it back to my euro shop that I usually go for all my repairs. It’s still an hour drive. I guess I will report back when I take the car out again and see what they say. Will update when I do. Ty!
I took it to a guy here locally and he was able to disconnect and reconnect it and we added a bit of teflon as another extra measure- leak no more!!
It was super strange and he has never has seen that either..literally coming out of the bolt.
In the process we inspected other lines on the car and found some seepage on the hose near the pulsation dampener behind the front wheel well. Will order the part and replace.
Big thanks to everyone for their help
Last edited by Das Geld 2; May 15, 2021 at 06:15 PM.
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