Setflyn41

I have some kind of leak in my RX8 it looks like oil and everytime I move the car there is a pretty decent pool of it underneath of it but I'm not losing any oil? But if I get under the car it is all over the bar/ support in front of the oil pan towards the engine not toward the exhaust. It's not coolant and it doesn't appear to be water anybody have an idea of what it could be or what commonly leaks in that spot? I'll try and and take pictures next time I'm under the car

Williard

iTrader: (18)

A small amount of oil makes a BIG mess... Jack her up, remove the undertray and start searching.

You need to at minimum narrow down the search area. ATM it could be just about anything.

Travis

Setflyn41

I don't have an undertray at the moment but it's been leaking for the past week and oil hasn't moved which is why I'm confused

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Auto or manual?

Setflyn41

6 speed manual

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Okay, so if it is not coolant then what else do you think it could be? Think real hard.

Williard

iTrader: (18)

Are you sure it's not leaking from the Trans?

Maybe the Nuetral or reverse switches?

It could also be an oil line leaking or a few other things.. Time to start the process of elimination... Crawl under and give em a look

Travis

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Well, there are only so many things it can be: coolant, brake fluid, engine oil or trans oil.

It's a bit hard to figure out what location you're referring to (in front of oil pan but toward the engine?), but sounds like engine oil. Trans oil only ever goes in the trans (unless yours is an auto?) and brake fluid is easy to verify at the reservoir, there isn't much of it in the car to begin with.

So that leaves engine oil. A few common places it could come from are : rusted oil cooler connections, front main seal, OMP seal, oil pan itself.

Setflyn41

I feel like you're implying it's simple but the only guesses I would have are oil or trans fluid of course I don't know what that looks like in these cars most of my old cars were automatics and it was usually a red color. I'm not the most mechanically inclined person lol

Williard

iTrader: (18)

Loki,

MT Trans fluid can get up there, trust me
HOW? No clue. BUT mine covered half front underside when the reverse switch was leaking.

Travis

Setflyn41

Checked oil cooler lines and didn't see a leak as far as I could tell it's not brake fluid that stays full too

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Keep looking. Not to be rude, but you have everything you need in front of you

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

1. Put the car on jacks stands
2. clean off all the mystery liquid
3. start the car up
4. look for leaks
5. find leak
6. fix leak
7. put car back on the ground
8. brap brap

slipz1622

Could it have a sohn kit in it and is leaking from the extra reservoir? would explain why it looks like oil and why you dont appear to be losing oil

Setflyn41

No SOHN adapter but I will have it lifted up tomorrow to change the oil if the weather allows so I will try to find the source of it then thanks everyone

Serk94

Can you let me know what it is my 2004 is doing the same

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Think you better get under your car and check. There are multiple things that could be leaking, there is no reason yours should be the same as his :/

Serk94

Might be the same thing. But yea I'm getting under it today as well

Setflyn41

got underneath today its definitely not coming from the transmission looks like it could be oil pan or something that would be above it.

Williard

iTrader: (18)

That would be the seal on the front cover behind the Eccentric shaft pulley.

Travis

Setflyn41

I sure hope thats not what it is, I think thats beyond my mechanical capabilities. I'll try resealing the oil pan next oil change and pray that fixes it lol thanks for the help

Loki

iTrader: (1)

You want to find the highest point where the oil has gotten. Usually that will be where the leak is since oil doesn't flow up.

If it's the main seal, oil should be misted all over the front of the engine bay, including underside of the engine cover because the main pulley flings it around. If it's the oil pan, the leak should be more contained to the bottom parts of the engine.

Red line envy

Mine is 04 and i have same mystery leak i ahve it narrowed down to an area on the drivers side. Ill try and get a pic of it today. Im not sure what this would be looks like a bad gasket. Lol

Setflyn41

Update it was both the omp and front main seal -_-
will be getting sohn to solve omp and the front main seal will either have to be done by dealer or i will have to find someone pretty good at rotaries in cincy

NotAPreppie

Depending on the nature of the OMP leak, a Sohn adapter may not actually solve it.