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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 01:49 PM
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Exclamation Fluids

Ok, I'm Pretty good at identifying fluids, I know its not oil not dark enough, not trans, nor is it coolant, does the rx-8 have power steering fluids? or something of the sort?
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 01:55 PM
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Charles Bundy
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Negatory, our car is equiped with an Electronic Power Steering. Please show a picture where you think the leak is coming from.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Speedemon88
Ok, I'm Pretty good at identifying fluids, I know its not oil not dark enough, not trans, nor is it coolant, does the rx-8 have power steering fluids? or something of the sort?
you may be good with fluids but you dont know much about your car. the rx8 has electric ps
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 02:26 PM
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Thanks for the Knowledge on the power steering guys, that does help to know its electric I'm working on the pics
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 02:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Grace_Excel
Negatory, our car is equiped with an Electronic Power Steering. Please show a picture where you think the leak is coming from.
here are the pics

I Know I'm still learning my car
Attached Thumbnails Fluids-imag0056.jpg   Fluids-imag0055.jpg  
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 04:19 PM
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Charles Bundy
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I'm trying to imagine where was that taken under the car, but it looks like fresh engine oil. Does it emit any smell when your engine is running and warm?

Last edited by Grace_Excel; Mar 22, 2013 at 04:21 PM.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 04:28 PM
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If its oil... Its pretty fresh... I never see any oil that clean unless you just did an oil change...
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 04:54 PM
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That's the underside of the MOP. I know you said it isn't coolant, but when you leak coolant from the t-stat "tree" (any one of the hose connections there), it will dribble down the MOP and manifest itself right where you snapped the pic.

Could also be fresh engine oil coming, as previously indicated.

Keep in mind that fluid will always run down to the lowest point of "anything" before forming drops, so even though you're seeing it there I'd start looking upstream.

Also, throw a clean white piece of paper underneath the car when you park it overnight. Try and position it right under where that leak is happening. When you come out the next morning, see what color the fluid is.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 05:00 PM
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One more thing, when oil leaks it will pretty much forever stain the pavement upon which it drops. Coolant will "look" like it's staining, but in a few days it'll disappear. If you have the luxury of being able to park in the same place (perhaps even indoors), try to keep an eye on what happens to the stain if you leave it.

I'm still trying to think of places upstream from that point where oil would leak from though... All I can think of is your MOP lines or maybe you spilled some while you were refilling?

Did you by any chance ding one of your MOP lines recently? When they get old they can get brittle.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 05:29 PM
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It has to be coolant. Unless those AT cooler lines are leaking. But I doubt your oil or your ATF is that clean so my bet is coolant leaking down from the Tstat like McKennaR stated.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 06:10 PM
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And ATF is red.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 07:47 PM
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No It doesn't smell while its running, and I know to start looking from the top down for leaks, nothing I've seen, yes it has fresh oil in it but not that fresh, the hoses are not to old, and yes i can park in different spots I've already the color test its yellow, if someone is breaking into my garage to **** on my car I don't know what it could be unless it's coolant and oil mixed dripping, but like I've said I'm newer to rotary engines, I have spent most of my time playing with in line 6s

Last edited by Speedemon88; Mar 22, 2013 at 08:03 PM. Reason: more to add
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 09:34 PM
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Older coolant will start to turn that sort of yellow color, assuming it started out neon green. You haven't stated what color the coolant is in your overflow reservoir. Does it match that?
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Old Mar 23, 2013 | 12:52 AM
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From: Sebastian,Florida
neon green, clean and fresh

Last edited by Speedemon88; Mar 23, 2013 at 12:56 AM.
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Old Mar 23, 2013 | 01:22 AM
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From: Sherman Oaks, CA
Check the hoses around the hose clamps to the thermostat, located just at the 7 o' clock of the alternator.

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Old Mar 23, 2013 | 08:44 AM
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Well i think i have solved the thick yellow mystery fluid, after getting the car in the air me and a buddy noticed a small hairline crack in the shock, which lead me to believe ever time its compress it sprays the oil in it out little by little, that side of the car sits about .5 inches lower


i rescued the car from a kid for 3500 so it time to get her back to where she needs to be
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Old Mar 23, 2013 | 11:47 AM
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Hmm. Still suspect coolant because of the location. Coolant when in a bottle will look neon green, but when separated and looked at in droplet form will be clear-ish yellow. Especially when light is applied.

Because of the heat + clamp design + rubber degradation over the years, that t-stat housing "tree" where your coolant hoses connect will cause leaks exactly like that. I strongly suggest you follow the recommendation of Grace Excel and feel around your MOP area and above to the t-stat housing.

Oil from shock absorbers? Just look at where your shock is in relation to your MOP area. The trajectory the oil would have to follow to make that kind of droplet in that specific location is like the "magic bullet" theory in the Kennedy Assassination.
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Old Mar 23, 2013 | 02:54 PM
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after digging even farther the was a dribble leak in the coolant, not the T or any of the clamps, small weep in the line that runs back to the bottle itself, Replacing all the hoses ect. full tune up, so whe will be runnin awesome soon
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Old Mar 23, 2013 | 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by McKennaR
Hmm. Still suspect coolant because of the location. Coolant when in a bottle will look neon green, but when separated and looked at in droplet form will be clear-ish yellow. Especially when light is applied.

Because of the heat + clamp design + rubber degradation over the years, that t-stat housing "tree" where your coolant hoses connect will cause leaks exactly like that. I strongly suggest you follow the recommendation of Grace Excel and feel around your MOP area and above to the t-stat housing.

Oil from shock absorbers? Just look at where your shock is in relation to your MOP area. The trajectory the oil would have to follow to make that kind of droplet in that specific location is like the "magic bullet" theory in the Kennedy Assassination.
The splash guard that is on the car now i had to put on there the kid took it off and did a whole lump a (insert adjective here) which is now being reversed, and i bought the car expecting these kind of problems.

Thanks all for the insight and info
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Old Mar 23, 2013 | 04:16 PM
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Awesome, at least you found it. Glad the car is now in good hands.
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