Something’s Leaking - escaping, oil / fluid-wise. Thoughts?

tvmaster

tvmaster

True Classic
Parked the car for six days with a fresh piece of cardboard underneath. Camera-left, and measuring tape start-point, would represent being just to the right of the rear, left wheel. Car wasn’t touched for six days. This is what emerged. As moisture radiates outward on cardboard like ripples in a pond of water, I’m not sure the leaks are enormous. However, it appears SOME ‘master mechanic‘ missed something.
As I have no lift in the garage, or jacks for raising up and sliding under, I can’t really see that well.
Anyone want to offer opinions before it’s off to the local shop for paid-service?

PS - the metric tape is for sticklers who think that’s the only way to reference an exxe. lol.

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956EBD97-8E94-4C11-9BDF-845A328FE075.jpeg

Note: the car was backed in over the cardboard before the pics were taken.
 
Good news, you have fluids in the car!

Before anyone can really help. where was the cardboard located under the car and are the drops oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid? smell and taste test work.
 
The cardboard soaks up the fluids, makes it hard to see what colors the drips are. Engine oil generally brown, trans fluid red, coolant green, (if the system is clean that is).
 
the spots look like oil..usually the thinware under the motor catches the oil leaks (tipically from bad seals around the motor) and let drip some drop on the ground..my car makes worst than this..it 's good for rustproofing
 
tvmaster said:
PS - the metric tape is for sticklers who think that’s the only way to reference an exxe. lol.
Click to expand...

It is! Yay! Someone has a proper tape measure! :) These cars are metric. The world is metric. Why anyone would purposely do things in 9/16ths or an inch or 8' 6" 3/8 is beyond me. Was cutting lumber last night and had my laser measurement tool set for feet and inches (I was outside plotting dimensions for a shop space) and eventually it was like eff this. Back to cm (mostly, they were long pieces of lumber) and working is SO SO SO much easier. :)

Anyway. I'm impressed you have a proper tape measure! :) More of us should jump on that bandwagon.

Back to the leak, I think re-doing this test but with say, a metal or plastic tray would be better. While I had some smaller leaks on my 82, the majority came from a clogged flame trap and increased crankcase pressure just pushed out the dipstick, which pushed oil out the dipstick tube. From there, tons of things were pretty well soaked.
 
Put cooking foil under the car then you can see, touch and smell the fluid to work out what it is. Get you head under the rear of the car and check the oil pan drain and the drive shaft boots, these can leak on the 1300 cars
 
Yes a metal tray will allow you to more clearly see how much is actually dripping and the color.

More carefully locating it relative to the car is going to be important.

Transmission has several seals and then the tripod axle joint as possible drip points.
The engine has the rear main seal, the oil pan, the front main seal and a wide variety of points above that can leak and then drip down far away from where the actual leak is.

To look under the car, drive up one side of the car on the curb next to a driveway and you will gain 6-8 inches of clearance to crawl under and look up.

A cheap jack and jack stands can be had for very little money. It is a light car and easy to lift, the jack stands are for your safety.
 
I'm jealous that your car only leaks that much, compared to mine. I wouldn't spend any money to fix at this point!
This is why when my wife mentions replacing our deteriorating driveway with a concrete drive I tell her we can't with my cars dribbling fluids.

Seriously I don't see it as an issue yet but I would get a HF jack and two stands and do some investigating yourself. Better yet, find some local Xheads and have them come over with a jack and stands.
 
All good ideas, as usual. I will wrap the next piece of cardboard in oversized tin foil. Have some in the kitchen.
I‘m suspecting all three liquids will be evident: coolant, transaxle and engine oil.
The cooling system was COMPLETELY replaced, including a slight overfill of the new tank. It gurgles out the hose a bit.
Remember, you all saw this engine removed and resealed again. What you didn’t see was a carb rebuild, new boots, etc., and a likely sump clean out. The reality was the engine was taken out and put back in three times.
I have a new jack, but don’t have stands yet. When I was planning to buy them, there was a paranoia-rush about Harbor Frieght stands. I think they’ve been fixed now, regarding safety?
I check oil about once every two weeks - so far there hasn’t been a great loss down the stick.
Finally - the metric system. Don’t get me started. We converted (koo-ooo-coo-coo-ooo-ooo-koo-koo) in the late 70’s, and not that half/half British nonsense. The full Monty. Took all of five years to get used to it. Then we moved south. Back to the days of Mr. Sandwich.
How can you have a revolution over tea, but keep the imperial system? lol.
EVERYONE should have a metric measure :)
 
My first thought when I saw just a few drops and heard "just right of the left rear wheel" was brake fluid from a small leak at the caliper. While the car is parked, try stepping on the brake pedal hard (don't worry about breaking something - if you do, you'll be glad it happened now instead of during a for-real panic stop) and see if that squeezes a few more drops out.

But that area could also be a transmission leak. Places to check for evidence of leakage there are:
1) vent cap at the top of the transmission will harmlessly flow fluid if the transmission is overfilled.
2) seals where the driveshafts pass through the boots for the tripode joints
3) sealing where those boots fasten to the transmission
4) where the case halves join
5) shifter shaft input
6) rear mainseal and transmission input shaft seal will both leak into the bellhousing and slowly drip out

#1 is normal and self-correcting
#4-#6 would be more towards the center than the description suggests
#2-#5 will likely show a drop of leakage hanging on, about to drip.
 
EricH said:
My first thought when I saw just a few drops and heard "just right of the left rear wheel" was brake fluid from a small leak at the caliper. While the car is parked, try stepping on the brake pedal hard (don't worry about breaking something - if you do, you'll be glad it happened now instead of during a for-real panic stop) and see if that squeezes a few more drops out.

But that area could also be a transmission leak. Places to check for evidence of leakage there are:
1) vent cap at the top of the transmission will harmlessly flow fluid if the transmission is overfilled.
2) seals where the driveshafts pass through the boots for the tripode joints
3) sealing where those boots fasten to the transmission
4) where the case halves join
5) shifter shaft input
6) rear mainseal and transmission input shaft seal will both leak into the bellhousing and slowly drip out

#1 is normal and self-correcting
#4-#6 would be more towards the center than the description suggests
#2-#5 will likely show a drop of leakage hanging on, about to drip.
Click to expand...
Thanks - hey, check our recent 'conversation' please :)
 
Should have noted: the left edge of the cardboard would have been up against the inside of the left, rear wheel. Therefore, all emissions begin about 8", (or 20cm - lol) to the right of the piece of cardboard.
 
This would be the "Wheeler Dealer" 74' ?

The clutch and engine rear main seal was replace per show. The timing belt, front seal and a very long list of assured dead elastomer parts remain likely circa 1974.. or very tired and leaky by now. All of that could have been easily done with the power train out of the car .....

Transaxle could leak at the drive shaft boots, drain-fill plugs or ?

Try the drip test again using a clean white sheet of paper on top of a drip pan or similar. Note the location of the white sheet of paper relative to the oily bits. There will be about to drip trails where the leak originates. Once enough of the drip has been collected on the white sheet of paper. Check to see if the liquid is oil or coolant or ? by finger rub and smell test.

Once the aprox locations of where these drips originate, it becomes possible to figure out where they might be coming from.

In the mean time, keep the fluid levels topped up.


Bernice
 
Rupunzell said:
This would be the "Wheeler Dealer" 74' ?

The clutch and engine rear main seal was replace per show. The timing belt, front seal and a very long list of assured dead elastomer parts remain likely circa 1974.. or very tired and leaky by now. All of that could have been easily done with the power train out of the car .....

Transaxle could leak at the drive shaft boots, drain-fill plugs or ?

Try the drip test again using a clean white sheet of paper on top of a drip pan or similar. Note the location of the white sheet of paper relative to the oily bits. There will be about to drip trails where the leak originates. Once enough of the drip has been collected on the white sheet of paper. Check to see if the liquid is oil or coolant or ? by finger rub and smell test.

Once the aprox locations of where these drips originate, it becomes possible to figure out where they might be coming from.

In the mean time, keep the fluid levels topped up.


Bernice
Click to expand...
thanks. Every belt and hose was replaced. Just not enough time in :42 to cover all that. Boots too. Redoing tests with tin foil next.
 
What about the oil seals and such? Those are NOT hoses or belts.
It is extremely possible the aftermarket parts installed are of greatly lesser quality that does not come close to meeting oem Fiat specifications.

~Repeat this test with improved documentation of where the drip occurred and what the fluid might be.

Bernice

tvmaster said:
thanks. Every belt and hose was replaced. Just not enough time in :42 to cover all that. Boots too. Redoing tests with tin foil next.
Click to expand...
 
Rupunzell said:
What about the oil seals and such? Those are NOT hoses or belts.
It is extremely possible the aftermarket parts installed are of greatly lesser quality that does not come close to meeting oem Fiat specifications.

~Repeat this test with improved documentation of where the drip occurred and what the fluid might be.

Bernice
Click to expand...
Sorry, just addressing your multiple posts about them not replacing the belts. I'll see what I can find out regarding the oil seals. Any ones in specific you're talking about (and such)? I guess others here can chime in on whether or not Wheeler Dealers refurbishes cars using sub-par parts. Best I could tell when going over the parts list was that an extensive amount of parts came from one, very popular, mid-west supplier mentioned quite often on this site :)
 
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