[foodbiker]

Hi gang - Still trying to trace an oil leak for the past 6 months, and I think I’m getting closer to narrowing it down but could use some help.

After driving and returning home, usually there’s about a 1/4 cup of oil on the floor directly underneath the front driver’s side (LEFT) of the engine. I've definitively determined that it isn't from an old steering fluid reservoir overflow mess and is indeed engine oil.

The top of the engine is bone dry and you can’t see anything from the top. However, you can see some sweating if you look from behind the seats as in the first two photos - not mention at the top of that hard line that goes to the large hose that exits to the floor. The next shot is taken from underneath, that I took months ago where things are a lot messier.

Are there two problems here

where there’s a small leak higher up and a major leak below it all? My guess is that it’s all coming from just one place — but there’s no smoking gun and anything up top doesn’t seem like it’s been catastrophically leaking to cause such a great mess below. This has clearly been chronic issue, as the plastic underbody is caked with oil in that location; worried it was a major seal that a previous owner ignored. Thanks!


FROM BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT

FROM UNDER THE CAR:

 

[deilenberger]

A trick you may want to try. Clean off all the old oil, use some detergent and hot water.. then let it dry. Go out and purchase spray-on baby powder. Spray it around the suspicious areas. It will very clearly show the path the oil is taking. And it can be washed right off. There used to be some very expensive powder spray sold to mechanics for this purpose until mechanics figured out baby power was just as good and 1/10th the cost.

 

[foodbiker]

Thanks for the baby powder advice. I’m thinking that maybe I’ll first steam the “behind the seat” engine first to try and clear out as much oil as I can and let the steam drip down. If oil keeps coming back, that’ll help. BTW - As I think baby powder is largely corn starch these days instead of talc, I’m assuming that trick still holds?

 

[gubi]

I would suspect that black vent line in the first photo. That's part of the oil vapor system and if cracked will drip or mist oil. It's just plastic so it can get brittle over time (and I can't tell from the photo, but is that a crack to the left of the corrugated section?)

Note that on a 987.2 you'll get a lot less oil into the oil vapor system if you only fill to one bar below full in my experience.

Haven't tried the baby powder trick, but I've had good luck finding leaks using fluorescent UV dye in the oil with a UV flashlight and yellow goggles. Amazon has various options.

 

[deilenberger]

Thanks for the baby powder advice. I’m thinking that maybe I’ll first steam the “behind the seat” engine first to try and clear out as much oil as I can and let the steam drip down. If oil keeps coming back, that’ll help. BTW - As I think baby powder is largely corn starch these days instead of talc, I’m assuming that trick still holds?

Yes - get it in a pressurized spray can. Around $3 at the drug store (unless it's been "inflated"..)