clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

hello all,

i have a problem that i can't figure out.... recently a leak of clear oily substance has started dripping from the bottom of my engine.

i've know it's not rad coolant, engine oil, or anything like that. i just had the transmission swapped out so would it be related to that ? btw my car is an automatic .. always was so it wasn't like i did a manual to auto.

it's leaking from the middle toward the back if that helps. i'm getting more and more concerned about it since now the dip in the last couple days has grown to a foot in diameter (have not driven the car since noticing the leak)

any of you that know A4 engines willing to chime in with suggestions.

thanks in advance

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

valve cover gasket and cam seals may need to be relaced. You might as well get your spark plugs changed too, along with an oil change...

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

ok, so oil change needed and plugs. does that first part cost much to do ? or am i looking at a huge bill ?

what does relaced mean ? sorry..... not much of a gear-head (no insult intended).

i'm all for learning as i go.

thanks for your reply !!

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

the valve cover (its is the cover to cover the insides of the engine) has a gasket to seal it close tight. Overtime this gasket will wear out and need to be replaced for a new one. Cam seals is the same way and it is quite common that this fails(on this car) and need to be replaced. To replace the cam seal, you need to remove the valve cover off....Since you have the engine open, you might as well replace the spark plugs and get an oil change anyway.

I cant remember the cost when i had mine done. Maybe looking around $500-$700....


although, the you can replace the valve cover gasket yourself....its pretty simple. You just uncrew the cover, lay a new one on...You can try that first, and hope that the leak stops. If it doesnt, then your cam seal probably needs to be replaced and its not as easy.

it might be something else though, related when you got the transmission fixed.. Normally you'd smell burning oil inside the cabin if its the valve cover gasket.

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

Would it be brake fluid, is the brake reservoir level going down?
Also, not sure if audi power steering fluid is clear. Check that reservoir as well. Should be a consumption issue somewhere.

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

if it is oil...check the level and top it up....Maybe where the transmission connects to the engine is not sealed properly?

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

I don't mean any offense with my post; I'm just trying to give you some tough love :)

If you can't tell the difference between the fluids in your vehicle, do you really think you should be diagnosing it yourself? I strongly recommend that someone who doesn't know basic 'car-guy' things not start learning on diagnostic jobs. Diagnosing a vehicle is the most difficult part of mechanics, and I would say that most professional mechanics aren't even very good at it.

That said, the interface between the end of the transmission (commonly referred to as a bellhousing) and engine block doesn't hold fluid. There are seals on the input and output shafts and the drive axle flanges of the transmission - one of them is likely the issue if the leak is indeed transmission fluid.

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

what engine do you have? 2.8 or the 4 cylinder turbo?

also, you need to get under the car and look for the leak. theres really no sense in asking this question if all you look at is the spot of oil on your driveway.

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

oops i thought he said it was engine oil....

Have you been using your airconditioning lately? Thats problably condensation.... its normal.

Re: clear oily fluid dripping from bottom of engine
 

probably not, since he said it is an oily fluid, and a/c condensation is just water.

one of two options, get under your car and find the source of the leak, since you cant identify the fluid itself, OR get that car into a reputable garage with experience with audi/vw.

good luck!