my car just begun leaking a little bit of some fluid when i park and let it sit. it has the color of oil but has the consistancy of water almost. if i can guess its leaking from like the middle of from around the rear of the engine. Im guessing its tranny fluid???? I checked my dipstick on my engine oil and its fine. ill have some pics up in a minute then.

if you guys suspect it is tranny fluid, how do i check the level of the trans, and if it is low would i get a warning light of some kind?

Pics will help, but:

Oil: black
coolant: green
trans fluid: pink/red/brown is old and used

The trans stick is near the rear passenger side of the engine. Best to check when hot and go through the gears for a little while first. Check when running.

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5548/p1210012ur9.jpg
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/4765/p1210011us8.jpg

Hard to tell. Take a piece of paper and press it on it, that will give you a more accurate color. Looks like trans or engine oil though.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2086/p1210002un8.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3416/p1210001up3.jpg

also what the hell is this?

that should be your fuel line cover.

that should be your fuel line cover.

any idea how it got like that? do i need a new one or can i somehow put it back the way its supposed to go..

On my mark, it has two push tab things. You can buy these plastic buggers are any parts place. They are black, usually. You just push them into the two holes. They are the same push tabs that hold the carpet to the deck lid.

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8271/p1210009en0.jpg
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/5126/p1210010mt0.jpg

Is that first pic you tire? No tread!

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8271/p1210009en0.jpg
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/5126/p1210010mt0.jpg

What the hell!!!!:eek: ABE I think you should limit your burnouts to one a week!!;) :D

Looks like oil...if its from the back its prob the pan...where a bracket was welded on to the pan they always leak where the welds are...if you can live with it you'll save your bank but it will only get worst...best bet is to get a shop to look at it and diag it...prob just cut the bracket off and use jb weld to hold it for now...i used cold weld and lucas oil stabilizer to help stop the leak its pretty much gone now...

ps... mint tires dude i think you'll have more problems then an oil leak if you let those go anylonger...use your head...

Looks like oil...if its from the back its prob the pan...where a bracket was welded on to the pan they always leak where the welds are...if you can live with it you'll save your bank but it will only get worst...best bet is to get a shop to look at it and diag it...prob just cut the bracket off and use jb weld to hold it for now...i used cold weld and lucas oil stabilizer to help stop the leak its pretty much gone now...

ps... mint tires dude i think you'll have more problems then an oil leak if you let those go anylonger...use your head...

i just got brand new tires like 3 weeks ago, i toasted that tire just having wayyy too much fun, honestly these tires didnt last at all it spun, it just threw off big chunks instead of smoking ya know? damn sumotumo tires... good thing is there only 85 bucks a pop... i can afford 85 to dissappear in a cloud of smoke a couple of times. the rest of the tires are in perfect shape - most of the time when i smoked tires with other cars it would not throw off chunks of rubber like that... but i used to buy yokohamas and toyos (performence). these sumotumos are all season, so i dont think they were designed to light up, when the yoko parada spec 2's would smoke they would smell real good, almost sweet. These tires have like a pugent odor like left some one left plastic in the stove smell when smoking.


yea, my car never leaked... i got an oil change recently hat jiffy lube. Maybe they didnt do something right because it didnt leak before. I checked the dipstick on the oil thing and its in the middle between fill and add. looks good to me. oil isnt black or anything. My sticker says my next oil change is in 200 miles, but my computer says i have 39% oil life yet. i set it as soon as i got in my car from getting my oil changed. any ideas? i have done a lot driving iwth it.

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/9790/p1210003tx1.jpg
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9374/p1210004az8.jpg

oh :q:q:q:q a convertable markviii

The oil life indicator uses several factors to determine life left, so it won't be a constant. (hence, it isn't in sync with your sticker)

Have you looked under the car to see where the leak is? Could even just be from the sump plug.

That car isn't really a 'vert is it? Looks like a fake top to me. (they're pretty common down this way)

The oil life indicator uses several factors to determine life left, so it won't be a constant. (hence, it isn't in sync with your sticker)

Have you looked under the car to see where the leak is? Could even just be from the sump plug.

That car isn't really a 'vert is it? Looks like a fake top to me. (they're pretty common down this way)


well itll be 3000 miles by that date i believe, but the oil doenst look that dirty so does that mean i still have life left? or is it the rule of thumb to just get it done by the milage or is it safe to go by the computer. no its not a real vert, its just a factory rag with the gold emblems and what not.

There was no factory rag. It would have been added by a dealer.

I always go by the computer. The "date" thing is a big myth, cars dont burn oil and mix in gas like they used to. Oil thus holds up a lot longer, no need to EVER go by the change date. Its just to make more $$ for the quicky-change places. The computer really will know best. The more short trips, the quicker the change interval. One job I has was close to home, very close, I think I got 2500 between changes. When I commuted in Chicago a lot, I got about 4000 miles.

Now that I use synthetic, I reset the computer and changes it every other warning.

There was no factory rag. It would have been added by a dealer.

I always go by the computer. The "date" thing is a big myth, cars dont burn oil and mix in gas like they used to. Oil thus holds up a lot longer, no need to EVER go by the change date. Its just to make more $$ for the quicky-change places. The computer really will know best. The more short trips, the quicker the change interval. One job I has was close to home, very close, I think I got 2500 between changes. When I commuted in Chicago a lot, I got about 4000 miles.

Now that I use synthetic, I reset the computer and changes it every other warning.

yea that and the sunroof

Have you read the owners manual? In there it has different service schedules for normal and severe duty driving. It recommends 3000 mile / 3 month interval changes for severe duty and 7500 mile / 6 month intervals for normal use. Your message computer figures this stuff out based on info such as number of cold starts and time elapsed, so as long as recommended oils are used, the message center is accurate.

As unity said, basically. And yea, the use of a good quality synthetic will allow you to 'stretch out' the interval, if you so wish.

Have you read the owners manual? In there it has different service schedules for normal and severe duty driving. It recommends 3000 mile / 3 month interval changes for severe duty and 7500 mile / 6 month intervals for normal use. Your message computer figures this stuff out based on info such as number of cold starts and time elapsed, so as long as recommended oils are used, the message center is accurate.

As unity said, basically. And yea, the use of a good quality synthetic will allow you to 'stretch out' the interval

cool cuz it seems accurate...

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2086/p1210002un8.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3416/p1210001up3.jpg

also what the hell is this?

how do i go about fixing this?

i hope it doesnt cost that much cheeeEEEeeeeEEEeeEEESSSEEEE
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/images/a-c/cdrrv2-03.jpg

Get some white paper and park your car over it, the paper will give you a clear color.

Get some white paper and park your car over it, the paper will give you a clear color.

sounds like a good idea, how hard is it to check the auto trans fluid level?

Reference cover: Is it broken? i can't tell from the pic. If not, just get some push clips and re attach. If it is then just steal one off someone else's Mark. :shifty: ... or salvage yard. Lol. Looks like a fuel line cover, as mafioso stated, although mine is different to that, so you can't steal mine! :D

Tranny: refer back up to post #2. Yes, it is easy.

Tranny: refer back up to post #2. Yes, it is easy.

ok ill have to check that first thing tomorrow to make sure everythings good. also how the hell would my fuel line cover come off like that? i think i hit pretty nasty pot hole the other night. could explain it

Cool. Those covers are no biggy. Remember: tranny must be warmed up first! Take it for a drive, come back, let it idle for a few mins, then check while its running.

i would never go by the computer...iv'e owned the car almost 2 years and never had the change oil marker come up...not that i beat my car up...it sits most of the time and when i do take it out its 2 show off...its hard to drive like an animal when your front ends slammed and back ends jacked...independent rear suspension causes a problem...every 5000km for me then you drop the oil check the plugs...

Must be something wrong with yours then. My M/C works fine, oil life goes down each time i use it, even when it sits. Nothing wrong with regular changes though, helps to keep the internals clean.

lets say its trans oil, because its not been as feeling tight as it should feel, or im just over analyzing. what are symptoms of low auto trans fluid?

also if it is tranny fluid why would it be leaking/ whats most common thing for them to leak like that when it sits

Tranny pan gaskets can leak, i suppose.... One step at a time eh Abe? Have you checked what kind of oil is leaking out yet? You said the leak started after a jiffy lube change, so im suspecting its just engine oil. Identify the oil first, then take it from there.

A lot of the marks leak from the front seal. It seems pretty common. Mine leaks sometimes. I'm not about to pull the trans out to replace a seal though unless it starts pouring.

dude use your head man get under the car and figure it out...or as someone said use paper and then see what colour it is...check your trans or oil level and go from there...check coolant level and powersteering and if ones low chances are its the low fluid...

dude use your head man get under the car and figure it out...or as someone said use paper and then see what colour it is...check your trans or oil level and go from there...check coolant level and powersteering and if ones low chances are its the low fluid...

agree! See what the heck it is for sure. since you said color of oil but thin like water I'm guessing its the trans fluid. Very easy to find out though!

theres no way replying on this forum is going to show you where your leak is coming from and what its leaking best thing to do is locate it determine the liquid and then reply and we can help...

yea your right, well i checked the tranny fluid, its good so is the oil. to me it looks like motor oil. havnt done the white sheet test yet... but ill get to the bottom of it and let you know what it is. all the fluids appear to be ok, i do get a low coolant warning when its really really cold out from time to time, but then it goes away as soon as the car warms up... because its leaving stains on my street so im going to assume thats its oil. i got under the car and see that its coming from almost behind the engine, in the middle of the car. im due for an oil change so im gonna take it in and ask them about it.

**edit**
Nevermind, I was going to suggest differential fluid.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2086/p1210002un8.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3416/p1210001up3.jpg

also what the hell is this?

looks like the cover for the bolts on the fender to me
should have a push pin and be conected to the inner fender

ok, the fluid im leaking is ATF fluid. But i think it may be my power steering because i'm having issues with that, but more related to the ball joint, it creeks when i get the car warmed up...

anyways back to the the leak, its brownish reddish, definetly not oil - and its dripping from the middle and center of my car - i checked the tranny fluid level, it looks good - however i checked it while the engine was off. I thought my power steering was low, so i got some lucas powersteering fix and through some in there. Well it turns out i wasnt really low at all.

it could be my rack, but it could also be my trans? i just read now that to check the tranny fluid on this post the car has to be running to check. but ive narrowed it down to ATF fluid.