Oil or fluid leak?? D2 TD5

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nomechanic

Member
Posts
43
Location
Hampshire
Hi all,
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I hope everyone is having a good Crimbo break.

I have been out of the Land Rover club for some years now but have just ventured back in with the purchase of a reasonable tidy Disco 2 TD5.

I am not mechanically minded but have noticed a leak at the front of the car on the left as you look at it. Upon getting under it I took a picture of a part which is covered in oil.

Can you identify the part for me please and give me some idea on where the leak might be coming from? I assume it is dripping down from up top somewhere. I thought it was too far forward to be oil, and the coolant and steering fluid look to be at the right level.

I imagine I will be posting frequently in here now with my new purchase.

Thanks in advance for your help
 
What colour is it?
Which reservoir is losing fluid.
Mine did similar, but it was PS fluid. rust had eaten a hole in the pipe, actually quite easy to replace.

Cheers
 
thanks so much for your replies. From what I can see the reservoirs are all where they need to be. I will take another look in the morning though !
 
nomechanic said:
and the coolant and steering fluid look to be at the right level.
Click to expand...
...think he's checked the PS fluid. But it might be worth putting some newspaper or similar down weighted with stones if outside, under the leak to determine, from colour, smell and, if you dare, taste, what the flipping stuff is. Or else just wipe it clean, wait till the leaked fluid is there again then wipe it with a white kitchen towel. The colour then should be obvious.
Is yours an automatic? If so this could be fluid leaking from the transmission cooler/pipe join and you would not notice this by checking all the other levels.
Worth mentioning the coolant level can rise and fall depending on how long since last driven etc.
There is an inpection hatch to be found under the wheel arch towards the front of the inner wing, take the wheel off and get it open to have a clearer look. If the colour is reddish brown, or brownish red, and smells of ATF it'll be transmission fluid. If it is really brown, then it could still be tranny fluid that has never been changed.
 
Stanleysteamer said:
...think he's checked the PS fluid. But it might be worth putting some newspaper or similar down weighted with stones if outside, under the leak to determine, from colour, smell and, if you dare, taste, what the flipping stuff is. Or else just wipe it clean, wait till the leaked fluid is there again then wipe it with a white kitchen towel. The colour then should be obvious.
Is yours an automatic? If so this could be fluid leaking from the transmission cooler/pipe join and you would not notice this by checking all the other levels.
Worth mentioning the coolant level can rise and fall depending on how long since last driven etc.
There is an inpection hatch to be found under the wheel arch towards the front of the inner wing, take the wheel off and get it open to have a clearer look. If the colour is reddish brown, or brownish red, and smells of ATF it'll be transmission fluid. If it is really brown, then it could still be tranny fluid that has never been changed.
Click to expand...

- many thanks for your reply. I have just been out to have a look again at fluid levels and I can confirm that ACE, PS, coolant and brake fluid are all where they need to be. Incidentally I checked them all previously when the engine was hot after a 14 mile round trip and they were all ok. The car has been idle since 4pm so is cool now but as I say, levels are where you would want them to be.

Regards colour I have put a try under the leak and it is basically black showing against a dark red tray. Oh the joys....!

It is an automatic yes.
 
nomechanic said:
curiously the ACE is a very dark colour almost black. The PS looks clear as you look into the reservoir but pinkish if you shine a light at the side of the tank
Click to expand...

Well, dark ACE fluid is not correct, maybe it is just very old, the PS fluid specified is normally green as it would be cold climate fluid the same as the ACE. However a lot of peeps use std ATF in place, I wonder if there has been a leak and the PO has topped up with std ATF? to give a nice light pink mix?

Cheers
 
neilly said:
Well, dark ACE fluid is not correct, maybe it is just very old, the PS fluid specified is normally green as it would be cold climate fluid the same as the ACE. However a lot of peeps use std ATF in place, I wonder if there has been a leak and the PO has topped up with std ATF? to give a nice light pink mix?

Cheers
Click to expand...

I will take a better look in the morning. Could have been the light or something but the PS is defintely not green in this car. Will investigate and update. I am hoping to run it into a specialist that I am friendly with to see if they can quickly identify where it is coming from. They are usually pretty good as I have been a very good customer over the years, based on previously owning a classic and a P38. Money pits - especially the latter :)
 
Dip all the tanks onto white kitchen towel to see the colours accurately.
But if the levels ain't moving it ain't any of them. Or if it is, the leak is very minor.
The proper way to do this is to clean off the whole area around and above the leak, and this means anywhere where a fan can blow liquid towards where you saw it. Then run the car and watch carefully to see where it is coming from.
If there is then no leak, take it for a short, slow run and then park up and have another look. That'll shift the power steering and possibly the ACE. Although the power steering pump runs as soon as the engine runs, as does the transmission fluid, through the cooler.
Best of luck.
 
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