Mystery Oil/Fluid Leak

Have found a patch where some fluid seems to have leaked/discharged from the rear O/S underside onto the granite chippings below. It is clean fluid which has lightly coated the chippings about 18" across and 5-6" from front to rear. It has not dried out so it can't be water, it is a bit oily, and smells slightly of oil (or diesel).

The patch is about 18" in front of the rear axle and about 12" to the right (i.e. offside) of the propshaft. But there is no evidence of fluid anywhere on the vehicle above there where it might be dripping - it's all nice, clean, and dry. There is no obvious cross-member where it could have dripped from, either.

It is not underneath or near brakes, rear diff, VCU etc so I was wondering if there was something else which is characteristic of Freelanders. It had been parked for a couple of days, the tank was nearly full - do they vent diesel in that area under certain circumstances (e.g. initial fuel pump pressure causing venting when starting with a nearly full tank)? Any other ideas?

Sounds like it's under the diesel/petrol tank. What happens when you rock the car?

about the area a flexi hose secures from your filler neck to tank )

Many thanks. BTW, I have had a large piece of cardboard underneath there overnight, and there were no new deposits this morning. Also started up, moved it bit, braked a bit - still no new drips.

Hippo said:

Sounds like it's under the diesel/petrol tank. What happens when you rock the car?

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Just done that, could not encourage any new drips.

joe27979 said:

about the area a flexi hose secures from your filler neck to tank )

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Yes, possible, but it seems to be a bit forward of that.

It's under where there is a suspension arm on the right hand side, forward of the rear O/S wheel, about half way along the arm. Above the arm there is a black plastic panel with what looks like an unscrewable black plug in it. No sign of leaks though today. Is that some sort of drain for the sedimenter? The filters/sedimenter etc were done (good independent garage) a couple of months ago, including all those under the wheel arch.

if its a post 2001 TD4 then the fuel pump and filter are in the wheel arch area under a black platic cover. not much to remove cover and check out all is tight!

Fill with fool to the cut orf un park it on level ground to see if it happens again. May be enough fool has leaked out so the level is below the leak. When you remove the fool cap do you get a whoosh? My petrol does. Think all cars should.

joe27979 said:

if its a post 2001 TD4 then the fuel pump and filter are in the wheel arch area under a black platic cover. not much to remove cover and check out all is tight!

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OK I've done that. And what a superb piece of design engineering to tuck all that lot neatly away behind the wheel. Not.
I started the car from cold (in neutral!) and ran it for a bit, then left it half an hour, then started again. All is tight, it was as dry as a bone so it's unlikely to be a leak there.

Hippo said:

Fill with fool to the cut orf un park it on level ground to see if it happens again. May be enough fool has leaked out so the level is below the leak. When you remove the fool cap do you get a whoosh? My petrol does. Think all cars should.

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Doesn't whoosh, nor does my wife's Fiesta, also diesel.
I think you are on the right track, it seems to be fuel tank related, but it's only made the oily patch the once. I've got some cardboard underneath now so will see what happens.
It happened not long after filling right up, and it may have sloshed back and forth and out of the overflow when I moved off, so now it's parked again in its usual spot the oily patch may not be underneath where it leaked or discharged from (which might have been further back on the car if it then dripped a few feet after starting off). The diff etc is not oily, so it's not that. Any idea where the fuel overflow discharges on the TD4?

All I can do really is observe, and if it doesn't do it again I'll fill right up as you suggest to see if that makes it do it again.

filled an old Peugeot up once, and on a hit day the fuel expanded in the tank and forced it's way out of the intank pump-leaking on floor. yours may be leaking in same way but out of your filter or weakest fitting in fuel line

joe27979 said:

filled an old Peugeot up once, and on a hit day the fuel expanded in the tank and forced it's way out of the intank pump-leaking on floor. yours may be leaking in same way but out of your filter or weakest fitting in fuel line

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Maybe, or out of the overflow. I was trying to find the density of diesel at different temperatures, but it's all very complicated. However, it seems that 12 gallons-worth could expand by 0.7% between 19C and 25C. In fact that's 0.4 litres which is not insignificant. Quite whether that means buying loads of fuel in winter means you get more for your money is another question....!!

hi did you over fill at the fuel pump and it has run down

teddywood1 said:

hi did you over fill at the fuel pump and it has run down

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I didn't overfill, just filled to the pump cut-out. There was no overflow at the time I filled up. I then drove home a further 34 miles (about 3.8 litres @ 40.2mpg on that tankful), and after it had been parked on the level for a day or so, then used again, there was that patch underneath. It hasn't reoccurred so hopefully it was something to do with a nearly full tank sloshing back-and-forth.