Hi, 92 Corolla hatch parked up a lot now am only driving a few times a week. Was parked on uphill, and i noticed a rainbow slick leak under the car off to the gutter from somewhere forward of front tyres is my guess, not a lot but because roads still wet very colourfull like rainbow. Drove off - noticed petrol light on even though 1/3rd tank left (this went off after one minute - assume is just the uphill parking). I drove 80 meters and got out - saw on wet road a trail of the leak up the road and I could see the leak spots dispersed into bright rainbow colours from the drip spot - every half a meter or so. Still raining heaps so parked and haven't been looking under car as too wet! Would those bright colours mean it's definitely oil or petrol or something specific! Just to help me tell the garage what i think it is. ta!
franc123,
Jun 19, 7:25pm
Are you getting any fuel smell in the car!Based on what you have said it seems more like petrol than oil that is leaking.
intrade,
Jun 19, 8:32pm
it be petrol or oil making rainbow colours. park it in a closed garage and put newspaper under the car where you think it comes from and run it for a wee wile then turn off and see if the paper gets wet spots. petrol smells on paper quite clearly
johnf_456,
Jun 19, 8:40pm
If you can give the engine a good wash over and clean, that way fresh leaks will soon become very obvious and much easier to pin point the issue.
skin1235,
Jun 19, 8:48pm
if you're getting a drop or so every 1/2 meter and it was oil, you're going to very soon have an empty sump and a potentially damaged engine, on the other hand if it is petrol (which I suspect it is - used oil takes a while to spread it's rainbow, petrol does it instantly, if you can look back down the road and see the spreading rainbows it will be petrol) but you run the potential for a fire, and the resulting damage from that is no better than the previous
vwork,
Jun 19, 8:54pm
Thanks everyone. I think I will run it to the garage 7kms away and let them deal with this as have no garage - hopefully that's low risk - think I will avoid the Mt Vic tunnel!
vwork,
Jun 19, 8:58pm
no petrol smells no.
skin1235,
Jun 19, 8:58pm
check the oil level before moving it, and don't dawdle on the way, also take another can of gas, and hope that if it is a gas leak it doesn't light up on the way
honestly I'd be either locating or identifying the cause before I moved it an inch
johnf_456,
Jun 19, 8:59pm
^ or even a mobile mechanic. That way the car does not go anywhere or maybe a petrol head neighbor offer him some beers.
ken171,
Jun 19, 9:10pm
Put in a bottle of wynns, Oil stop leak, it works. Beleive it or not !
vwork,
Jun 19, 9:13pm
Will go check oil level and check on any more evidence of the leak since it's been stationary since 5pm last night (on the flat now). Should be more obvious where the spot is located now it's on flat perhaps. Will try out my new AA membership see if they do this sort of thing too (or cheaper tow's).
That's definitely not brake fluid, you might have a minor oil leak, either from the engine or gearbox.
skin1235,
Jun 19, 11:50pm
both oil and petrol will show that, petrol quicker, you say oil levels ok but it is droppingregular spots as pic'd at 1/2 mt intervals = petrol =tow it or standby with a good fire extinguisher
vwork,
Jun 20, 12:04am
Brake Fluid level fine. Now that inside engine dry and around car can see only wet looking area looking down with torch is under the Engine Oil and Transmission Fluid area - (love oldNZ New cars with the labels on the parts under the bonnet!). Still fluid in the Fluid judging by the checker stick. No petrol smell rubbing fingers it in on the road from the area where saw the coloured mini slick earlier in day. Fire extinguisher still good idea - will do!
vwork,
Jun 20, 12:05am
Automatic car by the way. You guys are full of info!
skin1235,
Jun 20, 12:09am
fine, you've double checked re petrol = good check that the filler caps are both in place on the engine and the g'box ( g/box is also the dipstick, are they a tube on that model and if so is it still pushed into it's hole, they often had a simple O ring to seal with a bolt further up to hold them in, trans fluid will show as you have pic, and will slosh around quite a bit when the engine is going, slightest gap will be a leak
vwork,
Jul 9, 7:10pm
and the winner is. leaking transmission fluid. The pipe had rusted/broke so needed new one and more fluid. Thanks everyone -good safety warnings in case it was petrol.
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