See 11.09.13 Update:

I'm trying to trace a leak on the car that could be causing a longstanding smouldering/ hot oil smell that comes from the front end of the car after it is used.

With this post I'll attach some pictures below and which I took this morning whilst trying to find the leak.

The car has just spent 18 days at the main dealer for a number of issues to be fixed. It was returned 3 days ago but there is still a leak (garage said car needed 2 new rads which they replaced and they said all of that had been connected to the smouldering smell and leak).

The car has been unused for 3 days in our garage since it was returned which is perhaps worth noting when looking at the pictures which I took shortly after starting the car up, reversing it back 12" and putting the suspension setting to off road height so I could get underneath the car.

The first picture is of a bolt that I found under the car. It had fallen out of the black plastic under tray under the engine bay near the front bumper. I don't think that's connected to a leak as it seems to be a bolt that simply holds a protective plastic cover in place.

The second and third pictures show that a discharge is coming from holes either side of the underside of the engine bay. I'm wondering if this is normal and whether they are just drainage holes (in picture 2 you can actually see a teardrop hanging from the hole)?

The remaining pictures are taken of the underside of the car from underneath the front cab area towards the front end of the car (passenger side pictures first and driver's side pictures last. The last picture is of some central square black plastic component and I've no idea what that is). You should be able to see from these pictures the components appear to be a darker shade/ coated with some sort of discharge which might be indicative of some form of leak.

Apologies for the lack of technical nous/ proper component descriptions but I'm trying to get to the bottom of this.

Thanks.

Picture 1 - The bolt

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

probably residual spillage from when the rad was changed , just clean the drip trays and monitor for any losses
from the expansion tank

You will also get a surprisingly large amount of water running off the AC condenser which drains around here IIRC

Suggest you remove all the undertrays that are below engine and gearbox components, this will help to direct you to any ongoing leak. Get an old sheet or similar that you can put underneath in the same place each time you park up.

You can also get all the undertrays nice and clean at the same time

May also be worth working your way round with spanners checking tightness of everything you can see..... .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

The last pic that you posted is your gearbox sump......

You really need to remove the undertrays to see where the leak is coming from.....its an easy job and won't take you too long - in fact, you could probably have removed them quicker than the time it took to take the pictures and upload them lol....

I told you in a previous post where my identical leak was coming from.....identified easily when I removed the undertrays and for a change.....an easy fix ! Stolen / Gone: 2006MY Supercharged LPG Autobiography - Zambezi Silver with Sand/Jet/Jet Oxford Leather.....

As said above, some common sense DIY will help here.

Take off the undertrays - this is dead easy, just need a socket set and from memory those bolts are 10mm. Don't lose any!

Clean and dry off the undertray and look for wet areas, dry it all up as much as possible.

Place something underneath the car to see if its freshly leaking and look for colours:

Black = engine oil

Red = ATF

Green = snot [Edited so I don't look more of an idiot]  Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Last edited by RRUK on 11th Aug 2013 9:16pm. Edited 1 time in total

RRUK wrote:

As said above, some common sense DIY will help here.

Take off the undertrays - this is dead easy, just need a socket set and from memory those bolts are 10mm. Don't lose any!

Clean and dry off the undertray and look for wet areas, dry it all up as much as possible.

Place something underneath the car to see if its freshly leaking and look for colours:

Black = engine oil

Red = ATF

Green = antifreeze

Antifreeze should be pink sir

HAH! You're very right Craig. What a dimwit. Too much red wine again. I should stay off the forum after a few glasses, makes me look more of an idiot!  Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Green could be refrigerant oil.

RRUK wrote:

HAH! You're very right Craig. What a dimwit. Too much red wine again. I should stay off the forum after a few glasses, makes me look more of an idiot!

Just so long as the wine's not green

Thanks for all of the replies.

You don't know what you don't know hence the stupid questions and pictures. That was why I took the time to look under the car and take the pictures so as to get the learned experience of forum users before jumping in with both feet with a socket set and spanners (I've waited 4 months til now after all! )

I'd rather wait and ask a few silly questions than steam in, meddling with stuff I know nowt about, dismantling things and potentially doing more harm than good. But the further exploratory work to at least start to pinpoint, with a view to getting to the bottom of it seems fairly straightforward based on the collective replies.

And the reason I bought an AU warrantied car was to be reassured that things like this would be dealt with by knowledgeable professionals.

Very helpful to know that the last picture is the gearbox sump, thank you.

Can't have been too stupid a question though because nobody appears to be definitively suggesting that the two discharges from the front end (incl the teardrop) are simply everyday normal AC discharges; and nobody appears to be suggesting what the saturated looking areas surrounding the gearbox sump could be (would you expect 2 rads being replaced to result in the gearbox sump and surrounding areas of the car to be saturated)?

The colour of the wet areas around the gearbox sump is black. The front end discharge is not black, nor pink, nor red nor green. It's like a golden brown, syrup colour and leaves a stain on the floor when deposited.

All I do know is that on looking under this car that has been sitting idle for 3 days is... There are too many wet looking areas that look like fluids have been or are seeping out and to me at least... It just 'does not look right'... I stand to be corrected of course.

Thanks again.

Nothing should be dripping out the bottom of the car except water from the air con.


Hmmm golden colour, sounds like new engine oil, possibly what also might be ATF from the steering? .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Thanks Joe... For many weeks people have said the leak I've referred to might well be air con water but as mentioned, this stuff is staining the floor and whilst I've had cars before that discharge AC water on the floor for fun, its never stained before which this leak does. Your other obs are noted with thanks as well

Old PAS fluid can look a golden colour. Any steering groans or stiffness at low speed? Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Adam, yes... From day one I've said the steering isn't right at low speed, despite them replacing the Servotronic valve. No groans I can recall but stiffness is a good way to describe it. I've previously referred to it as a pulsating judder/vibration/ bobble etc during low speed turning manoeuvres.

Thanks.