Fluid Leak - but from where ?

[richardcox_lotus]

Hi Guys,
Here's an odd one - I have a leak under the car. Don't laugh......It's under the drivers side footwell - it looks & smells just like brake or clutch fluid.

The under carpet area seems damp & I can see random drips that seem to be coming through the floor. I am therefore supposing that I have a leak which has saturated the fibreglass such that it can drip through. This thought is re-inforced by the fact that I also get some smoke on startup emanating from the bowels of the car up through the engine bay, presumably fluid that has dripped onto something (the exhaust ?) which is then burning off.

But here's the problem......the level in the master cylinders haven't dropped by any appreciable amount. So where's it all come from ? I would have thought that the amount of fluid required to be able to saturate an area of floor, would definitely show as a drop in the master cylinder levels. There is no obvious leak coming down from the pedal box seals area from inside the car.

I have had the car on level blocks & slid under whilst swmbo has pressed clutch / brakes, etc - no leaks detected. Brakes & Clutch both work OK.

Now, it just so happens that I recently changed my servo, which resulted in a (slight) mishap with overfilling the brake m/c. I thought I had mopped it up, but I'm also wondering whether this spilt fluid has somehow found its way into the body or between the body & chassis & is slowly seeping back out to various places.

Anybody else experienced this ?

Regards

Richard
'72 Sprint

[tdafforn]

your last point sounds like the most likely!
Tim

[richardcox_lotus]

Thanks Tim, the thing is, its been about 2 months since i did the servo, & its still dripping (I didn't spill that much (!)).

If my spillage was the culprit, I'm just confused as to the route the fluid dispersal may take.

[Frank Howard]

Richard,

Could it be engine oil? If so, it's coming from the tube to the oil gauge.

[Jason1]

Hi Richard

This may seem like a strange thing to say, but have you tasted the fluid?

Just dab a little on your tongue; very sweat taste is coolant, very bitter is brake fluid no taste is water. Petrol is easy to tell from the smell.

Just a dab and then spit it out. It is very useful way to determine what the fuild is.

Hope this helps

Jason

[type36lotus]

Windhshield washer fluid perhaps?

[1964 S1]

I'll guess it's a small oil leak dripping onto the exhaust.

The interior "leak" may be old brake fluid not evaporating due to moisture and lack of air circulation in the carpet. Do you see dripping on the carpet? Is it wet? That would be coolant.

What does extended brake fluid saturation do to fiberglass? I know it eats through paint... ...just what IS brake fluid? Thick Gin?

[richardcox_lotus]

Thanks for all the replies so far, I hadn't thought of washer fluid.....Following on from Jason's tip I tasted a drop that was on my garage floor - (just to help the bouquet,you understand) - it was initally sweet with a very bitter aftertaste ! So I would need to undertake a "taste test" comparing the various delicacies of:

[list=]Engine Oil
Brake Fluid
Coolant
Washer Fluid.[/list]

There's no fluid on the top of the carpet - it's definitely something that's been absorbed through the body of the car. Floor mat's now been removed - I would remove the carpet / sound-deadening felt, but it all seems somewhat, erm, stuck.

Any suggestions on how to remove without ripping it to pieces ?

[Emma-Knight]

If brake fluid, it will creep through the felt under the floor matts - happened in my car. Check the inner brake / clutch cylinder dust caps. If theres a leak, they will be very moisty as will be their surrounding area.

Brake fluid damages fiber glass slightly - so felt would have to come out and all plastic cleaned carefully.

Anna