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Mystery oil leak...any guesses?

vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
I climbed under my wife's '06 Equinox today to change the oil and was greeted by this site...

http://v6stqa.bay.livefilestore.com...rNJa3T2YS474C8c4OjgMSmvCjdhOr/oil1.JPG?psid=1

There's oil sprayed all over the bottom side of the engine area. It's fresh as indicated by the driping oil coming off a low hanging piece. There's two tubes coming out from the area in question (some sort of return lines?) and one of them is covered and the other isn't. Circled in the picture above.

The engine was down almost 2 quarts (out of a volume of 4) so it's losing a decent amount. This wasn't here 3,000 miles ago when I last changed it.

Here's a zoomed out pic to see the spray pattern:
http://v6stqa.bay.livefilestore.com...YfvJeZ3SETeR7N_iG6DpXZT_DYq1I/oil2.JPG?psid=1

It's a long, long ways away from the drain plug so I can't blame that a leaker.

Anyone know what those tubes are if that's maybe a source of the problem?

[EDIT]
More info: It's got 77,000 miles on it and had the lower intake manifold and exhaust valves replaced last fall by the dealer...
 
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I know you're low on engine oil, but those look like cooler lines for the transmission. Are you sure it's engine oil that's leaking?

Is that a drop of red fluid at the bottom of the silver adapter plate the two lines are attached to?
 
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Looks like Transmission fluid leakage to me judging by the starter and the relation to the transmission.

Automatic?

Do the lines go to the radiator?

Def. Transmission fluid ( reddish color drip ).
 
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Yeh it's an auto. When I was under there the reddishness didn't look quite that obvious...I guess all the road gunk made things look more "oil like".

Looks like I'm off to find the ATF dipstick...
 
I agree with everyone else, that looks like you've got a trans line that sprung a leak, most likely right where the metal piece connects to the flexible line. Any hard shifting or anything?

That means though if you're down 2 qts of oil in the engine you've got another problem.
 
No hard shifts that I've noticed, but I rarely drive/ride in it.

I actually traced those lines back and they run to the radiator. This is a GM vehicle with the red "Dexcool" and it was low too now that it's cooled down and I can see the "cold" level. So I'm guessing it's that. I'll grab some more tomorrow and top it off and see what happens. There's no drips under the car so it's not a gushing leak.

I can find no way for me to check the ATF myself...manual says "you should never have to check it unless there's a leak...and if there's a leak take it to the dealer dummy"

For reals.
 
You still haven't mentioned what you think could be the cause of the disappearing engine oil, 2 quarts gone between oil changes is huge.
 
If you're not seeing drips on the floor of the garage, I've think you've got the kind of leak that doesn't even need to be fixed. It looks like trans fluid is weeping out of the hose that you've drawn the circle around - both hoses more than likely. It may not be a big deal to replace that hose assembly and the piece of mind it brings might make the expenditure worthwhile to you.

As far as the oil being low, I'd want to know how long it's been (mileage wise) since the last change and I'd want to know the confidence level that it had the correct amount of oil in it after the last change.

You may not have a problem at all but if you're certain the oil level was correct at the last change then the work the dealer did would be my concern. The engine could be ingesting oil if the intake manifold was not sealed properly to the heads and oil could be being consumed through the seals on the exhaust valves.

Lot's of information to digest here, but once again, if there is no signs of leakage on your brand new garage floor, I would top off the oil and keep a close eye on the level.
 
Last oil change was 5000 miles ago. My wife does about 95% highway and most accts say it's a fine interval. Capacity says 4.5q with filter and that's what I put in last change.
 
The lines don't go to the radiator itself - they go to the transmission cooler. Transmission fluid flows through those lines and the cooler.

If one of those lines has sprung a leak, it isn't going to get any better. It looks like you caught it early. Have it checked out and fixed ASAP.

Being two quarts low on oil during a 5,000 mile interval is quite alarming. Something isn't right?!

Did you also say that you were low on coolant? Yikes. How was the transmission fluid level?
 
Time to sell the car! The Ford gods have found you and stricken your car with Ford disease.

LOL! But in all seriousness, unless you read the dipstick wrong for the oil or your rings are bad 2 quarts is a lot of oil to burn through in a 3-5k oil change interval.

From the pics looks like trans fluid like everyone else said, no way coolant would end up like that...
 
vi edit said:
Last oil change was 5000 miles ago. My wife does about 95% highway and most accts say it's a fine interval. Capacity says 4.5q with filter and that's what I put in last change.
Click to expand...
It's the work the dealer did, I'm as certain as I can be from this chair I'm sitting in.

Is it still covered under the original drivetrain warranty? I can't recall when they extended them to 100,000 miles. If not, is the work the dealer did still under warranty?

IMO, you may have a difficult time convincing them to warranty the work they did. IIRC, burning one quart every 1000 miles is considered "normal". They're going to use that as an out. Yes, this was a problem brought on by their work, but you know how that goes...

You might find that the cooler lines that are leaking are under warranty. Maybe even a "secret" one. mztykal doesn't know a Chevy from a Ford and is out in left field about the rings, but maybe it's time to trade that puppy to the dealer that did the work. Let them eat their mistakes in a sense.
 
If they go too the radiator, most likely its going to a cooler that is inside the radiator for the Trans fluid. you caught it at a good time, have them replace those lines ASAP.
 
Uhg. My wife is kinda scared with there being so many fluids leaking/missing. My Dad's '03 Silverado had to have the whole top half of his engine rebuilt at 80k miles because of antifreeze leaking into the engine. That was a $1500+ tab.

I had some creamy sludge on the top of the oil cap when I pulled it off worried I'm starting to have issues there too.

She wants to cut losses and run. I didn't want the thing anyway. Will probably trade in while it's still running and worth something and get the minivan I wanted in the first place.
 
boomerang said:
It's the work the dealer did, I'm as certain as I can be from this chair I'm sitting in.

Is it still covered under the original drivetrain warranty? I can't recall when they extended them to 100,000 miles. If not, is the work the dealer did still under warranty?

IMO, you may have a difficult time convincing them to warranty the work they did. IIRC, burning one quart every 1000 miles is considered "normal". They're going to use that as an out. Yes, this was a problem brought on by their work, but you know how that goes...

You might find that the cooler lines that are leaking are under warranty. Maybe even a "secret" one. mztykal doesn't know a Chevy from a Ford and is out in left field about the rings, but maybe it's time to trade that puppy to the dealer that did the work. Let them eat their mistakes in a sense.
Click to expand...


Yea if they did any valve work I have to agree its probable either a bad job or they tried to re-use some of the seals/parts.

And many makers say the same, 1qt per 1000 miles is ok. Don't bring that up. Hopefully they will not give you any hassle, but if they do I also agree with boomerang they will say that.
 
The dealer really pissed me off in the whole ordeal last fall...thankfully it was under warranty at the time.

Original complaint was a lot slop and clunking in the steering column. Very common complaint with this year of GM vehicles...so we take it in and they replace the steering column (or something in there).

We get it back and now everytime my wife cranks the wheel too much the car would make a horrible metal on metal screeching noise. So it goes back in and they replace the front struts (how that works I have no idea). But now whenever accellerating the car makes "whooshing noise". Take it back in and they say it's the lower intake manifold. So they replace that. And the valves.

And now 6 months later I've got this happening.

Seriously. Last GM car I own.

🙁
 
vi edit said:
The dealer really pissed me off in the whole ordeal last fall...thankfully it was under warranty at the time.

Original complaint was a lot slop and clunking in the steering column. Very common complaint with this year of GM vehicles...so we take it in and they replace the steering column (or something in there).

We get it back and now everytime my wife cranks the wheel too much the car would make a horrible metal on metal screeching noise. So it goes back in and they replace the front struts (how that works I have no idea). But now whenever accellerating the car makes "whooshing noise". Take it back in and they say it's the lower intake manifold. So they replace that. And the valves.

And now 6 months later I've got this happening.

Seriously. Last GM car I own.

🙁
Click to expand...


Thats not really a GM issue but a dealer issue. If they had fixed it properly the first time I doubt you would have had to go back.

But yea fight them on the oil burning issue and just buy the hoses online. Its not to hard a job.
 
vi edit said:
Uhg. My wife is kinda scared with there being so many fluids leaking/missing. My Dad's '03 Silverado had to have the whole top half of his engine rebuilt at 80k miles because of antifreeze leaking into the engine. That was a $1500+ tab.

I had some creamy sludge on the top of the oil cap when I pulled it off worried I'm starting to have issues there too.

She wants to cut losses and run. I didn't want the thing anyway. Will probably trade in while it's still running and worth something and get the minivan I wanted in the first place.
Click to expand...

Uh oh.

This vehicle needs attention immediately. It sounds like oil is getting in your coolant and vice versa. Needless to say, this is not good.
 
Hard to tell what those lines are but I would guess, power steering or oil cooler lines, both are known to have issues on GM's, leaking at the crimped connectors.
 
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Eli said:
Uh oh.

This vehicle needs attention immediately. It sounds like oil is getting in your coolant and vice versa. Needless to say, this is not good.
Click to expand...

It sounds like head gasket or intake gasket failure... Milky sludge = Get rid of the piece of crap ASAP. Coolant and Oil mixed... Sludge city.
 
You do realise that having your exhaust valves replaced means that your cylinder heads were removed.
As for the sludge-short drive cycles can cause that too and is considered normal-but pretty much if is only around the filler cap-if it looks milky when you check the dipstick, you have an issue.
 
Is this right, you've had on this 2006 with 80k miles:

- steering column replaced
- front struts replaced
- lower intake manifold
- exhaust valves

You now have a significant fluid leak (I say significant because it's fast enough that you can identify coloration before the fluid grimes up underneath--though the under body of that car looks pretty good, low on rust). And you also have sludge under your oil cap (though this could be minor--worth seeing if it's on dipstick, too as mentioned).

Whether it's the car or the dealership, this is too much for a modern automobile to go through.
 
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