Marks on Your Garage Floor? How to Determine Where This Fluid Is Coming from
If you are the type of person who classifies themselves as a "neat freak," then you will find it difficult to cope with a mess of any kind. You make sure that your house is always spick and span, but you also want your garage to be in good shape. However, if you have a car that is a little bit older, from time to time it may begin to leave a deposit or two on the garage floor, much to your chagrin. Your first job now is to determine exactly what is happening, so where do you begin your inquest?
What Are You Dealing With?
Firstly, you should determine what type of fluid is finding its way to the floor. In many cases, it'll be engine oil, as this is the primary lubricant in your vehicle, and there are more opportunities for it to "escape." As you may know, engine oil has a certain type of consistency that feels slippery when you rub it in between two fingers. It can be orange in colour when it is relatively new, or dark brown if it's old.
Where Is It Coming From?
You may be a bit confused because the oil appears to be from the engine, but it is not located immediately under the actual engine itself. This could be down to a couple of different reasons.
Remote Components
Your engine may utilise a number of components that are not situated in or around the engine itself. For example, an oil cooler could be positioned elsewhere, and in this case oil would be pumped to and from this component through a series of pipes. In certain circumstances, a filtration system will be located apart from the engine, and you should trace this back to the motor to see if you can see the culprit.
Causes of Confusion
You also need to take into account the force of gravity when trying to find the origin of your problem. Oil may leak from one location but then come into contact with a particular component that transports it elsewhere. In other words, it will stick to this component (such as an exhaust pipe) and follow it to its lowest point, before gathering and eventually dripping to the floor beneath. In many cases, this can mask the true origin of the problem and will almost always cause confusion for the typical owner.
Getting Somebody Else to Help
If you're still having problems locating the source of your engine leak, you shouldn't delay any further, as this could accumulate and cause internal damage. Get in touch with a mechanic for car repairs so that they can put your mind at rest.
