So recently I changed the oil pan on the GS and solved the leaky pan and leaky drain plug issue. Now on to the next leak which is perplexing me. On the bottom of the bell housing there is an access panel which after driving will have 3 or 4 drops collecting. I get a few drops during the weeks. The fluid is almost a dark reddish tint. I have another small drip from between Muncie and the bell housing that is the olive gear oil color. Both the engine oil and trans gear oil is brand new and clean so I can’t for the life of me figure out what the hell this reddish color fluid is. It’s a manual brake manual steering car so there isn’t a whole lot else it can be. I can’t tell if it’s the rear seal on the crank leaking or is the Muncie leaking and it’s making its way all the way to the front of the shaft and bellhousing? Why would it be reddish? From the paint of the oil pan?
The gear oil leaking from between the bell and the trans is likely the countershaft. Its pressed into the front of the aluminum case and they are notorious for leaking. I would venture to guess the dripping from the inspection cover is the rear main seal. Why is it a reddish color? I have no idea. But its either motor oil or gear oil.
Sounds to me like an additive could have been put in either the trans or engine oil to give that color? Also could possibly be countershaft bearing grease mixed with oil leaking through seal. Purely guessing here. When were the leaks first noticed? Have they become worse recently?
I am convinced this is a 50-year-old conspiracy between the Big 3 and driveway sealer industry!! My car seems to find a new drip as soon as I seal the last one!! I have a bottle of Simple Green at the ready...
Leaks have been since I got it back from my dad about a year ago. I don’t feel like they have gotten worse. What is really frustrating is the trans was just rebuilt about 300 miles but 2 years ago and the car sat for a good while after it was rebuilt so I can’t come to them with a WTH guys. Trans might come out and get a new case and I’ll just rebuild it myself. The red fluid is just perplexing because I know it’s not an additive or anything cause I have just done fluid changes on both. Oil because it was over a year old and the trans because I don’t know what fluid they put in it after the rebuild and wanted to make sure it wasn’t synthetic (prone to leaking in Muncie) so I swapped it with good stuff.
