Oil Leak

[PrimeTimeSlime]

So I had a blast driving around in my ti this weekend. Just got it and got a really good deal on it. I noticed a small oil spot in the driveway this morning though and when I looked under the car I saw a rubber piece (shaped like a trapezoid, about the size of my fist, dangling from the underside of the car near the oil pan (Sorry if this is vague, I haven't had a chance to get under there to take a good look yet). I couldn't find any evidence of leaks when looking under the hood. What are the most common sources of a slow oil leak? What the heck do you think that dangling piece is?

[Xenocide]

oil filter housing is leaking

[dave45056]

Check out realoem.com to id your part. It's probably a plastic undercarriage piece, but if you take a pic I bet we can tell you exactly what it is.

For the oild filter housing leak, see this link:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20854

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Yep, the dangling thingy was just a rubber piece, not important. I just got under the car though and wow, there is oil everywhere. It looks like it is coming from the power steering fluid reservoir but its oil, not power steering fluid. It is all over the steering actuator, and oil pan, and various cross members (sorry, i dont know the correct names for these things). I looked a little closer and found some oil leaking from the valve cover. I think I am just going to replace all the gaskets I can get to this weekend.

When I was messing around in there, I broke one of the mounts to one of the cables that goes to the throttle. What is the second cable for? (the one that goes to a little unit behind the left headlight)

[spidertri]

I believe that the second cable is for cruise control.

I had an oil leak exactly like you are describing and it was the oil filter housing, definitely change it. Valve cover is pretty straight forward too.

[shnikus]

My oil filter housing leak looked just like that also. Replaced the seal and it is now fixed. Mine has (still waiting for parts to fix) the same problem with power steering reservoir leak. Check out this thread for more info http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15555. This car uses ATF instead of power steering fluid.

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Originally Posted by shnikus

My oil filter housing leak looked just like that also. Replaced the seal and it is now fixed. Mine has (still waiting for parts to fix) the same problem with power steering reservoir leak. Check out this thread for more info http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15555. This car uses ATF instead of power steering fluid.

I may do that sometime too. I wonder why he replaced the trombone? Doesn't seem like something that would wear out.

[Philly]

that dangly rubber thing is most likely your bumpstop for your oil pan.

[shnikus]

Yeah. The trombone part is currently almost $100 so I am not going to replace that one.