Oil Leak Diagnosis

Most fluid oil leaks are easily located and repaired by visually finding the leak and replacing or repairing the necessary parts. On some occasions a fluid leak may be difficult to locate or repair.

Use The Following Steps In Order To Find The Leak:
1. Identify the fluid, determine whether it is engine oil, automatic transmission fluid or power steering fluid.
2. At what point is the fluid leaking from? After running the vehicle at normal operating temperature, park the vehicle over a large sheet of paper. After a few minutes, you should be able to find the approximate location of the leak by the drippings on the paper.
3. Visually check around the suspected component. Check around the gasket mating surfaces for leaks. A mirror is useful for finding leaks in areas that are hard to reach.
4. If the leak still cannot be found, it may be necessary to clean the suspected area with a degreaser, steam or spray solvent. Clean the area well, then dry the area. Operate the vehicle for several miles at normal operating temperature and varying speeds. After operating the vehicle, visually check the suspected component. If you still cannot locate the leak, try using the powder or black light and dye method.

Perform The Following Steps In Order To Perform The Powder Method:
1. Clean the suspected area.
2. Apply an aerosol-type powder (such as foot powder) to the suspected area.
3. Operate the vehicle under normal operating conditions.
4. Visually inspect the suspected component. You should be able to trace the leak path over the white powder surface to the source.

Perform The Following Steps In Order To Use The Black Light And Dye Method:
1. Pour specified amount of dye into the leaking component.
2. Operate the vehicle under normal operating conditions as directed by the tool manufacturer
3. Direct the light toward the suspect area. The dyed fluid will appear as a yellow path leading to the source.