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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Wayne, PA
Posts: 2,010
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Oil Leak - What is going on here????
I drove my 1984 Targa from Philadelphia to Amelia Island this past weekend. The car ran flawlessly for the entire 1800 mile trip. But along the way I developed a mysterious oil leak. And an odd smell!
The smell is like what you smell when driving past an oil refinery - that petroleum mixed with sulfur smell. I have an oil mist all over the right rear fender, and it looks like oil is gathering inside the rear valence. But I can't see anything. Is there a seal behind the muffler? The muffler has oil mist on it as well. The leak is not bad enough to affect my oil level, but enough to be really annoying! Oh, and my frunk smells awful! I thought it may be a bad voltage regulator causing the sulfur smell, but surely, I would have fried my battery in 1800 miles, right? Has anyone ever had this issue? I searched "sulfur smell" and returned only references to bad voltage regulators. Thanks so much for reading.
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Christopher Mahalick 1984 911 Targa, 1974 Lotus Europa TCS 2001 BMW 530i(5spd!), Ducati 900 SS/SP 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250, 2015 Yamaha R3 1965 Suzuki k15 Hillbilly, 1975 Suzuki GT750 |
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03-16-2016, 01:04 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Nash County, NC.
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Sounds like 2 separate problems
If your VR is going you might waste the brain, check voltage. |
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03-16-2016, 01:12 PM
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Join Date: May 2008
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Definitely check your alternator output! Connect a VOM across your battery terminals and watch your reading while somebody holds your engine speed at about 2500 rpm. Anything above 14.3v is trouble; 16/17v is your rotten egg smell...
Your oil leak; there is an oil line at the reservoir that's all rubber, held in place with a clamp at each end, and can develop cracks at its right angle bends. I guess if one of those cracks is deep enough it can sweat out some hot oil. The oil line is generally referred to as the "S" hose; check it carefully using a good flashlight.
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Keep the Shiny Side UP! Pete Z. |
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03-16-2016, 01:47 PM
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Location: Denver, CO
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on the voltage side, have you noticed your headlights/dash lights "dimming"? What about phantom seat belt warning idiot light illuminations? Both are symptoms of a failing VR(the "dimming" lights are actually the lights at normal voltage, pre-dimming is when they're getting a high voltage shot). Have you physically inspected your battery? Is it damp, warm, and/or low on fluid? All signs of overcharging. I'd be a LOT more concerned about ruling out a voltage spike issue than the minor oil misting.
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03-16-2016, 01:56 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: sectors R&N, SE Pa
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Watch out driving if it is the 'S' hose. if it goes catastrophic, you could dump fast and be driving in an oil slick. Maybe wipe it all down and test at home? Good luck.
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Dan '87 Targa Carrera 3.2 - Fabspeed Cat Bypass, M&K Muffler, SW Chip Venetian Blue |
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03-16-2016, 03:25 PM
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Location: Wayne, PA
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14.6 for the charge, while revving the P!ss out of it. Is that too high?
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Christopher Mahalick 1984 911 Targa, 1974 Lotus Europa TCS 2001 BMW 530i(5spd!), Ducati 900 SS/SP 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250, 2015 Yamaha R3 1965 Suzuki k15 Hillbilly, 1975 Suzuki GT750 |
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03-16-2016, 04:55 PM
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Steely - Did the S-hose two years ago.
Good call, though! Quote:
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Christopher Mahalick 1984 911 Targa, 1974 Lotus Europa TCS 2001 BMW 530i(5spd!), Ducati 900 SS/SP 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250, 2015 Yamaha R3 1965 Suzuki k15 Hillbilly, 1975 Suzuki GT750 |
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03-16-2016, 04:56 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Slightly right of center
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For the oil mist, check the hose from the engine breather to the oil tank. It may have come loose and is spraying the oil mist. I also agree on the VR failure.
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"Too much is just enough." |
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03-16-2016, 05:31 PM
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Quote:
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Keep the Shiny Side UP! Pete Z. |
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03-16-2016, 06:00 PM
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Location: Wayne, PA
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Update
I took the car over to my tech for a second opinion. Looks like I have a bad cell in my battery. I'll replace it this weekend and clean everything up and then re-test.
Hopefully, that smell will be gone. Do I need anything other than a baking-soda mixture to neutralize all the crap in my frunk? As for the oil leak, nothing too bad, so we are snugging hoses as we see wetness on the lines.
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Christopher Mahalick 1984 911 Targa, 1974 Lotus Europa TCS 2001 BMW 530i(5spd!), Ducati 900 SS/SP 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250, 2015 Yamaha R3 1965 Suzuki k15 Hillbilly, 1975 Suzuki GT750 |
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03-25-2016, 05:18 AM
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Location: Wayne, PA
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Another update on the battery issue. Installed the new battery on Saturday, after thouroughly cleaning up the region with water and baking soda.
Car ran fine. We tested the charge voltage last night. 14.7 at 1500RPM. Picking up a new voltage regulator today. I will update after install and testing. The beat goes on. I really want to drive the beast to Hershey.
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Christopher Mahalick 1984 911 Targa, 1974 Lotus Europa TCS 2001 BMW 530i(5spd!), Ducati 900 SS/SP 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250, 2015 Yamaha R3 1965 Suzuki k15 Hillbilly, 1975 Suzuki GT750 |
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03-29-2016, 06:02 AM
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