Mystery fluid in tunnel

[austin552]

I had a leaking shift shaft seal. Replaced the seal and cleaned up the fluid in sitting in the tunnel. A week later I noticed more fluid in the tunnel. Thinking it was excess that had seeped out from under the cables, I cleaned that up. Now there is more. The shaft and boots are dry. Is this oil? Where can it be comming from?

[tonythetarga]

It could be brake fluid. Do you know what color fluid you use? Have you felt the fluid? If it is oil it won't mix with water, if it is brake fluid, it should dilute somewhat.

[scarceller]

Brake lines run in the tunnel as well as fuel, could be brake fluid. Check your brake fluid level.

[MT930]

Weird ! Is it oily ?

[TechnoViking]

is the transmission input shaft oily? Or just at the bottom of the box?

[austin552]

Just the bottom of the box.

[vash]

i think it is brake fluid. pull up the carpet at the pedal cluster. take a peek with a flashlight. i bet it is wet there. the fluid runs down the tunnel, from the hole next to the gas pedal. if it is, you will be changing the MC.

you know brake fluid has a very distinct smell right? you could wipe it up with a finger and put it up to your nose.

[austin552]

Vash, Bone dry in the hole at gas pedal. Fluid has a stong smell that reminds me of oil. Does not smell like brake fluid to me. A couple weeks ago when I changed the coupler bushings. They were saturated with trans fluid and desintegrated durring removal. The picture is from today. I cleaned the tunnel(box) a week ago and ran the car twice since.

[vash]

hmmm...weird. maybe just residuals waayyyy up there? i'm stumped.

[Fast Corners]

Austin,

I'm just spitballing here based upon the pic and what you have stated so far. First I doubt that it is brake fluid. with the quantity of fluid shown in the pic, If you had a leak within the tunnel you would pretty much have no rear brakes. I'm not sure about your driving style but I would assume you would be able to notice if you have rear brakes or not. If the leak were comming from the pedal area I don't belive that it would travel that far back with out showing some serious carpet damage or puddleing in the footwell. The bottom of the tunnel has a lot of dips and rises in it to stiffen the floor pan. If you have a massive brake fluid leak that reaches all the way back to the rear bulkhead the entire tunnel would be saturated with fluid.

You stated that you replaced the shift rod seal and cleaned up the boots along with the fluid that was in the tunnel. Here are my thoughts. It isn't easy to see the bottom of the boot that connects the bulkhead to the nose of the tranny. Run your finger along the bottom of this boot to verify that the seal you replaced has indeed stopped the leak. I'll bet you did a good job on the seal replacement and it's dry.

If it is dry then this is where I think your mystery fluid may be comming from. Check the small "bellows" boot that the speedo cable runs through. The speedo drive on the tranny has a seal too (PN 999.133.175.40).. Since your other seal was bad it is quite possible that this one is bad too. If it is, the fluid could leak out and run down the speedo cable into the tunnel.

Just my thoughts...good luck,

FC

[WERK I]

Originally Posted by austin552

I had a leaking shift shaft seal. Replaced the seal and cleaned up the fluid in sitting in the tunnel. A week later I noticed more fluid in the tunnel. Thinking it was excess that had seeped out from under the cables, I cleaned that up. Now there is more. The shaft and boots are dry. Is this oil? Where can it be comming from?

Mouse PI$$?

[Kevin Saunders]

I have the same problem. I was routing around playing with the brake light switch and I noticed oil in the tunnel. Quite a bit of it and it had a greenish tinge to it.

1977 911S coupe

Beautiful British Columbia

[c019740]

I think that stuff caused aids!

[Walt Fricke]

I'd dab some of that fluid on some paint I didn't much care about. Brake fluid seems to be able to eat paint. I doubt it is brake fluid, though, for reasons others have stated. Not too likely a steel brake line would fail in such a protected location. And you'd see lower reservoir levels, if not actual rear brake failure.

I'd clean it up from time to time and see how long it takes to come back. If it is just left-over tranny fluid from the leak, maybe it migrated far enough forward and you could not get all of it out on your first cleaning. And the many Gs the mighty 2.7 under your lead foot has caused it to slosh backward.

You could pull your handbrake assembly and look in there to see how far forward things had gotten. That's a pain, though. Maybe not so much pain if you are just lifting/rocking it up enough to look.

Walt

[911quest]

Have you drive in the rain lately or washed your car if some how water got in there and with what was left of the gear oil make a weird color most of the time it would turn to a milky sludge but there probably isn't enough gear oil residue left to do that. just a thought.

[porsche930dude]

push the brakes as hard as you can with everything off and listen for drippage. Or better yet have someone else do it while you look

[austin552]

No cup holder so I don't drink coffee in the car.
Dave, It doesn't smell like mouse pi$$. I will send you a sample.
c019740, don't think that is what causes aids but I am no expert.
Walt, I will try your test on the walls while the wifes asleep tonight.

Guys the car is a project that is not street legal yet so I am limited to burnouts in the driveway. Bet it's that tach seal thingy FC mentioned... The tach has never worked. Any good driver should be able to hear when they engine is redlined any way; right? I will get the torch and disect the tunnel this weekend.

REMEMBER: It has to be something very complicated and costly that I will have to change at least three times.

[len911]

No need to cut your tunnel... Been there done that! Check here: OOOOOPS, What's in the tunnel? Lou

[teenerted1]

if it was brake fluid it would have probably already eaten up your paint. rag would have a nice glop of paint on it the next time to try to wipe it up. probably trns oil like others have been saying. check boots and seals again. IMO

[911pcars]

I would suggest a touch, smell and, if necessary, taste test. Each has their own unique sensory characteristics. Then compare with similar fluids in and around your vehicle.

BTW, do you have a cat or similar house pet?

Sherwood