| bob1 |
Uh-oh, not sure what to make of this. Just saw in the garage some leaks on the floor. Moved the car back and see up front, drivers side, just below radiator, several drips, about 8 or10 on the floor. They were gathering on that shield under the radiator which extends back toward the engine.
Called the wife cause I'm color blind and needed help. She said it was brownish in color. I felt it, slightly oily but not like motor oil. Did not appear to be power steering or brake fluid. Maybe CVT?
I hate to admit that it's been a while since I pulled the CVT stick and know I have gone soft in the brain. I remember doing something with a screw-driver on that stick to release the lock but now I can't recall how we do it. Please refresh me. I want to pull the CVT stick and compare it to what I found on the floor.
I climbed around under the car and can see some of it blew backwards on the frame. Hard time trying to figure just where this is coming from. I am off tomorrow and heading to the dealer. I'll report when I know something.
If you are wondering, 57K and not at 5 years till late December. If it is the CVT, I'm still covered...I think.
Wish me luck.
Bob1 |
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| hfelknor |
Hey Bob........
There is a plastic tab on the top of the CVT stick.
Push it in with a small screwdriver........
Homer |
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| njjoe |
bob1-
Don't panic just yet.
Your CVT is still covered by the powertrain warranty.
The location of the leak suggests the source may be motor oil from the filter or oil filter cooler, or possible CVT fluid from the transmission fluid cooler in the radiator.
It's nothing to panic over but definitely worth looking into before the warranty expires.
Did you have an engine oil change recently?
-njjoe |
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| BikerJohn |
If it was the coolant; it would have a sweet smell to it. Coolant is normally a neon green or orange but can tend to go "brownish" if it is old.
The CVT fluid can also look the "brownish" colour you have described if it too has seen some use. It is very fluid in its' body being a "thin" lubricant.
Hopefully your mechanic will be able to find out exactly what it is; please do keep us posted.... |
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| bob1 |
quote:
Originally posted by njjoe
bob1-
Don't panic just yet.
Your CVT is still covered by the powertrain warranty.
The location of the leak suggests the source may be motor oil from the filter or oil filter cooler, or possible CVT fluid from the transmission fluid cooler in the radiator.
It's nothing to panic over but definitely worth looking into before the warranty expires.
Did you have an engine oil change recently?
-njjoe
No, (oil change) not for 6-7 weeks but I know what you are taking about. I sometimes get a few drips after oil change on the OTHER side (passenger) after an oil change. This is by the air scoop thing. Matter a fact some drips were on the scoop.
And Homer, thanks, it's been a while since I pulled that stick.
I'll update tomorrow if I get word. Going to drop it at the dealer tomorrow but can't get there till 2:00 PM. I may not have a report back until Thursday.
It may be CVT leaking from the radiator as I guess the tranny fluid goes through there.
Thanks guys for the response.
Bob1 |
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| bob1 |
quote:
Originally posted by BikerJohn
If it was the coolant; it would have a sweet smell to it. Coolant is normally a neon green or orange but can tend to go "brownish" if it is old.
The CVT fluid can also look the "brownish" colour you have described if it too has seen some use. It is very fluid in its' body being a "thin" lubricant.
Hopefully your mechanic will be able to find out exactly what it is; please do keep us posted....
Yeah Biker, I agree with the very thin lube consistency. Definitely not the familiar 30 SAE oil type feel. Did not look like coolant or smell like it either. No discernable smell.
Trying to figure if my best case is have it be the CVT under warranty or find out the radiator may be leaking which comes out of my pocket? No clear cut winner as none of us want to hear CVT anything and the rest don't want to think the radiator may start letting go just before 60K miles.
24 hours should tell us something.
Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Bob1 |
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| BikerJohn |
Could be just a connector or a hose that is letting go.
Even if it was the CVT fluid with just a few drop; should not pose a huge threat since there just over 10 quarts of CVT fluid in the "system".
Good luck tomorrow.;) |
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| bob1 |
OK guys, verdict is in. We were not on the right path for CVT, nor was it brake fluid, motor oil, power steering or coolant.
Now if you have not yet glanced below, you are wondering, what's left?
Motor mount is shot! Who woulda thunk it? I had been in a grocery store when they called, reception was bad, I could not do much but ask the price. Yum-pin' yiminee! 517 bucks? I gave them the go ahead. I wish now I had asked more questions but the reception was bad.
Anyone else have this happen? I can't imagine why it let go at 57K miles.
Tell tale signs, brown slightly oily fluid dripping near the air scoop. I wonder if I would have ever found it parking on a street instead of a garage? I also wonder the consequence of what happens after all the liquid runs out and no one notices? Why this lets go is anyones guess.
Bob1 |
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| Corin |
Wow, seems like several people lately have been reporting problems with motor mounts.
Any way that we can inspect these on our own to see signs of problems? I know nothing about them. |
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| Kris |
I agree with Corin, it seems that there have been quite a few people reporting same problem.
Bob,
I guess it was bad news as if it was CVT it would have been covered under warranty....it seems pricey for an engine mount. |
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| ekaxel |
| Seems like SOMEBODY can replace this for less than $500..... |
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| bob1 |
quote:
Originally posted by ekaxel
Seems like SOMEBODY can replace this for less than $500.....
Certain things like brakes, shocks and stuff, yeah, someone else. This seems to be a tricky item to me, I don't know, maybe cause I can't see it. Not sure, I imagine they have to jack up the engine to slip it in.
Even if you find someone else, I'm sure the part cost an arm n leg.
I'll break it down tomorrow and let you guys know what the part itself costs. Just checked autopartswarehouse and it's like 170 bucks. This is from a discounter no less and I'm not sure if this is genuine part or an aftermarket knock-off.
Still curious as to the end result if someone does not notice it, fluid leaks out and they keep on driving. Any guess as to what would happen and what you would hear or feel in the cabin? Rough engine? Banging sounds when starting or engine is torqued?
Also you must remember, I did not know what it was. It would be dollar foolish to pay Nissan the diagnostics and then go someplace else. it would at least be a wash in my opinion.
Bob1 |
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| njjoe |
Motor mount?? :confused:
I never would have thought it was the motor mount. Dozens of MO owners have reported motor mount failures but none ever mentioned the oil leak. That is obviously one of the electronic motor mounts.
$350 for labor!?! That is outrageous. Oh wait, I forgot, it's Nissan.
-njjoe |
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| BikerJohn |
I don't think that you could ever know IF a motor mount is going until it does.
The fluid in there must be used as a vibration isolator.
Joe; this sounds like the same kind of fluid that I found under the rear end where the rear diff mount is. I know that nissanlove mentioned that he didn't think that the rubber mounting "donut" had any fluid in it but it sure sound familiar.
I suppose that there might be some labour involved to actually get at the isolation mounting bracket(#5) according to the service manual... |
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| bob1 |
quote:
Originally posted by njjoe
Motor mount?? :confused:
$350 for labor!?! That is outrageous. Oh wait, I forgot, it's Nissan.
-njjoe
Eh, probably going to be 250 for the part in my opinion. The 170 dollar part was from a giant on-line warehouse. Like I said, can't even be sure if that warehouse uses OEM or a replica.
I should have the car back in the afternoon, I'll update the part price.
Must have been one catastrophic failure for all this oil to be dripping like a fluid leak.
Bob1 |
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| bob1 |
Epilog.
Back from the dealer and that much poorer. I had been almost spot on in my guess to the part cost. It was 215 plus 5 special clips that added 15.00 so the part itself was 230 bucks in total.
It was quite large and it looks like a pulley with a solid core. The core made from rubber had some dry rot cracks and I guess that is why it let go. It has a small electronic piece on top that looks like a solenoid. The tech took me into the shop and pulled off the solenoid and it had a probe attached that went down into the mount.
He did not know how it really worked or why it failed. I just wanted to know what would have happened had I not caught this leak and did nothing about it? Again he was not going to BS me, he said that he did not know nor did he have much experience on what the result would be if left alone and leaking.
I had just been looking for some confirmation that it was money well spent. Without feedback, I'll never know but maybe someone else on the ORG will report on a past failure and what happens if you do not address this issue.
I did have a Nissan 10 percent off thing from a mailer, though this hurt, it helped a bit with a 50 dollar kick-back to me.
Bob1 |
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| Corin |
quote:
Originally posted by bob1
He did not know how it really worked or why it failed. I just wanted to know what would have happened had I not caught this leak and did nothing about it? Again he was not going to BS me, he said that he did not know nor did he have much experience on what the result would be if left alone and leaking.
I know you were looking for some validation, but I always appreciate it when someone is willing to admit that they don't know rather than trying to come up with something just to sound like an expert.
From other reports on this forum of motor mounts failing, it seems like you get some pretty significant rattles and vibrations when it completely fails. Again, I don't know anything about motor mounts, but it seems to me that it probably wouldn't cause any lasting damage unless the serious vibration went on for a long time without being repaired.
My wife's Prizm had a mounting bolt come loose a couple years ago. Not electronic mounts or anything, a bolt had just vibrated loose and fell out. She noticed all of a sudden that if she had just backed up (like out of a parking spot) and started accelerating forward, there was a loud CLUNK. Turned out to be the engine shifting since the bold wasn't holding it tightly anymore.
They said there wasn't any additional damage, and said they wouldn't expect any, the engine just had more play than normal. BUT, that was not an electronic mount, and it is a 10-year old Toyota 4-cylinder engine, so I'm not really sure if the comparison is appropriate...
Oh, and since it was just a new bolt that needed to be put in (with some lock-tite or something) it was under $100 for diagnosis and repair combined. |
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| teamdevine |
| I've got a 2005 SL with 64k miles and I've also got a blown upper engine mount. Saw the same fluid in the pan under the car in my driveway. I've also apparently got a CVT leak at the right axel seal. Dealer wants $370 to fix the mount and $254 to replace the seal. I'm wondering how hard the seal is to replace. I saw the mount onlike (Auto Parts Warehouse) for $180... |
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| zebelkhan |
| At 64k miles and only three years old, dealer should be able to "good will" the seal and even the motor mount. Ask them if they will do that, and if not, call Nissan USA and ask them if they would take care of it free of charge. It also does not hurt to call other dealers in the area. |
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