Track "excursion" oil leak

[Clewsey]

Evening all, had a very wet Bedford trackday in the Boxster today and experienced a rather extreme spin. I ended up going cross-country (soft ground generally). On getting back to the pits and parking up I noticed some oil patches. It was certainly from my car as moving it from one place to another resulted in a patch. It's also not been leaking prior to this moment.

I didn't take it out again but on regular checking it wasn't showing a loss on the electronic gauge. On measuring, it's also clear the car had been overfilled when serviced as it shows one bar over the max line.

The question is could it be the result of excess oil being spilt onto the under-tray during the spin (it was heavy)? On getting home I've noticed four small patches (all in a line) but looking with a torch underneath I could see one drip, very slight, kind of off centre (more to left hand side). I will have to have it checked but could my theory be a possible one or just a seal of some description being disrupted with the force of the spin?

Any ideas appreciated before I get it to a garage? At the moment I have two large rubber mats underneath to see how much is being extracted.

Cheers,
Simon

 

[Andy Fagan]

Did you smell it to see if it was gear oil?

 

[Clewsey]

ORIGINAL: Andy Fagan

Did you smell it to see if it was gear oil?

Is
I did have a smell but (being naive here) I couldn't really tell, assumed engine oil. It looked like a light brown colour but really difficult to see the location of the drip with just a torch. How does gear oil smell (if it's possible to describe it)?

Cheers,
Simon

 

[Andy Fagan]

Very pungent would be best polite description. If its fairly clear it's more likely to be gear oil unless you changed the engine oil very recenently

 

[Clewsey]

I think it's engine oil Andy as not too strong. Engine oil was replaced very recently. Need a ramp and a specialist now (and possibly warranty)...

Will update..

Simon

 

[Andy Fagan]

OK Good luck [&:]

 

[Clewsey]

Just a quick update to say the car will be inspected by a trusted specialist on Friday. The leak is definately coming from the left side of the car and is located in front of the rear nearside wheel. The noise I also hear is only at very low RPM (well below 1000rpm) on moving off. After that it disappears. It runs perfectly smoothly otherwise.

The noise is like the sound of when say your exhaust would vibrate against a piece of thin metal (more than a rattly heat shield but very similar all the same). The fact it goes away immediately makes me believe it can't be something more serious but I am not a trained mechanic of course...

I think I could have dislodged something during the "off" perhaps.

I'm trying to think what is located to the left of the engine directly infront of the nearside rear wheel? Any ideas?

Cheers,
Simon

 

[Andy Fagan]

The oil will always find the lowest point on the car before it drips. That's not an indication of where the real problem is necessarily

 

[Clewsey]

Had the car checked over yesterday and the result was pretty surprising.

The engine bung on the engine (nearside) was missing! It had come off completely. How I'd not lost most of my engine oil I don't know but thankfully it's not registered any loss on the gauge/dipstick. It really was a shakedown on it's first track outing! Anyone else seen this happen?

The noise? - well that's not so good news. My clutch is on it's way out...which would explain the noise at pull off at low RPM, however no slipping. I'm going to do this and get the retrofit IMS done at the same time.

Anyway, quite a lucky escape....

Cheers,
Simon