Mystery leak...help

chetos · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:03 am

I have a leak that seams to be originating from the two openings from my engine skid. it's reddish liquid. It's a very very small leak. I've looked underneath and can't see anything wet anywhere. even the topside of the skid is dry. My antifreeze is near the cold fill line. It's crazy cuz where I park at work, no leaks. but yet, in my garage, there it is, right under those two openings on the skid plate. anyone have any ideas? thanks.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:30 am

Red fluid is ATF, probably your transmission. When did your service it last? The pan should be dropped every 25-30K miles.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:31 am

is it watery or oily?
ATF is also red and used in the tranny and transfer case.

otherwise - pull the skid plate and park over clean cardboard or paper - trace up from the drop.

Neatus · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:57 am

hhhmmmm, Iowa...do they salt the roads there? My 2003 transmission pan rusted through in 4 years due to all the snow and salt...you may want to look for any bubbles in the pan which might actually be a rust hole or just the edges of the pan where maybe the gasket sealer wasn't applied thoroughly.

chetos · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:21 pm

I'll try those suggestions.
Yes, we do get alot of salt on the roads...
also, it's a very watery reddish liquid...

jeepskate · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:42 pm

If it's watery, it's probably coolant. Check your hoses and the radiator itself for cracks. Lots of KJs develop a hairline crack in the radiator. Leaks very slowly at first.

chetos · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:16 pm

jeepskate wrote:

If it's watery, it's probably coolant. Check your hoses and the radiator itself for cracks. Lots of KJs develop a hairline crack in the radiator. Leaks very slowly at first.

how does one check the radiator for a hairline crack?

jeepskate · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:22 am

chetos wrote:

jeepskate wrote:

If it's watery, it's probably coolant. Check your hoses and the radiator itself for cracks. Lots of KJs develop a hairline crack in the radiator. Leaks very slowly at first.

how does one check the radiator for a hairline crack?

Visually. As someone else suggested, you could pull the engine skid off and see if you spot anything that way. Might help too to remove the fan shroud.

omGoddard · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:17 am

I'd say up by the radiator. I was helping a buddy diagnois his problem on a dodge neon. Traced it back to a fitting blowing out of the rad and dousing the parking lot in ATF, murder scene lookin', goodness.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:13 pm

They do have pressure test systems for radiators
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/mitmv4530.html

expensive for a 1 time test - but if you check -
you might be able to get a shop to do it cheap (although they'll want to sell you a radiator)

Mystery leak...help

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