Engine oil or ATF?

[GBMUD]

Following on from this morning's excitement with my starter motor I have discovered a lot of oil in my bell-housing. This is contaminating the clutch and the starter - actually the clutch has been suspect for some time, juddering at take-up.

The oil in question is black - but then it would be since it has picked up clutch dust on it's way - so colour will not give it away. So, is there any way to tell the oils apart? I tried smelling the oil but that seemed inconclusive - perhaps I will line up samples of engine oil, ATF and leak oil to "sniff" test. Or is there a better way?

Thanks

Chris

[white90]

brake/clutch fluid is easy to set fire to, my slave cylinder was leaking into the bell housing

My guess is engine oil from rear main seal

just like mine recently.

the ATF that was leaking into the bell housing on my 90 but rather than the wading plug it appeared between the bell housing and gearbox casing

[will_warne]

If the smell test's inconclusive could it be both? That happened with mine many moons ago.

[Big Watty]

Try droping a drop on a wet surface - ATF becomes much more colourful than engine oil as (I believe) it's lighter

[simonr]

You could try putting a drop of each on a pile of sheets of paper.

The paper will progressively filter out all the dust until one of the sheets will have a splodge of a colour to indicate just the oil.

Also, the lower viscosity ATF will penetrate more sheets in a given time.

Si

[Tonk]

or taste and compare to new oil, probably not the best way though

[sgnas]

or taste and compare to new oil, probably not the best way though

I've lost count of the number of "never again" moments I've had doing this

Of course, once you've tasted it you have to reaquaint yourself with the original source(s) until you find a match!

[NoHummer-Ed]

Can you catch a spare Dog in your street?

Wipe the dog on some ATF for example. Take the dog to the sample you want to identify and if the dog is unimpressed you will know it is ATF if not, it is something else.

Dogs have much bigger inside noses than humans and can tell the difference easily.

Ed

[Mo Murphy]

Pull the engine out Chris, it's going to be from one side of the hole or the other.

Mo

[GBMUD]

Agreed Mo. I will pull the engine next week and see what there is to be seen. I was rather hoping to have parts waiting really, hence the interest in what is causing it. Assuming that it is the gearbox end, how easy is it to get at the seal and remove it?

I will try some of the tests described above later. Thanks guys.

Chris

[ciderman]

Is there some kind of ph test that you can do with oil . If not rip the bluddy gear box out and sort it ,

[will_warne]

Is there some kind of ph test that you can do with oil . If not rip the bluddy gear box out and sort it ,

Unfortunatly not as pH only works if the solvent is water. A simple chromotography might work, though. It might be worth giving it a go as its easy to set up although you may find its hard to distinguish the samples.

[Turbocharger]

I think in this case 'simple chromotography' = 'a pile of paper'.

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

Rub the oil well into your paws.

Leave for an hour

Then wash off.

Go to bed, cuddle up to SWMBO making sure hands are within her nose area

if SWMBO Grumbs about the smell its ATF if not brake fluid

Nige

(My SWMBO can identify EP90 as well this way better than a sniffer dog but far more expense to run )

Nige