Help - Oil/Fluid Leak from Transmission Drip Hole?

[speeddevil68]

Hello everyone, I have been following these forums for a while, but now need to turn to your help on my XC90 4.4V8 6 speed auto.

Everything has more or less been fine with the car till now. I do have a lot of air in the power steering when cold and when I went to try to find the leak today I noticed a HUGE puddle of fluid on the floor. It is dripping regularly from the little hole in the transmission casing. When I wipe it up it seems to start from the hole instead of travelling down the side of the casing. I collected some of it in a container and it looks to be a green color. The texture is also not like engine oil but more like power steering fluid. My power steering resevoir was either under pressure or vacuum when I cracked it open (it went "hiss"). So my current suspicion is a power steering fluid leak - which would align up with the source of air in the system on cold start. But I can't for the life of me figure out why it would be leaking from the location it is.

I am hoping the transmission fluid should be red and that this is not a tranny leak.

Can anyone please help me with this?

I have attached some pictures to show the location and color of the fluid.

[ggleavitt]

Likely Power Steering Fluid. Leaking from the front, but ends up appearing like a leak from the back. Get the engine covers off and have a very close look, something will show up. Would also take time to look for leaking or seeping valve cover gaskets while the covers are off, now's about the time they start causing issues (can see http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread ... eplacement for reference). And has this car has a new serp (auxiliary) belt with idlers and tensioner installed or is the orginal still in place? If replacement is warranted, should do at the same time as you're doing the PS pump.

**See http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread ... ering-Pump for one example of the symptom you describe.

[oragex]

To me too it looks like p/s fluid, just strange it got on the transmission casing. Or maybe engine coolant? Try by the smell to be sure. Not sure about the small hole on the transmission.

For p/s fluid, some pressure in the reservoir is ok. Leaking locations are usually at the hose clamps on the pump and reservoir - the screws loosen up, but it can also leak inside the inner tie rod boots (worn rack seals) and at the p/s lines where it enters the rack (from rust or loose nut).

[speeddevil68]

I put some UV die in over night and it was heavily stained at the input to the power steering pump, I then found the die was also dripping from the same location under the transmission casing. Strange that it can travel so far. Thanks for the suggestions I will replace the hose and see if that cures it. Do you know if I can get away with getting a length of hose from Autozone? Is it possible to miss the aux belts without the factory bends in the pipe?

[degracia80]

Hi i have the same problem in the same location with my xc90 v8 2006 did you ever fix the power steering leak? thank you