My granddaughter’s 96 Escort has an oil leak (drip), which drips from under the dash into some wiring and onto the floor mat just under the steering column. I have removed some of the lower plastic covering, but I can’t really see where the oil is coming from. It is red, and looks like hydraulic steering fluid. It drips fastest when the engine is running.
It looks like it is coming from somewhere above the steering column, and behind the instrument cluster. I can’t see exactly see clearly what I’m looking at up there, but it maybe framing or air ducting. Why is there any steering fluid oil up there?
By the looks of every thing that is soaked with oil, at least a ½ cup of oil or more has come down from there. Any Ideas.
Thanks

 

I've been told sometimes the VSS will crack on these cars and allow transmission fluid to get into the speedometer cable housing, then drip inside the car. I've never experienced it just relaying what I've been told.

 

THANK YOU FORDMAN59.
I'll have to check that out. That just kinda makes sense. Nothing else seems too.
Years ago, I had a friend who had a Nissan SX that had a similer problem, but I never heard how that came out.
My grandaughter gets a little pissed when oil drips on her nylons, and I get lightly chewed out when I can't find the problem, cause I'm suppose to know these things. Maybe once again I can show her how brilliant I am.
(Sorry Fordman, but if this works, I'm going to have to take all the credit for myself!) *or not*
Thanks again Ben

 

In that case advice will cost you $25. LOL

 

Fordman59
Actually, my granddaughter and car have not been home from college since we last talked. (about 200 miles away) I'll let you know how things work out. ** Hopefully the car is worth the work!! Ben

PS -- I have a bunch of grown kids and grandkids. I do a lot of their auto repair work. It keeps me out of of the bars and chasing women. I rarely get paid, even for my expenses, let alone for the work. I'll record your charge in my auto expense account book , (which I don't bother to keep) and when they catch up on what they owe me, I'll send you a check. That sound fair?
Actually their all great to me, but if I didn't do things for them, they would probably all gang up on me and stick me in a nursing home!
**** Pay little attention to my BS, just keep sending me good answers. My freedom may depend in it.
Thanks again Ben

 

I'm the same, way seems that every time my step son and his wife come to visit they need something done to the car. For some reason I don't think it coincidence. LOL I don't mind though. I'd rather fix it for them and know it's done right than for them to have to pay several hundred dollars and have the same problem 2 weeks later. I guess that's why I spend so much time on automotive forums, I'm always trying to learn a little more.

 

Hi Fordman.
I’ve never been a professional auto mechanic, but I’ve been doing it. off and on for 60 years. I was 16 when I started. (Of course I’m not going to tell you my age.) Thank god I can still “get out and get under”, and have a pretty good and diverse shop. I also had the advantage of a working career in an electronic, electrical, mechanical field. (Wow,I can even read some schematics!).
I guess I’m saying all this because, In some ways I feel sorry for the younger generation. Today there is no way that most people are going to try to repair, even the most minor car problem, without having some kind of formal learning , shop and/or book training. I’m also not just talking about cars. What use to be repairable, today are just throw away. In a way this is sad, but I guess it is a practical and financial reality.
I remember the day (oh oh, an old duffer here telling how it use to be) when you could crawl under the hood with the engine. Guys, young and old could and would work on, and did fix all facets of their cars. Today, you can’t even see what I call the real engine. The block, crank, cam, pistons, valves, etc. In the past, the basic electrical system were essentially wires from the battery to the switch(s) that electrifies the lights, mechanical distributer/coil, starter etc.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love the advances of cars today. That same old mechanical engine, still sets down under all that stuff piled on top. The sensors and electronics have made today’s cars much, much better even if they are a pain and a bit scary.
I bitch and moan about the crowded and near impossible problems when working on these front drive cars. Not fun when pulling an engine or transmission, but deep down, I really do think they were a great advancement.
Anyway ---- I not only don’t mind, but enjoy helping the kids (adults), with all there mechanical, electrical problems, what ever they might be, and I do have a little extra time.
I think I know the basics, and from that I am also still learning, which to me is very satisfying.

Sorry about that. --- Don’t get me started, but if you don’t, I have no problem starting myself. --- Stay on the forums. We need you guys. Ben

PS – Granddaughter got home from college last night. Hope to check out the oil leak soon, if I can get the car over here, and away from her for a couple hours.

 

I've been working on my own cars ever since 16 too, so I've been doing it for almost 34 years. I've never worked as a mechanic either, but just used the knowledge I have for my own use or helping others when I can. I worked as a commercial construction carpenter and survery party cheif until 2000 when I had an accident that left me disabled with chronic back pain. I'm still able to do a few little things as long as I don't just set in on something without stopping after a couple hours. If I over do it I'll likely spend the next day or 2 in bed hurting to the point I can't sit up and trying to recouperate. Let me know how things go with your grandaugters car. I remember some of the older cars (30's-60's) like you were talking about where when you opened the hood there was nothing there but an engine and you had plenty of room to work on things. Now you have to disassenble half the car just to change an a/c compressor or power steering pump. I agree though that lots of things are better than they used to be, such as fuel inection computer controlled sensors and and ECU that can give you codes to help lead you in the right direction.