What's this oil leak?

[babeins]

Hey renntech viewers, i need your help. I noticed a very small quantity of oil on the floor of my garage under the back of my 02 base boxster with tiptronic. Upon further investigation i noticed what appears to be oil dripping from the passenger rear boot where it connects to the transmission. Please see the attached photo. I took to top off and looked at the AOS and it does NOT appear to be leaking, so any thoughts? Thanks

[N41EF]

Check the CV boot to see if it is split, which would allow the grease inside to leak out. It tends to sling it in a 360 arc so if you look above it you may see oily residue.

It could also be the transmission seal where the yoke mounts.

I'd bet on the CV boot being bad.

[babeins]

i checked and no tear in the CV boot. there is some spray where it has been thrown around. it's definitely an oil and not a grease like i think you'd find in the cv boot. So i'm guessing transmission seal? Anybody have any $$ estimates or DIY on repair? Thanks again

[timbo]

I had a similar leak on my Boxster, it was the transmission seal, see if you can get some to smell, its different to engine oil.

[xflyboyx]

Actually that is the differential Oil, which have a very distinctive odor, and brownish in color.

Definitley not a CV Boot issue.

Before you start any work, I would clean the area first, drive it and recheck.

DIY is possible

there are 2 scenarios that the leak is coming from

1. drive shaft flange seal ( easy to do )

2. differential O-Ring ( little bit complicated )

Edited May 24, 2011 by xflyboyx

[harryrcb]

the tripronic has a trans oil cooler on top it might be leaking

[xflyboyx]

based on the pix provided, IMHO the likelihood of a leak from the cooler

is remote, seems more like a brownish color than a transmission fluid color.

there would 2 possible leaks from the cooler as you know , either coolant or transmission fluid.

[babeins]

thanks for the input, it's definitely a brownish color oil. i'll see what I can do with the DIY you've posted. Thanks again!

[babeins]

Update on the leak. Local independant mechanic has replaced the 1/2 shaft differential seal. I think that's what he called it. Anyway a seal with a spring around the inside where the spring holds the seal tight around the shaft. I wish i had kept the old one to show. it looked like it had gotten hot and melted just a bit. maybe a dry startup at one point? anyway, leak fixed and didn't cost too much.