I went on a long trip last week and the brake sensor started to flicker. It was acting kind of funny though. It would go off when I hit the brakes or just flicker when I started the car or just coasting. On the way back from the trip it never stayed on. I stopped for fuel and noticed the front wheels were really dirty. I thought maybe I just needed new pads but thought it was odd that the light went on with the last few hundred miles and I was into the rotors already.

I am back now and I pulled the front driver's wheel and noticed it was oily inside and out. Up inside the wheel well was oily like it was spattered when you rip a CV boot. I checked the brake fluid and it was at normal level as I suspected. Plenty of meat on the pads and they don't look like they are into the sensors.

I am kind of stumped. Maybe the light was flickering because the sensors were shorting out from the mystery fluid.

Last year I blew an oil line and the engine compartment got TOTALLY saturated. The oil keeps seeping out of the hood pad as I haven't replaced it yet. This does not explain the oil on the brakes as I don't understand how it would seep down to the inside of the wheel.

Other than brake fluid what could this be?

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

is the fluid present on the back side of the rotor? it could be a grease seal failure. pull the rotor and see what the seal looks like.
Motor oil sure could cause the fluid and the brake light to come on...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I thought about a grease seal also but this stuff was like liquid. I am going to try to get her into the garage tonight and investigate further.

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

If oil is still seeping from the hood pad, it could be getting to the rotor while you drive. Air flow can cause liquids to follow some strange paths.

Are you losing brake fluid? Worn caliper seals or a weeping rubber brake line can cause this as well.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

It doesn't look like the brake fluid is any lower. Also, I have no real sponginess in the brakes.

The hood pad has been that way for almost 2 years now but this is the first long road trip I've taken since the leak. Maybe the 5+ hours @75mph got the oil in the hood pad flowing?

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

check your power steering fluid.

also- did you replace both oil cooler lines? or could one be leaking?

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

Pulled the hood pad off last night. I checked the brake fluid again and had my wife work the pedal while I watched the calipers and lines. No leaks there.

The hood pad is off and I have the both front wheels off. I started to soak everything down with degreaser. I am also going to replace the front pads while I'm there and try to clean everything up. I'll put it back together and see what happens.

The bottom oil cooler hose had a drip coming from it but looked good. A little drip like that couldn't have possibly made this mess. The oil level in the engine is fine also.

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R