Possible Oil Leak Under Dash
 

I have a 1980 450SL that I plan on using as a (hopefully) daily driver. The car had high idle problems and climate control issues. I've been working on figuring out the vacuum leak issues. I found one under the hood that fixed the idle issue. I'm now working on replacing the vacuum pods in the dash using the advice found on this forum and I have been working on removing the lower heater box.

Anyway, the point of this post is that it appears oil has leaked into the driver side footwell area. My first thought is leaking oil from the oil pressure gauge. (It doesn't look like it's leaking now.) My second thought is that it's a refrigerant leak.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
Russ Jensen
Modesto, California

Sample the Oil
 

You'll know if it's from the OP gauge by the Gasoline smell.

If it's a refrigerant leak, the oil will be a light color. If engine oil, and if you haven't changed it for a while, it will be dark in color. I suggest you remove the above-foot panel (2 screws) reach up and push out the instrument cluster, tighten the oil line connector, and have done with it.

Thank you for the advice. It's been helpful.

I was going to just assume it was an old problem that was fixed by a previous owner. However, I pulled the instrument panel out and was inspecting the high beam light and found motor oil all over it. Could this be caused just from the connector? Is the gauge itself likely to be leaking internally?

The gauge does work; I just need to figure out exactly where it is leaking.

Thanks again!

I would check the oil line that feeds into the back of the oil pressure gauge in the cluster.