oil leak in drivers foot well - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Johnhazen · #1 11-01-2010, 08:30 PM

87 560SL
This evening I noticed the floor mat was slippery. Inspection showed a puddle of oil on it just under the steering column. It seems to be power steering fluid. Coming from the steering column base which appears to be wet. Recently had the steering coupler replaced. Now I find a puddle of greenish oil on the floor mat driver's side. What in the world could be causing that? Also since having the coupler replaced I am getting a power steering leak up front on the power steering pump side. Replace the hose clamps, but that did not seem to stop it. Assume something else is leaking in that area. Very strange that all this started just after the steering coupler replacement. In addition the a/c compressor clutch stopped engaging. Fan motors still blow, so I do not think it is the fuse. Is there a wire connection up front in that area where the power steering hoses are that could have gotten pulled off? Thanks in advance for any responses. John

Wodnek · #2 11-01-2010, 08:38 PM

Are you sure its not motoroil?

There is a pressurized oil line running to your gauge cluster. You could have disturbed it.

abiby · #3 11-01-2010, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodnek

Are you sure its not motoroil?

There is a pressurized oil line running to your gauge cluster. You could have disturbed it.

560sl has an oil sending unit.

To get ps fluid into the floor boards, it would have to be squirting out of the steering gear pretty good. If that's where it's coming from it should be obvious looking down at it under the hood while someone turned the wheel back and forth with the engine running.

Johnhazen · #4 11-01-2010, 11:57 PM

I am betting the pressurized oil line going to the dash. The area around the steering box at the coupler appears to be dry. Will return to the shop tomorrow and suggest that to the mechanic. My wife said she hears something new coming from the left side like water boiling. Could be because the line is open on this pressurized line. Oil level was down a bit. Thanks for the replies.

wbain5280 · #5 11-02-2010, 12:38 AM

Greenish 'oil' seems to me to be coolant. Check you heater hose clamps or, horrors, the heater core.

rowdie · #6 11-02-2010, 12:42 AM

There is no oil line going to the dash on a 560. It was used in early model 107s. As stated the 560 has a sending unit by the oil filter housing. It is electrical. So is the dash gauge.

meltedpanda · #7 11-02-2010, 10:11 AM

sounds like heater core or heater line , fluid can be slippery and is green, gurgling would be consistent as well

Johnhazen · #8 11-02-2010, 01:08 PM

Took it back to garage today and mechanic verified it is definately green. Since it is on the driver's side I am hoping it is a hose and not the heater core. I have heard that the heater core is major surgery. Is there a hose that I should look for in the area below the instrument cluster? The other thing I should mention is that the A/C clutch stopped working and so I am wondering if it could be a freon leak? Not sure if that would be green or not. There is no sweet smell of coolant in the cabin.

meltedpanda · #9 11-02-2010, 01:57 PM

No, not freon , if it leaked, its gone.
there are some small hoses that dive into the heater core, lets hope that it is one of them , the HC repair is not for the faint of heart.

Johnhazen · #10 11-03-2010, 12:00 PM

Agreed freon would have just evaporated, but the a/c quit working the same day that this green oil appeared. Could this stuff possibly be the a/c system oil leaking from the hose that goes to the expansion valve? If the p/o was trying to find a leak and put dye into the system could that not be why the a/c oil is green? Just asking because you can usually smell the distinct odor of coolant when it leaks (no odor detected) and the a/c worked ok up to this point. I did have to add a can or two of refrigerant each season indicating a small leak somewhere, but now it appears to be empty and the a/c clutch does not engage at all. (assuming that is because the low pressure cut out switch activated) P.S. this leak seems to have been a one time leakl. It is not continuing to leak (I put newpapers on the floor mat and they are clean) and the coolant level does not seem to be dropping in the expansion tank.

meltedpanda · #11 11-03-2010, 03:12 PM

now that is possible, the oil could be AC related. Most leak detectants placed in the AC system glow with a black light?
DOes your heating system work? You are correct leaking antifreeze has a very distiguishing smell

Johnhazen · #12 11-04-2010, 11:44 AM

The mystery green oil glows when subjected to black light and the heater still works OK. Also I am not getting any more fluid dumping out so I guess that means it has to be that the a/c line blew and dumped out a/c oil into the footwell. Now the question is how to replace that hose. From what I read on this forum it is not a job for "Joe average DIY'er" or even a general mechanic (like the one who does most of my work for me). Pull steering wheel and instrument cluster? I would also like to fix the non functioning pods while I am at it. I am 99% sure the center one is bad.

meltedpanda · #13 11-04-2010, 02:25 PM

removing steering wheel and dash pod are a piece of cake , if you can acess this line without removing dash you should be able to DIY. My Chassis manual only goes up to 76 so I cant tell you for sure, perhaps others can. Glad the black light thing helped to diagnose

rgrady · #14 11-04-2010, 07:41 PM

It could be a leak in the refrigerant system leaking compressor oil with it. It will be a greenish color also

RadioTek · #15 11-24-2010, 11:19 PM

On an '87, the removal of the steering wheel is a little more involved than on the older ones. The process involves heating up some bolts to release the 'LockTite' type product used. There are some threads with recommended procedures around here, I believe. Don't use LockTite when reassembling the wheel, it isn't really necessary, and Murphy's Law means you'll be going in there again. Make it easy on yourself.

Good luck,
Scott