Why is Oil leaking out of my frame?

[jrm]

Some I phone videos I took while searching for the source of the leak:
https://youtu.be/L5p3Loxrd5Y

Im puzzled. car is at 51K and engine oil is dripping out of both drivers side and passenger frame rails directly below the front of the cabin- and is visible on the front of the frame below the air filter and forward of the fuel filter. the block is completely dry as is both the engine oil and DSG filter housings. Oil pan and trans are both showroom perfect. No oil from any drive shaft or engine seals what so ever, but somehow a few OZ is leaking onto my garage floor

 

[VeeDubTDI]

waiting for video or pics

 

[gforce1108]

Do these have hydraulic filled motor mounts? I haven't looked close enough at mine, but older Passats have them.

 

[BPofMD]

Who changed your oil last? Looks like they spilled a qt of oil while filling it.

 

[whitedog]

Why do you think that it's engine oil? Is it just because it's black? What does it smell (and if you are brave) taste like? I also noticed that it looks like some of it is mixed with water I'm not sure engine oil would turn that whiteish color when mixed with water on the frame.

Look for another source of oil.

 

[jrm]

might not be engine oil as the residue is extremely sticky, and the oil on the floor did look a tad to golden. the engine and trans are nice and dry- I changed the oil, didn't even spill a drop as I stuff a rag around the filter prior to pulling it out This is a strange one indeed.

 

[edgewatertom]

My guess is it's the coating / rustproofing in the frame rails. My 01 jetta has the same thing, it's never dripped on the floor.

 

[tdiatlast]

^^^my original thought, as well. However, it certainly is NOT "golden", and isn't fluid enough to actually drip out of the frame.

 

[whitedog]

My guess is it's the coating / rustproofing in the frame rails. My 01 jetta has the same thing, it's never dripped on the floor.

This is my guess as well.

Question: How do you like the symmetrical arms on your lift?

 

[jrm]

I do live on a 1 mile long dusty gravel road, and this issue didn't surface until after the wife drove threw a extremely heavy thunderstorm... so maybe all the dust and water mixed with whatever spray on (father calls it Cosmoline) rustproofing? Just bothers me as it was not visible prior to this summer as I checked the car out well when it was new and it was completely dry.

Love the lift, picked it up for less than $4K back in 1999 when I got my degree in automotive...back then the asymmetrical didn't go above 7,000lbs so I had to go symmetrical as it spends most of its time lifting diesel crew cab trucks. its still easy to pick up smaller autos, just roll it forward to get the front arms in.

 

[MikeTV]

The Passat is hot waxed dipped for rust proofing. You can peel back the trunk material and see some of it. It's an off white, yellowish waxy material. Compare to what you are seeing.

 

[BKmetz]

Looks like rust proofing or a very careless person spilled oil during an oil change.

I'm not under my car that often but shouldn't there be plastic plugs in those frame holes?

 

[TDI smile]

Who changed your oil last? Looks like they spilled a qt of oil while filling it.

same here

 

[50pascals]

Undercoating - I just noticed it on my car at 93k when I changed the oil. Yellow, waxy, sticky.

 

[jrm]

I visited the dealer just to confirm, yup- its the wax and normally it stays put but this summer was the hottest in history for our area, 100F temps and a dusty road mixed it all up with dust and it dripped out the frame drain.
All good

 

[tdiatlast]

jrm: I was wondering about the heat, and hoped you hadn't gotten too close to the forest fires out there.

Glad to hear it was the Cosmoline. Usually, by the time you see it, it isn't "golden" at all, but darkened with road dust.

 

[jrm]

Im very glad VW does this, both our chev and dodge came new with nothing but the factory paint dip, driveline was rusted in a month- underside rock chipped frame is rusting and we don't use salt here!

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Yeah that looks like the rust-proofing to me - it tends to ooze when the weather gets really hot, then it will stay put when it cools back down.

Nice place, by the way.

 

[Brent_B]

That does not look like the cavity wax used by VW.

 

[BPofMD]

Im very glad VW does this, both our chev and dodge came new with nothing but the factory paint dip, driveline was rusted in a month- underside rock chipped frame is rusting and we don't use salt here!

Take a look at Fluid Film ( Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...qmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_43zs9e5yyp_e)

It worked great on my '05 Ford 250!

 

[VeeDubTDI]

That does not look like the cavity wax used by VW.

Keep in mind it's gotten significantly darker due to the dust from his gravel road.