[SpecialFX]

I have some fluid under the car that I cannot tell what it is. There is a pic below. It's pretty dirty fluid, so it's hard to even say what color it is. Please help me diagnose. I feel like this is probably an easy one, but I am teaching myself as I go. Please be gentle!

For reference, the picture is taken from by the driver's side door pointed towards the front bumper and the car is a 73 CDV. Thanks in advance!

 

[the APEMAN]

Looks like transmission fluid. Check the level and put some newspaper or white cardboard under there to see it it's red or brown. If the leak started suddenly and is heavy then you might have popped the front transmission pump seal. Lots of work but cheap if you fix it yourself. It could also be something entirely different.

 

[Wheelman322]

Has a brownish tint...Could be MO. Put a piece of cardboard under your car overnight. If the fluid had a reddish tint it is Trans fluid...If it's brown or black it's Motor Oil.

 

[SpecialFX]

It's got some reddish tint, but is more brown than anything. Any more details on where it might be coming from? I checked the level and it's actually slightly above full.

 

[ewill3rd]

The leak pattern is impossible to determine from this angle.
It looks like something forward of this area is leaking and covering the whole underside of the car with fluid.
I see some possible areas of transmission fluid leakage but again, from that image it is impossible to be more precise.
You might start by replacing the trans pan gasket, be sure to flatten the pan surface where the bolt holes are, do not use any sealers or glues and torque the fasteners to the proper specification, get a few cans of brake clean, clean off the bottom of the car and then monitor it for leaks to help pinpoint any further remaining leaks.
If the bottom of the car is covered like that it could be coming from anywhere.

 

[turaboy]

Looks like tranny fluid to me too. You can check by smell. Also, you may be able to tell by where the wetness starts (unless, of course both are leaking like mine).

 

[Guest]

Drop in middle of picture is clearly red. Tranny fluid. Maybe you recently over filled it.

 

[SpecialFX]

That's the weird thing. All my fluids (except power steering because I know I have a small leak there) are completely full. And it just leaked and stopped and hasn't again. Every now and then (maybe once a month) the car will leak a lot of fluid and then I try and diagnose and it doesn't leak anymore for a a good while.

EDIT: And, no I am not using tranny fluid for power steering.

 

[ewill3rd]

Most Hydramatic transmissions have a vent in the top.
If the transmission overheats in some fashion it will push fluid out of the vent.
Perhaps at times the fluid is foaming or overheating causing it to be pushed out of the vent?
Overfilling can cause this.
Are you checking the fluid hot with the engine idling?

 

[SpecialFX]

The leak happened when the car was sitting (for several weeks), so I don't think it's the vent thing. And I just in the past few days got teh car back together and running, so I have only checked tranny fluid with the engine dead cold. It should read even higher after it's warmed up, right?

 

[ewill3rd]

It should, transmission fluid expands much more than most fluids.
Most transmission dipsticks have a cold and a hot range for reading.
There are things that might leak above or below certain temperatures.
Like I said, the best thing to do is clean it off really well and then watch it closely to see where the leak pattern emerges.