I bought my 99 Max with Illuminas and h-techs already installed. I did an oil change today. I lifted up the right side of the car to change the oil filter and noticed that some kind of oil (liquid) started leaking down the tire onto the ground. (keep in mind, this was the first time I had ever jacked it up on my own) I didn't think much of it at the moment. I proceeded to change the oil. Once we were done, I went home, parked the car in the drive way for all of 2 minutes, ran inside, got something, came back outside and reversed away. As I left, I noticed there was now some oily stuff in my drive way where my right tire was parked. Any ideas?

 

what color?

clear-ish brown to brown-ish clear is brake fluid... leaking from a broken line or loose fitting.

red-ish is power steering fluid. The power steering reservoir and pressure hoses are located over the passenger side wheel well.

 

yea, i'd say we need to know what color and did it have an odor to it? Check the PS rez and also the master cyl (brakes) to see if it's one or the other. Did you spill any oil when re-filling?


edit: PS fluid will leave your fingers redish when you rub it between your finger and thumb, brake fluid will not leave a color really, PS will smell sweet (don't taste it! lol), brake fluid will feel like it will not come off your fingers - even after washing.

 

If it is brake fluid you should notice a considerably soft pedal, even with the dual master. I have always had luck by tracking the fluid leak back to its orgin... this works best RIGHT NOW while the leak is fresh and hasnt had time to splash around. You should be able to trace the fluid track back to the orgin fairly easily. if it is on the inside of the tire you should be able to look directly above where it is leaking (gravity fed) and trace it back from there. If not look on other components in the vacinity. If it got intot he wheel well it has to be outside of that, i.e. brakes.

 

yea youd know if it was brake fluid

my guess is power steering fluid leaking from the rack.
i had this same issue and it turned out it was just a loose clamp (from 11 years of bumps)

 

depending on the mileage on the struts? they could be shot. Might be a coincidence that it happened just us you jacked it up to change oil.