Yeah, so I was driving my Max around town when I smelt something burining. I pulled off but before I did I heard a pinging sound.. So I pull off and pop my hood and there is smoke and oil leaking under my car and around my starter.

I was a short distance from my house so I pulled home and put it up on stands, pulled my starter off and there was oil on it and on the bell housing..

So I look at my starter and the side that goes into the bell looks all chipped and crap.

I have a new starter, but I am just wondering before I install if this is normal or what? lol I hope my trans is'nt totally screwed.

 

Auto or 5spd?

What color was the fluid?

No fluids are supposed to be coming out of the bell housing or starter.

 

So an oil leak developed on the drivers side? Most likely it wasn't coming from the starter because no fluids should be in there at all. Im not sure but I cant think of anything that would leak above the starter. The rear main seal is on the tranny side but that usually doesnt leak and I think its under the starter anyways

 

He could have a tranny leak and it could sling up all over the starter.

 

Yeah, thats what I thought. It is a 5 speed, fluid is def tranny fluid.

Im gonna post a pic of this madness in a sec, I know the previous owner replaced the rear main seal when I first bought it. Which is a year ago to the month. I know its always had a small leak, just never knew where.

Thats what I'm thinking too, but the starter has marks on...

 

This is the starter all chewed up


The leak where the starter mounts

 

Yikes, that's definitely a tranny problem.

 

Thats what I figured. Damit. How hard is the manual trans to replace in these cars? Junk yard by my house has two 5 speeds

 

there not that hard at all and if you got two people it make it even better.

 

COOL. thanks man. Yeah my bro is gonna help me tommorrow. I got the How-To off of here, so we'll see how it goes.

 

If it has a sulfer/a$$ smell then it is gear oil likely coming from the input shaft seal leaking. Your clutch will be contaminated and need replacing. Cleaning clutch discs generally doesn't work out.

 

HOPEFULLY when we pull this thing out we can see whats going on. If thats the case I'll upgrade to a better one, been meaning to for a while.