How to differentiate manual transmission fluid from synthetic engine oil????
 

I have this oil leak coming from the bottom of my 00 Maxima. The oil seems to come from where the transmission connects to the bell housing. I can't figure out if this is engine oil or transmission fluid. I know fresh synthetic engine oil is hard to differentiate from manual tranmission oil but are there are any specific characteristics I might be able to use to tell if this leak is engine or tranny fluid? The leaking oils is very dark looking. I change my own engine oil and to me it seems like this fluid is engine oil not tranny fluid. In the past when i changed my tranny fluid, the used tranny fluid was a cloudy gray with a very distinct smell to it, not black like used engine oil. Does anyone have any ideas????

super clean the whole engine till its as clean as you can get it, then turn it on and run it for a little after it dries and where it starts leaking from will be your answer

it only drips from where the bellhousing meets the tranny so there is no way to tell with out taking things apart

I have the same problem on my 99 Maxima. I cleaned the outside of the transmission. The oil has to be either engine oil or gear oil. Seems a big problem (either rear main seal or input shaft?)

If you can collect enough of the leaking oil, you could send it to the lab to determine which fluid is leaking. They will probably want to know what engine oil you have installed.

Good Luck

Did anyone fine the cause of there leak yet ?