There are several systems that can leak oil. Each fluid tends to be a different color, which can help to identify the leaking system.

  • Engine oil tends to be brown or black. It can be an amber color if it’s new oil.
  • Power steering fluid can be many colors: clear, brown, green or red.
  • Automatic transmission fluid is reddish in color.
  • Engine coolant is green, red, orange, or clear. It has a watery consistency different from oil.
  • Oil leaks tends to move in a downward and rearward direction. Therefore, oil leaking under the rear of the engine may have originated at the upper front engine area.
  • It’s normal for an engine to get quite dirty, which can make locating the source of an oil leak quite difficult. One way, Auto Tech Specialists addresses this is to add a fluorescent dye to the oil, drive the vehicle, and then use a special light to illuminate the leaking fluorescent dye.

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