I've got my 09 V8V in for an alignment today (for some reason it's missing a lug nut on the right front wheel, wtf?). While it was up in the air the techs noticed a brake fluid leak around the bellhousing area, and the fluid is getting on the cats and smoking.

Is this common? What should I check?

 

Brake fluid is corrosive to soft things on our cars. Are they inspecting any rubber or plastic the fluid may have in contact with?

 

Sadly this is a leaking slave cylinder. Can be caused by not bleeding old brake fluid from the clutch system every couple of years. Need to pull the torque tube and inspect/repair/replace. Given the cost to get in there, a close look at the clutch pack is probably warranted as well.

Good luck with the repair!

 

How does the technician know it's brake fluid? The bleed nipple for the clutch fluid protrudes from the bellhousing. Perhaps that is the source of the leak? Clutch and brake fluid leaking is absolutely not normal and I'd work to fix that right away.

 

Damnit. I just bought the car and now I have to do a multi-thousand-dollar repair to replace the slave cylinder/throw-out bearing. I didn't expect this right away.

Looks like I'll be parking it for a while. Ugh.

 

Hope springs eternal. Too be fair, I was thinking leaking from inside the bell housing and out the weep hole. It could be coming from the nipple and down the outside. If so, go buy a lottery ticket or two with the savings.

 

I'll look at that. But, with my luck it'll be the worst, most expensive thing to fix.