> Hi, I have a 1996 850, and just discovered a mysterious oil leak under
> the rubber floor mat in the driver's side floor area...the carpet under
> the mat was soaked with a clear oil like substance, and it seemed that
> the oil had wicked into the carpet somehow. There was no oil around
> the pedals or up higher...is this refrigerant oil? Any ideas on where
> it might be leaking? Thanks!
Not refrigerant oil if the AC/Defroster is working. I am thinking clutch
fluid, if a manual tranny. Easy enough to tell; look at the reservoir. I
don't particularly suspect the brakes because the booster should stop the
fluid from getting into the passenger compartment, but while you are under
there a peek at all the fluid levels would be nice.
If it is the clutch fluid, you need a new clutch master cylinder. My
experience is that the master and slave cylinders usually go out within a
few months (sometimes weeks) of each other, so a pre-emptive replacement of
the slave would be a good idea.
If not a manual tranny, I'm stumped. Even a pinhole in the evaporator should
drain any oil leaked onto the ground through the evaporator drain.
Mike