Mysterious black fluid

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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Texafornian
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2017 9:05 pm
Your car is a: 1977 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Frisco, TX

Mysterious black fluid

Postby Texafornian » Sun Apr 30, 2017 1:09 pm

In the runup to my recent CA smog test, I changed engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and distributor oil, along with replacing seals throughout, stopping all my leaks, at least for the time being.

...Or so I thought. When the tech drove my Spider down from the dyno, there was a 1.5" diameter pool of black oily substance on the shop floor under where the engine was during the procedure. It was too black/dirty to be the engine or transmission oil that was recently changed.

Could this have just pooled somewhere in the undercarriage and leaked out when at the steep angle of the dyno? Or do I have another reservoir/leak to repair? Scratching my head as it was pretty copious considering the short amount of time the car was on the dyno, and hasn't appeared since...any ideas?
Daniel

1977 Fiat 124 Spider

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So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: Mysterious black fluid

Postby So Cal Mark » Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:52 pm

a fuel leak that dissolves the undercoating can be dark black. I'm curious about the distributor oil that you changed?
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

User avatar
Texafornian
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2017 9:05 pm
Your car is a: 1977 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Frisco, TX

Re: Mysterious black fluid

Postby Texafornian » Sun Apr 30, 2017 11:39 pm

Duh, differential oil...thanks for reading :-P

I don't think it was fuel. It was too thick/viscous, and didn't smell like gas...I haven't seen any since...
Daniel

1977 Fiat 124 Spider

vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Mysterious black fluid

Postby vandor » Mon May 01, 2017 1:51 am

Motor oil that leaked down a dirty engine or crossmember and picked up dirt in the process?
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: Mysterious black fluid

Postby klweimer » Mon May 01, 2017 8:09 am

Something from someone else's dyno run?


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