Leak I Can't Figure Out

[mattyd7]

I've been driving my car a ton with all the nice weather and no rain, and haven't had any issues in a while. Today while I was in the garage I noticed a weird puddle next to the passenger side rear tire. The fluid was brown/reddish. The only place I see any fluid is on the bracket where the sway bar secures. You can see where its wet there above the puddle in the pic. None on the axle or anywhere else. I can't understand where it could be coming out of or what it would be, but suspension components are probably my weakest area so I hoped it would be obvious to someone on here.

It doesn't seem to be a brake fluid leak, because I have a firm brake pedal still, and I would expect even a small leak to ruin the feel. Also the level in the reservoir looks fine.

The only thing I can think of that is back there to leak is the rear differential. However, I do not understand how the fluid could get in that location.

Any thoughts?

[AriK]

Something in your spare tire well puked out its contents. Just above that bushing there's a rubber drain plug for the trunk.

[vandor]

> I would expect even a small leak to ruin the feel.

Nope. I bet you dollars to doughnuts it's the brake compensator leaking, which is just above that area.
BTW, that is the panhard rod, not the swaybar.

https://autoricambi.us/products/brake-c ... -regulator

[Odoyle]

That is definitely your rear compensator leaking, replace it. Here is the part http://www.autoricambi.us/product/BR8-4 ... egulator-/

[geert]

Any toughts ?

Garfield, your cat ?

place & colour

- brakefluid ( a very small leak will not change the feeling of the car,)
-rear axle oil ( improbable ) there is a small hole somewhere in the (early ?) axles ( pression )
- fuel, dissolving some undercoating can give brownish and sticky fluid

brakes : - top up reservoir and check after a time
- check connections
- check function of the (right) rear wheel brakes ( with the pedal) : a worn flexible hose can give ++ pression acting like a valve
- breakcompensation-thing

hope this helps you a bit further

groeten, Geert

[mattyd7]

OK thanks guys. I'm going to look today but reading the responses, I have a feeling you are correct about the brake compensator being the culprit. At first I did think maybe something fell over in the trunk and spilled, but not the case. The way the fluid was bubbling the undercoating, and the consistency makes sense for brake fluid, the color coming from the dissolved undercoating. I just wasn't believing it at first because the pedal feel was ok, but if you guys say a small leak wouldn't ruin the feel, then sounds like we have a winner.