RMS Leak? Please Help Me
 

Hello everyone,

Here is the background: Maybe a month or so ago, my boxster started leaking. By default I assume it is an RMS. The catch is I have a tiptronic, so there will be no logical "easy" time to fix the problem, if RMS is the case.

I am not sure what the actual problem is, but I have suffered zero CELs, performance problems, odd sounds, odd driving "feel" or anything. I would estimate I've driven the car 1,000 miles with this leak and have no perceptible level of oil loss. It is all business as usual, except for oil droplets. The drop puddle you see is from about 2 weeks of accumulation. I have attached 5 pics of the drops and underside of the car as best I could. . . please add your insight if you can look at the pics.

Thanks! I really hope this is nothing.

Thanks! I really hope this is nothing.[/QUOTE]

There are a number of different opinions on this so here is mine. Read up on everyone's, this is probably the most talked about thing on the boxster boards. If you don't track your car and you religously check your oil and your droplet on the floor I would not rush out to get the RMS replaced. At $6.00 a quart you will have to lose a LOT of oil to get close to the cost of an RMS replacement. I once had a Jeep that leeked almost a quart of oil every two months. It would have cost $600.00 to fix or $0.50 oil per month. Do the math. Throw some kitty litter on the floor and some cardboard on top so you can monitor the leak. If it gets worse replace, otherwise change the kitty litter every couple of months.

Is there the chance that you could remove the aluminum plate that's connected to the two diagonal braces to see if you can find the source of the leak?

While you are at it you should see if you can get your hands on a can of this or something similar. Spray it on the entire area where the leak may be coming from. I thought my boxster was leaking at the RMS too when I first bought it but it turned out to be a sloppy oil change had left a small leak at the filter and the drain plug. Tightened them both up and no more leaks.

http://www.tdsleakseal.com/oil-leak-detection-products.htm

Forget the Kitty Litter and Cardboard. Go to Pep boys and get a flat plastic oil protector. This will be much easier in the long run.

Twenty bucks.

I think that is a very good idea in general, but a bad idea for me specifically. I am not mechanically inclined and I'll probably end up destroying something, lol. I was hoping with the pictures, somebody with an experienced eye might see something that stood out.

When I take my car in for its 45K in about 6-7 months, I'll definetly get it looked at. I am just trying to decide whether or not I need to take it in before. . . . other than the small drip I have no symptons or "red flags"

Well at least you need to get the car up on a lift to inspect it better. Possible that it's just a leaky sump pan gasket, or maybe even the Tiptronic pan - are you sure it's motor oil and not ATF? From the pics, I can't totally rule out the Tranny pan, though it's unlikely.

My tranny pan was leaking and the underside, from the view of your pics was very similar excapt of course the engine sump was dry.

With the Tip, you can't ammortize the cost a little by including clutch work, but it's never gonna get better, it will get worse with time.

My '03 with Tip had the RMS go abruptly, and it leaked a lot more than what you're showing, I had a puddle after just a day, so if that's your RMS causing the leak, you've got some time. I had to get mine done immediately.

ATF = ? What would the difference be in these two fluids in terms of appearance, color, consistency, etc? I put a newspaper under the car once to collet the drippings and it seemed like motor oil to me.

ATF should appear less viscous and usually is a color, red or green. It also tends to be less dirty than oil, so if its oil, it will look black and dirty.

Smell wise, ATF usually is more pungent also.