Mystery fluid leak?

[smolkin]

Was just under the truck checking out the horrible state of my front brakes and saw this:

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

It has the consistency of maple syrup, and is pretty sticky but clear and golden in color. It seems to have come from further up but I can't see exactly where, the firewall is in the way. The daily afternoon thunderstorm is about to hit, so no more pics, sorry. Oil and transmission levels are ok and both are normal color, definitely not one of those. Do I have a honeybee hive in my cowl? Any ideas?

 

[flareside_thun]

Taste it.....

 

[hairyboxnoogle]

Hmm, had any starting issues? My guess is youve been crankin on it hard lately or the starters been getting weak. That sounds about like the "mystery" fluid they put in the starter and solenoid. When i cooked my starter in mine trying to get it fired the first time that stuff was all over the starter and the bottom of the bellhousing.

 

[icanfixall]

That starter looks kinda new. My swag is its leaking some grease because of any number of things... Like cranking too long and heating it up maybe. This may be from the starter solenoid too. They might be filling them with this type of heavy oil....

 

[smolkin]

Hmm, had any starting issues? My guess is youve been crankin on it hard lately or the starters been getting weak. That sounds about like the "mystery" fluid they put in the starter and solenoid. When i cooked my starter in mine trying to get it fired the first time that stuff was all over the starter and the bottom of the bellhousing.

It is tough to see in the pics but the stuff seems to be running down from above the starter. It's starting as well as it always has, no reduction in starter speed. When I look up the back side of the block I can see the fluid trail going up as far as I can see. I hope it isn't somehow the starter, that was my first thought too, but I don't see how it would 'climb' that high up the block...

The starter is about a year old, was on on my 6.9 originally. It has a lifetime replacement warranty...if I can find the dang receipt.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

check your glow plug controler. might sound weird but isnt there sealer to seal off all the controls? if that heats up that stuff will run. one of the spark controller boxes i had on my old jeep did this. had goo all down the fender.

 

[hairyboxnoogle]

I cant see anything else on or in the engine having that sort of stuff in it. Im 99% sure thats the oil they put in electric stuff like coils and solenoids. Ive blown up a coil or two and cooked the one starter. But i could definately wrong.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

check your glow plug controler. might sound weird but isnt there sealer to seal off all the controls? if that heats up that stuff will run. one of the spark controller boxes i had on my old jeep did this. had goo all down the fender.

Good point. there is some sort of sealent on the bottom of the controller box.

 

[93iditurbo]

Coolant?

 

[smolkin]

Not coolant either. It has to be the starter or gp controller. Since the controller is on the to-do list already this mystery may not be solved for a while (unless my starter goes out...)
Don't have time to tear into it right now, I'm on call and my 'friend' just screwed up a job that I now have to fix personally after hours. Never employ a friend. You end up losing either a friend or employee or both every time.

 

[hairyboxnoogle]

check your glow plug controler. might sound weird but isnt there sealer to seal off all the controls? if that heats up that stuff will run. one of the spark controller boxes i had on my old jeep did this. had goo all down the fender.

Doh, totatlly didnt think of that one... and i shoulda, i cooked a duraspark module and that stuff is nasty when it melts and goes places. That would explain why his starter shows no difference, and his hunch about it coming from farther up.

 

[trapper]

i have the 7.3 gp system on my 6.9 and there is a relay (i guess) and is filled with that stuff in your pic and when is heated up it melted that crap and it was all over the top of my engine

 

[OLDBULL8]

Your GP controller is more or less over the valley pan. There is very little sealer on the bottom of the GPC. It's a rubbery silicone about 3/16" thick, it won't melt, it just burns if it gets hot. Here's a pic of the bottom side of one. I had one where a component burned, no melting there.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

u sure it wont melt? like i stated, i had a ford ignition modual melt down in my jeep from a faulty voltage regulator. had yellowish gooey slime all over the fender.

 

[flareside_thun]

u sure it wont melt? like i stated, i had a ford ignition modual melt down in my jeep from a faulty voltage regulator. had yellowish gooey slime all over the fender.

I'm pretty sure EVERY brain box from a 70's and 80's model truck has melted down like that. if anything, it'd be worth the minute it takes to unbolt and bolt it back just to check.