We have a 1983 GL, automatic transmission. Recently we had to have all the brakes pretty much rebuilt; before discovering how bad the actual disks and rotors were, I also found that the brake fluid in the master had gone to 0. This may be unrelated, but wanted to report it first.

We now have, in the morning, a couple of spots on the driveway under the engine compartment. By the end of the day, no visible stain is left on the concrete. I looked carefully today, and one spot is near the front left wheel where an axle or part of suspension ties in. The other spot(s) are near the middle of the engine compartment, below a kind of roundish pan or something just behind a square tube like thing (sorry, I'm not a mechanic and I'm working from memory from a few hours ago in a pre-coffee fog). The fluid itself is nearly colorless and odorless; what little odor I detect is much a like light machine oil like a 3-in-1 brand oil; it is slightly greasy. It does not appear to be coolant or motor oil, lacking the color or sweetness of coolant and the depth of color, odor, or viscosity of motor oil.

Any thoughts on what it could be?

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83 240 GL

Hi there,

You've described brake fluid to a "T" - clean, new brake fluid. If I take the square tube to be the steering shaft, it sounds to me like the leak is under the area where the master is located, so it could be from the master, or from below at the junction block.

The highest wet spot is what you're looking for. I would drag a gloved finger around each of the two brake line connections, under the back of the master where it joins the large booster pot, and then follow the lines down toward the junction box, which is easier viewed with a flashlight, or from under the car with the wheel removed.

Don't drive it until you fix it.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

"I was worried that my mechanic might try to rip me off, I was relieved when he told me all I needed was turn-signal fluid."