What liquid from a car smells fishy?

[madman]

I went to McDonald's this evening I parked up went to get my food and upon returning to my car I noticed quite large amount of liquid under front vehicle, I touched the liquid and it smelt fishy. Before I left this evening the rear brakes did get stuck.

Any idea what that fishy liquid smell is and what to look for?.

Thanks guys

[m50e30]

Brake fluid

[TomsFocus]

Maybe the previous occupier of that space dropped a fish burger...  

Gear oil smells awful so might be that.  Everything else you can check the level of under the bonnet.

[karlbbb]

I had a very slight coolant leak on an old Fiesta and that gave quite a fishy kind of smell. Have a look all over the block for signs of any leakage or wet spots.

[madman]

Thanks guys.

I checked coolant straight away and I do find some times few drips under water pump. But the level was tiny bit under max writing. 

If I had guess the liquid amount I found on floor I say 3 foot long by about foot and half wide of liquid under front car, it did look like large amount. 

The next thing I should check then is brake fluid bottle with such large amount on floor I'm guessing any bottle would be empty.  

 

[madman]

 

Help me guys.

After the fishy liquid smell from under my car focus mk2 in McDonald's upon returning to my car I've now had litle investigation.

I've checked all levels under bonnet all levels near Max the coolant, brake, power steering fluid.

Now I had look under it and found my car wet im going to attach a pic see what u guys think.  I have a leaking rocker cover gasket and not sure if this would cause this. 

[pragmatix]

Just a thought have you had the air con on for the first time in ages it could be the condensation

[Luke4efc]

On 4/6/2021 at 1:40 AM, madman said:

Any idea what that fishy liquid smell is

Are you sure there's not a naked prostitute sat in your passenger seat?

[andypsp]

are you sure it`s from your car and not the last car that was parked in that parking spot as it could have been leaking from their car and not your`s 

[madman]

Air con pump is on front left near drivers side wheel this is middle back. 

From my pic you can see think that is drive shaft and seal in middle back. 

Could this be driveshaft seal and leaked everywhere or could a rocker cover gasket cause this. 

Thanks guys

 

[F0CUE]

What engine is this?

[TomsFocus]

12 minutes ago, madman said:

Air con pump is on front left near drivers side wheel this is middle back. 

From my pic you can see think that is drive shaft and seal in middle back. 

Could this be driveshaft seal and leaked everywhere or could a rocker cover gasket cause this. 

Thanks guys

 

AC drain is under the centre of the dash - should just be water coming out but if it's full of bacteria due to lack of use could smell bad.

Looks like that driveshaft oil seal is weeping, but from your pic I can't imagine it would dump so much fluid.  Gear oil does smell rank though.

Only way to measure gear oil is drain it into a jug.  If you've got an IB5 gearbox (yours is 1.6 petrol iirc?) then there's no drain plug so not easy to do.  If you take it into a garage, they might stick it on the ramp and pump some fluid in through the filler hole for a few quid...if it spills out immediately then the level is fine and the leak was elsewhere.

[F0CUE]

If it is the 1.6 open the plastic cover on the box just at the front passenger side of the engine from underneath in front of the drive shaft I bet it's leaking from there from the selector shaft seal. It drops right under the car and makes a big mess had it on my old car MK2. If that is the case follow the below guide and make sure to get an OEM seal or be doing it twice I learned that lesson.

https://workshop-manuals.com/ford/focus_1999_08.1998-12.2004/mechanical_repairs/3_powertrain/308_manual_transmission-transaxle_clutch_and_transfer_case/308-03a_manual_transmission-transaxle_vehicles_with_5-speed_manual_transmission_(ib5)/description_and_operation/diagnosis_and_testing/general_procedures/in-vehicle_repair/gearshift_control_shaft_seal/

[madman]

It's 1.6 ti vct

[F0CUE]

Same engine but with ti-vct would check above as gear oil does stink bad.

[madman]

Going try changing the rocker cover gasket. How do u remove to ti vct solenoids on top next to oil filer

[madman]

I'm trying change the rocker cover gasket on focus MK2.  On vct 1.6 back right hand corner there is 2 plugs on metal bracket and the rocker cover sits inside it. Any one please know how to get rocker cover out. 

Thanks bit stuck at mo

[bszemethy]

There is a second nut under connectors at the back of engine which holds the connector holder.

[madman]

Thank you so got no chance of accessing that nut from a driveway.  I had feel location and it's difficult. 

[ScaniaPBman]

Get the hacksaw out and cut most of that stud thread off. Leave just enough to have the nut clamp the connector bracket.

Then bend the bracket up and back so that it pops off over the remains of the shortened stud.

It worked for me.

ScaniaPBman.

[madman]

On 4/21/2021 at 1:34 PM, F0CUE said:

If it is the 1.6 open the plastic cover on the box just at the front passenger side of the engine from underneath in front of the drive shaft I bet it's leaking from there from the selector shaft seal. It drops right under the car and makes a big mess had it on my old car MK2. If that is the case follow the below guide and make sure to get an OEM seal or be doing it twice I learned that lesson.

https://workshop-manuals.com/ford/focus_1999_08.1998-12.2004/mechanical_repairs/3_powertrain/308_manual_transmission-transaxle_clutch_and_transfer_case/308-03a_manual_transmission-transaxle_vehicles_with_5-speed_manual_transmission_(ib5)/description_and_operation/diagnosis_and_testing/general_procedures/in-vehicle_repair/gearshift_control_shaft_seal/

Had quick look under the car that plastic cover was dry from outside looking at it or have I got to take cover off to see any leaks

[F0CUE]

18 minutes ago, madman said:

Had quick look under the car that plastic cover was dry from outside looking at it or have I got to take cover off to see any leaks

If it's dry from the outside then it won't be that but the mess you had matched what's mines was like the plastic cover will show where it's filled etc. The fishy smell though indicates gear oil as gear oil has sulfur-phosphorus. Have you tracked how far up the oil falls from from your previous pic on on Tuesday?

[madman]

Took car to Kwik fit so he and i had look under it. We both could see the oil dripping off the corner off metal bracket back right of rocker cover gasket. 

Kwik fit said the drip location and my earlier pic was in direct line of it and thinks that's the cause, he said once oil gets hot it's quite thin and spreads easily. 

I have like a crunching from front of car if i brake doesn't happen driving it, I asked could be driveshaft he said it happen all the time and then said my front wishbone bush the big one on the arms  had quite bit movement and that would cause a crunching noise, but then that same Kwik fit garage said it could be brake rattle. 

Wishbone bushes usually rubber that be a thud noise and not a knuckle crunch noise. 

 

[madman]

Had car booked in with mechanic. He had look under it and said looked like rocker cover gasket dripping down. I brought the gasket 25 quid. 

He checked gearbox oil under cover said little bit low topped that up, topped up my coolant, filled up washer bottle up, changed the rocker cover gasket and I see some red sealant also been used aswell and charged me 40 quid. 

I felt the old gasket and the corner was rock hard. 

What u guys think not a bad price.

[F0CUE]

18 minutes ago, madman said:

Had car booked in with mechanic. He had look under it and said looked like rocker cover gasket dripping down. I brought the gasket 25 quid. 

He checked gearbox oil under cover said little bit low topped that up, topped up my coolant, filled up washer bottle up, changed the rocker cover gasket and I see some red sealant also been used aswell and charged me 40 quid. 

I felt the old gasket and the corner was rock hard. 

What u guys think not a bad price.

Defo if you got it done at fords would of been expensive.