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MozerShmozer
MozerShmozer
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The Car

I have a 2010 Smart ForTwo with just under 100k miles. It's a Model 451 with a 1.3L engine.

The Problem

The car is losing oil. There are no spots on the ground when I move the car, but the oil level drops consistently over time (maybe a quart per month/2000 miles or so). The exhaust doesn't smoke nor does it smell like burning oil. There is a dirty, wettish spot on the differential housing just in front of the driver-side axle, but...

Troubleshooting

The most recent time I changed the oil I added some oil-based UV Fluorescent Dye. I've used it in the past to good results, but this time I haven't seen any bright glowing leaks anywhere when I inspect under the car with a UV light. Notably, the wet spot on the differential does not have any dye, so either it's an old leak which still hasn't dried (seems unlikely) or the dye isn't leaking yet. I tested the dye before I filled the engine and it definitely glowed properly under a black light.

The Question

Are there any common locations oil tends to leak on these cars? Is there a way oil could be leaking in such a way to pool onto the differential housing? More importantly, are there any locations which aren't easily seen from beneath (maybe a leak onto another surface, for example)? Is it possible the engine is burning that much oil without smoking?

The Car

I have a 2010 Smart ForTwo with just under 100k miles. It's a Model 451 with a 1.3L engine.

The Problem

The car is losing oil. There are no spots on the ground when I move the car, but the oil level drops consistently over time (maybe a quart per month or so). The exhaust doesn't smoke nor does it smell like burning oil. There is a dirty, wettish spot on the differential housing just in front of the driver-side axle, but...

Troubleshooting

The most recent time I changed the oil I added some oil-based UV Fluorescent Dye. I've used it in the past to good results, but this time I haven't seen any bright glowing leaks anywhere when I inspect under the car with a UV light. Notably, the wet spot on the differential does not have any dye, so either it's an old leak which still hasn't dried (seems unlikely) or the dye isn't leaking yet. I tested the dye before I filled the engine and it definitely glowed properly under a black light.

The Question

Are there any common locations oil tends to leak on these cars? Is there a way oil could be leaking in such a way to pool onto the differential housing? More importantly, are there any locations which aren't easily seen from beneath (maybe a leak onto another surface, for example)? Is it possible the engine is burning that much oil without smoking?

The Car

I have a 2010 Smart ForTwo with just under 100k miles. It's a Model 451 with a 1.3L engine.

The Problem

The car is losing oil. There are no spots on the ground when I move the car, but the oil level drops consistently over time (maybe a quart per month/2000 miles or so). The exhaust doesn't smoke nor does it smell like burning oil. There is a dirty, wettish spot on the differential housing just in front of the driver-side axle, but...

Troubleshooting

The most recent time I changed the oil I added some oil-based UV Fluorescent Dye. I've used it in the past to good results, but this time I haven't seen any bright glowing leaks anywhere when I inspect under the car with a UV light. Notably, the wet spot on the differential does not have any dye, so either it's an old leak which still hasn't dried (seems unlikely) or the dye isn't leaking yet. I tested the dye before I filled the engine and it definitely glowed properly under a black light.

The Question

Are there any common locations oil tends to leak on these cars? Is there a way oil could be leaking in such a way to pool onto the differential housing? More importantly, are there any locations which aren't easily seen from beneath (maybe a leak onto another surface, for example)? Is it possible the engine is burning that much oil without smoking?

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Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
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MozerShmozer
MozerShmozer
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What are some common locations for oil leaks on a Smart 451?

The Car

I have a 2010 Smart ForTwo with just under 100k miles. It's a Model 451 with a 1.3L engine.

The Problem

The car is losing oil. There are no spots on the ground when I move the car, but the oil level drops consistently over time (maybe a quart per month or so). The exhaust doesn't smoke nor does it smell like burning oil. There is a dirty, wettish spot on the differential housing just in front of the driver-side axle, but...

Troubleshooting

The most recent time I changed the oil I added some oil-based UV Fluorescent Dye. I've used it in the past to good results, but this time I haven't seen any bright glowing leaks anywhere when I inspect under the car with a UV light. Notably, the wet spot on the differential does not have any dye, so either it's an old leak which still hasn't dried (seems unlikely) or the dye isn't leaking yet. I tested the dye before I filled the engine and it definitely glowed properly under a black light.

The Question

Are there any common locations oil tends to leak on these cars? Is there a way oil could be leaking in such a way to pool onto the differential housing? More importantly, are there any locations which aren't easily seen from beneath (maybe a leak onto another surface, for example)? Is it possible the engine is burning that much oil without smoking?