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2007 Mazda 6 3.0L V6, driven daily, has been dripping a few drops of oil per day from this ... what the heck is this bent piece of metal that looks like it actually has a drip spout? And where is the leak likely to be originating and what are recommended diagnostics or repairs?

Mazda 6 Undercarriage

Oil leak point

Oil leak point detail

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  • Check carefully because the source can be higher up - even a rocker cover gasket can be the real cause. Check thoroughly. – Solar Mike Sep 19 '20 at 18:11
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That looks to be where the transmission bellhousing meets the engine block. If that's the spot, the leak is most likely the rear main seal. This is where the engine crankshaft comes out of the engine and the place where the flexplate (assuming an automatic transmission) connects to it. There is a seal which circles the crankshaft. A leak where you're showing it is usually caused from this seal leaking.

This is not an easy fix, because one has to remove the engine/tranny from the car (most front wheel drive cars requires this), then split the tranny and engine, remove the parts, replace the seal, then put it all together again. A lot of work for a $20 seal.

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    Many fwd cars can have the transmission removed without removing the engine and to achieve this sometimes the subframe needs to be dropped a small amount but not in all cases. – Solar Mike Sep 19 '20 at 18:10
  • Sounds likely ... which on a car this old may not justify the trouble. Are there any "hack" fixes, if for nothing else than to keep the oil from staining parking spots? (I won't say "duct tape" because I assume that any external adhesive seal would fail because half of what it would have to cover rotates?) – feetwet Sep 19 '20 at 18:11
  • @feetwet - Other than putting Pigmat under the vehicle where it drips, no, not a single hack fix I can think of. – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2♦ Sep 19 '20 at 18:53
  • Or a torque converter seal – Moab Sep 19 '20 at 19:59
  • @Moab - Not if it's engine oil ... – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2♦ Sep 19 '20 at 21:02

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