Liquid on skid plate. What is it?

[xwake4lifex]

So there is a very small amount of liquid that has made its way on to the floor beneath my 4Runner in the garage. It's only in one small spot, about the size of a nickel. I've looked underneath the car and notice that some liquid or grease is collecting on/around the skid plate. I'm not sure what this is. There is a lot more visible on the skid plate than on the ground. What ever makes it to the ground is very minimal.

I haven't had time yet to see if I could trace it but looking under the hood from top down looks OK. I don't see anything that is leaking. I'll get under it and look better tonight when I'm home from classes.

I was hoping someone has seen this before or experienced it before.

*Sorry I didn't rotate some of the images to have the skid plate give a proper perspective.

 

[leftyguns21]

its tough to tell from the pictures which side of the vehicle its leaking on. there really isn't many things it could be though.

if its pink, its radiator fluid. check bottom corners of radiator. mine is leaking drivers side bottom corner. most of the fluid stays on skid plate with small drops making their way to the floor
gray its grease. check all your joints and cv/axel. again most stays on skid plate area.
blueish could be power steering fluid. check the reservoir
black(?) brake fluid. check the reservoir

 

[xwake4lifex]

its tough to tell from the pictures which side of the vehicle its leaking on. there really isn't many things it could be though.

if its pink, its radiator fluid. check bottom corners of radiator. mine is leaking drivers side bottom corner. most of the fluid stays on skid plate with small drops making their way to the floor
gray its grease. check all your joints and cv/axel. again most stays on skid plate area.
blueish could be power steering fluid. check the reservoir
black(?) brake fluid. check the reservoir

I know the pictures weren't the best but I figured it was better to have some rather than none.

I'll check and see what the color is this evening. I'm also going to see if I can trace it back to the source. Then I'll have a better idea. Thanks for your input.

I'll update with any new findings.

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[BRUIN8124]

Is there an odor to it? If not, it could be condensation off the AC.

 

[xwake4lifex]

Is there an odor to it? If not, it could be condensation off the AC.

I tried to smell some last night and I don't think it really had an odor to it. I'll try again tonight. Can I test anything by smearing it on the garage floor? If it's just condensation it would evaporate and leave no marks right?

Also probably a dumb question but will the AC have condensation even if I'm not using the AC?

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[jfry008]

I tried to smell some last night and I don't think it really had an odor to it. I'll try again tonight. Can I test anything by smearing it on the garage floor? If it's just condensation it would evaporate and leave no marks right?

Also probably a dumb question but will the AC have condensation even if I'm not using the AC?

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Check your power steering level, coolant level, oil level, etc..

 

[AuSeeker]

AC condensation leaks out on the passenger side fender well/firewall area above the frame side rail, just don't see how it could be on the
skid plate, especially toward the front, which is where this fluid appears to be in the first photo.

It doesn't look to be an oil base fluid to me but hard to say from the photo, so if it isn't oil based that would rule out power steering fluid,
brake fluid, transmission fluid and motor oil, does it feel like oil or more like water?
I'm thinking it's coolant, which is what it looks like to me on the skid plate, or if your lucky it could also be windshield washer fluid.

How many miles on your T4R?
Has the water pump and or lower radiator hose ever been replaced?
If not, one or the other is what I would check for leaking.
You could also check the rubber hose from the plastic coolant reservoir to the radiator, and also the windsheild washer reservoir and
hoses/connections.

 

[xwake4lifex]

Check your power steering level, coolant level, oil level, etc..

Levels all seem to be good. Guess I'll give it some time and recheck them all.

AC condensation leaks out on the passenger side fender well/firewall area above the frame side rail, just don't see how it could be on the
skid plate, especially toward the front, which is where this fluid appears to be in the first photo.

It doesn't look to be an oil base fluid to me but hard to say from the photo, so if it isn't oil based that would rule out power steering fluid,
brake fluid, transmission fluid and motor oil, does it feel like oil or more like water?
I'm thinking it's coolant, which is what it looks like to me on the skid plate, or if your lucky it could also be windshield washer fluid.

How many miles on your T4R?
Has the water pump and or lower radiator hose ever been replaced?
If not, one or the other is what I would check for leaking.
You could also check the rubber hose from the plastic coolant reservoir to the radiator, and also the windsheild washer reservoir and
hoses/connections.

It definitely seems like it's closer to the center of the skid plate and maybe to the driver's side slightly.

I think when I got some on my fingers last night it would be more of a water-y consistency rather than oil. I'll definitely check again though.

I have just under 150,000 miles on the truck. I don't believe the radiator hose or water pump have been replaced. Guess I'll get under there tonight and do some thorough searching. I hope it's not coolant leaking or if it is maybe just a hose needs fixing.

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[AuSeeker]

Also as someone mentioned it could also be a leak in the radiator, look for pink crusty buildup on the radiator coils and coils to sidetank junctions.

 

[leftyguns21]

check recovery tank levels too. that will help indicate if its radiator fluid.

 

[ray k]

I tried to smell some last night and I don't think it really had an odor to it. I'll try again tonight. Can I test anything by smearing it on the garage floor? If it's just condensation it would evaporate and leave no marks right?

Also probably a dumb question but will the AC have condensation even if I'm not using the AC?

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Try smearing some on white paper. The color should be easier to determine that way.

 

[xwake4lifex]

Try smearing some on white paper. The color should be easier to determine that way.

Okay so I laid down several sheets of white printer paper this evening right when I got home. I looked all over under the vehicle and it's actually surprisingly clean. Anyway I did find a spot that had some drips. It was on the passenger side coming from a small tube that has an opening and faces down. It dripped down onto a metal portion of the undercarriage and from there made it's way to the ground eventually.

The liquid is clear and odorless. I'm guessing that's some sort of evaporation/condensation tube for the AC? If so it seems like that's something not to worry about.

I'm going to keep the papers under there over night though and through tomorrow to see if I can catch anything else.

This is only my second car and it's super new to me and I'm being overly paranoid I think. Especially after reading all the stories in the head gasket thread.

 

[ray k]

Actually when my old 05 4runner had the head gasket going bad, it was leaking internally.

 

[theoutbackdream]

Could be anything honestly since it's just a picture of a skid with some liquid on it. But from what you've described, it seems like its just AC.. Is the liquid there when idling/driving the car with the AC on?

 

[AuSeeker]

Yes the tube you saw leaking is the AC drain, I looked at your photos again and now see that it's not on the front skid plate as I thought, I think you're fine and the liquid is from the AC drain!

 

[xwake4lifex]

Yes the tube you saw leaking is the AC drain, I looked at your photos again and now see that it's not on the front skid plate as I thought, I think you're fine and the liquid is from the AC drain!

Thanks for the input! I appreciate it. I looked at all the papers sitting where my car was overnight and the only spot that had anything on it was where that AC line drips out. Odorless and is definitely consistency of water. Dried completely clear on the white paper too. I'll leave the papers there for a few days, but I think I'm safe for now.

I'll update this thread with any other dripping liquid issues.

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