Motor oil on the underbody

[bchen]

I'm leaking oil down low. Still trying to figure out where it's coming from.

My question is if oil + dirt is bad for my underbody. I could spray degreaser down there and then pressure wash it, but it's not a priority unless it's bad for the car. It's a rust deterrent, right?

Do I need to deal with the grime now? I'd prefer to work on quality of life improvements like connecting my tachometer, adding felt to the window mechanisms to reduce their rattling, or replacing all of the weather stripping (old, crunchy, and ugly).

Appreciate your thoughts.

(My underbody is a scary place to work.)

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[redroadster]

I recommend it -cleaning it off.
it could catch fire , esp. If it has a drip
1600 ? Rear main seal ?

[Nissanman]

Does it smell i.e. gear oil, or is it engine oil?
Give everything a good clean and then monitor the situation to see where it is coming from.
I have always thought oil leaks were totally unnecessary and avoidable....until I owned a classic car

[bchen]

Hm. I’ll bump the priority of cleaning the underbody. Fire would be bad. And a clean underbody would help me find the leak.

It doesn’t smell.

[Gregs672000]

I'd agree about cleaning it up some. Oil leaks can come from many places so starting with a clean motor and trans will help a lot. Places to watch include the tach cable area and housing, the valve cover, oil filter mount, fuel pump to block, oil pan, rear main seal, and the trans cover. One option is to go to a self car wash, bring a good but light floor jack and 4 jack stands, lift the car and clean the engine and underside, being careful to not over blast the engine... carbs and distributor do not like water and soaking your distributor will strand you! If so, dry it out! They have some settings for engines and light rinsing.

[redroadster]

Split Rope seals are finicky often changing oil brand can cause it to gush
Oil dye with yellow glasses/blacklite can help

[Stick]

When you park it for an extended period of time on a clean floor (or put some cardboard down) you should be able to get an idea of where the leak is com ing from.

It looks like it's been leaking and driven for quite a while and as it drips it migrates toward the back and blows on other components. Have you checked the oil levels in the engine and trans to see if they are low which would also provide some info.