'99 mysterious leak

[Broke(n)]

Today I found a leak on the garage floor. The fluid seemed somewhat clear indicating either power steering or brake but levels are fine.
I got under the car and headed towards the area I 'think' it may be coming from and saw something that maybe shouldn't be. I dont know if this is tied to the leak since it looks like a transmission gasket of sorts and the fluid I am seeing on the floor should not be clear if it were trans fluid ... correct?

I looked best I could for any indications of a leak and I cant see any trails.
Fluid on ground was not a puddle but still spread around about frisbee size.

[shorod]

Looks to me like you took a picture of the crankcase drain pan gasket at the crankshaft pulley. So the leak, if from that area, would be engine oil. You might use a plain white paper towel and soak up some of the puddle to see if it in fact has a tea color to it. Although unless you cleaned up the area before taking the photo, it doesn't appear to be a very active leak.

If you go out to the puddle now and find it has evaporated some, I'd suspect that what you noticed was a leak from the A/C drain which would be from that general vicinity of the underside of the car, and such a leak of condensation would be normal.

-Rod

[Broke(n)]

Originally Posted by shorod

Looks to me like you took a picture of the crankcase drain pan gasket at the crankshaft pulley.

Should it be out like that ?

So the leak, if from that area, would be engine oil. You might use a plain white paper towel and soak up some of the puddle to see if it in fact has a tea color to it. Although unless you cleaned up the area before taking the photo, it doesn't appear to be a very active leak.

I did not clean any of that area prior to taking the picture.The area on the floor where the fluid is appears to be close to the passenger front wheel and near the front of the car. It has been about 3K miles since last change and this old beast does tend to burn a little oil and would assume it would be much darker if it were oil ?
I will however do as you suggest and see if I can see the color better.

If you go out to the puddle now and find it has evaporated some, I'd suspect that what you noticed was a leak from the A/C drain which would be from that general vicinity of the underside of the car, and such a leak of condensation would be normal.

I know it isn't that as it does not evaporate and also, my A/C does not work at the moment.

Thank you for your reply and help on the matter.

[danielsatur]

Put a piece of white cardboard under the front end, do a check on oil type.

Brake fluid
power steering fluid
Transmission fluid
Coolant leak

[Broke(n)]

First thing I did was try and find paths of fluid but everything was find. As if it was a drip straight down.

I do have a White piece of cardboard down and will see by morning if any leaks happened then compare.
When I touch the fluid it appears to resemble either brake or steering fluid. Does not have the color of motor oil and transmission fluid would be a red in color so it has to be either brake, steering or motor oil although that is some clean motor oil from a beast like this !

[shorod]

Originally Posted by Broke(n)

Should it be out like that ?

No, it shouldn't, but that doesn't appear to be the source of the leak and if it's not leaking now, I'm not sure I'd make an attempt to fix that gasket at the moment.

If the cardboard trick doesn't help you determine what the source of the leak is, and if you own a UV (aka: blacklight) you can pick up a bottle of UV dye to put in the various systems, one system at a time. You could start with the power steering fluid and see after a day of driving if the puddle glows. If not, then try the engine oil. If not that, then the transmission fluid, and finally the brake system (or whatever order you wish). You will want to confirm that the dye is compatible with hydraulic fluids and not just oils before adding it though. There are a few different dyes for various fluids (oils, coolant, and A/C system).

Also, if it's leaving a frisbee sized puddle after sitting several hours, you should start to see the fluid level of one of the systems dropping, so keep an eye on the various fluid levels as well.

-Rod

[Schaff68]

Ford had a oil pan gasket problem with the Taurus from 96-00, your pan could be leaking midway down the lentgh of were the block/oilpan/oilpan gasket meet and traveling to a low enough spot to drip. The gaskets develop cracks. Bad thing is, the exhaust crossover pipe has to be removed to change the gasket.
Your gasket looks like someone used a air impact on the pan bolts and sqeezed it out in places, or just tightened the bolt way to tight, which would also crush and split it in places so it leaks.