The fluid that is leaking out is right where the engine meets the transmission (at the very bottom). I just replace the oil and checked the dipstick after driving all day, and the oil is squeky clean and still clear colored, however the fluid that is leaking out is black in color...will this still be oil, or should I be looking at other fluids?
If you are adding 3 quarts of engine oil a week then I would assume it is engine oil. The dirty oil and the under coating, dirt, road tar, etc. that it runs through before you can see it is still there.
I'm not the best person to comment on this because I have ruined a few cars by not fixing oil leaks fast enough. But if i were you i would start replacing gaskets starting with the simplest ones first. valve covers can leak a surprising amount of oil with the smallest cracks in the gasket. oil plug gaskets wear out and leak an amazing amount of oil. My last Plymouth Voyager was losing 3 quarts a week from the oil sensor and front valve cover alone.
im very concerned about the 3 quarts of oil a week thing. is there an oil slick where you park your car that is running out from under the car? how many miles do you drive in a week? i would sugest pulling the spark plugs and seeing if they have oil deposits on them. also the pcv valve should be replaced. as for what can be leaking to come out on the back bottom of the motor are, valve cover gaskets, intake manifold gasket, oil pan gasket rear main seal. (assuming that its a v8). if its a I6 then the intake gasket is not a possibility. its really easy to change the valve cover gaskets. the oil pan gasket is not that hard either. the rear main seal can bet tricky. some times you can drop the pan and take off the rear main cap. then you can push the seal with a screw driver so it pokes out the other side then pull it out with plyers. then push the new seal in.
just clean it good and see where it is leaking from and make sure your pan bolts are tight look at the back of the motor from the top to see if there is any oil leaking from there
sounds like you need to go to a quality auto repair shop and have them lift it and look at it for you and let you know what it is since your not sure!thats right i agree with myself.
