Dear Mazda team,
My 2010 CX-9 @ 195,000mi suddenly leaked oil this week, steadily at 1 drop per 2-3 seconds as the engine running and I caught it when the oil level dropped to 1-2 quarts and made a lot of smoke when I stopped as the oil splatter everywhere to the hot exhaust lines while on the road.
In the picture below, looking up from under the car, through the opening slightly further back from the oil pan, the oil leak apparently coming from a tiny hole (pointed by the red arrow) on the flat shiny metal surface about 16-20 inches high from the bottom of the car and symmetrically placed between two bolted black iron pieces that you can see there. The hole looks like a spot weld or purposely made hole.
Can anyone help identify the name of that area/hole, and what happened so that I can communicate the problem to the mechanics. I hope its not a big one problem and I can get an honest mechanics that can solve it quickly.
Thank you all in advance for any input or even spending time to read.

The arrow shows the location of the hole that leaks oil steadily when the engine is running. located on shiny metal plate between 2 bolted black iron pieces.

 

Welcome to the forum


The first thing to do is wash your complete engine and then you will better pinpoint the exact location of the leak.

While your pictures are great, they do indicate the oil leak has been going on for a while.

 

Thanks, yes, the leak is only from that exact pinhole. It is coming out from that hole with me under the car and the engine running. other part has oil from the past week, wipeable and easy to clean.

 

you could put some uv dye in it so a mechanic can follow the leak back easily

https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-a...1oz/667635_0_0

 

This is not the best idea until the engine is first is cleaned. OIL LEAKS CAN CAUSE A FIRE!
More so when they are close or on the exhaust manifolds or parts of the exhaust system!
Stick with the best practices at resolving and diagnosing issues and don't take short cuts that for most DIY will only cause more problems added to the original ones.
And this is the BIG one, if members have not PERSONALY used a product or performed a service for what they are recommending to other try not to post until you have! Members asking service related, diagnostic and or mechanical problem questions do not need to be the guinea pigs to see if what you have found on the internet but not tried to see if it really works.

ASE = Automotive Service Excellence

 

It could only be puddling behind the gasket or plate and the actually leak in another location?
Unless you want to pull all those parts to inspect that area, I suggest you first take my suggestion?

 

Agreed that there is possibility of bigger problem puddling somewhere else. I dropped the car on the shop this afternoon. I hope they will come up with better news tomorrow.

 

Good luck