Oil Leak on 2002 Mazda Tribute
 

My 2002 Mazda Tribute leaked oil today. I saw the dripping trail come up my driveway, and after being idle for ten minutes, I came back down to see a puddle of either oil or transmission fluid. It was a clearish/brown color. I haven't had my oil changed in 6 months which is a mistake. The oil was collected on the floor near the back end of the engine.

I checked the dip stick for oil and there was none. I also checked the dipstick for transmission fluid, and their was none either.
I went ahead and put a piece of cardboard under the drip spot, and put a quart of 10W40 oil into the car. I waited 10 minutes and came back down to find nothing on the cardboard box. I am now waiting overnight to see if it dripped out while not running.

Any ideas????

If you checked your oil on the driveway and if the driveway is at a large enough angle the oil could have moved to the back of the pan away from the dip-stick, ditto with the tranny fluid, so if your driveway is slanted check your fluids on the street if thats level. In case you dont know most transmissions must be checked with the fluid hot, engine running and every gear run through for at least 5 seconds i.e. P-R(5secs)-N5(secs)-D(5)-3(5)-2(5)1/L(5) and back up to park same patter, this will "flush" out any potential air pockets in the valve body, then with the engine running and in park (with brake on) you check the transmission fluid, this gives you the most accurate reading.

Have you noticed any transmission issues like strange sounds or feelings? Any burning smells? Any engine sounds or feelings that shouldnt be there? By the description of the fluid it sounds like engine oil if its synthetic, syn from my experience takes a very very long time to turn black since it does not suspend the dirt like dino oil does. Transmission fluid will turn a nasty brown when it starts to burn as well but the smell of it is very different than engine oil, what does the fluid smell like (i.e. does it smell like the oil cap or the tranny dip stick?).