Hey all. Great forum you've got going on here. I'm hoping the wise words here will help me keep my kitten purring...

Just recently bought this car (97 neon, DOHC), so unfortunately I don't know [with any certainty] the progression of this issue. The low-oil dummy light is constantly flickering on. I checked under the car after a few miles of driving and saw a small-but-steady stream leaking from the spot in this picture:

I apologize for the dark pictures, will try to get something better soon..
It looked as though it was actually coming out of the hole in the close-up picture, though I can't be positive. Hopefully this is a common location for a leak in a particular weakness, just hoping to find out what's leaking.

This is my mode of transport to/from work, so it's kind of important that it keep running. If there's anything I can do to help someone diagnose the leak, please let me know. Thanks!

 

wheres that second picture taken from?

 

Second picture is a close-up. The lit area in both pictures is of the same area.
To be honest, I don't know what it is. Near where the trans and engine meet. Never been good with fwd setups..

 

kinda looks where the rear main seal gasket is located....but its a lil too dark of a pic to tell...[&:]

 

that would be where the oil would leak from with a bad rear main seal

the spot that the light is shinning on is the inspection plat deal....if you remove the plate you will see the flywheel.....
between that side of the flywheel and the engine is the rear main seal.....common oil leak spot....

i would also throw out the suggestion that it might just be the oil pan gasket.....but since you said that it looks like it might be comming out of the hole, then i would say its the RMS

 

Assuming the leak is at the RMS, could that be easily changed when replacing the clutch? Or does that require a good deal more dismantling?

 

yea it shouldnt be hard....in fact thats what i did when i replaced my clutch...



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once you take the clutch off, it should only take about another 5 minuites of work until your at the RMS.....all you need to do is pry the old one out and push the new one in