Sooty residue in engine and on strut -DUW

[CobraGirlSVT]

What the hell could be causing this sooty residue in my engine bay and on driver's side strut like this? Could this be from the header exhaust leak I suspect I have? This is a pretty recent problem, I keep the engine clean and would have noticed this buildup before. This soot ends up all over my rims and down the sides of my car as well.

 

[03cobrablack]

It allmost looks like brake dust on the shock?????? maybe a caliper sticking or a warped rotor????

 

[Wicked]

I would also say brake dust....
but do you bave a lot of raod construction maybe? How would brake dust end up under the hood? And it seems like oil and dirt more then dust. I'm thinking road crap.

 

[KingSnakePro]

Maybe a fluid leak. Like a CV boot. That kinda stuff collects dirt like that.

 

[CobraGirlSVT]

Hmmm, well right now I'm leaning towards the brake dust theory. I was stumped on how it could be entering the engine bay, so I investigated further and saw about a 4" long slit in the plastic of the wheel well, right beneath those hoses I posted a picture of.

I guess I'll buy new rotors and brake pads with part of my tax return. No more Hawk pads for me, that's for damn sure.

 

[99COBRA2881]

Originally posted by CobraGirlSVT
Hmmm, well right now I'm leaning towards the brake dust theory. I was stumped on how it could be entering the engine bay, so I investigated further and saw about a 4" long slit in the plastic of the wheel well, right beneath those hoses I posted a picture of.

I guess I'll buy new rotors and brake pads with part of my tax return. No more Hawk pads for me, that's for damn sure.

Before you buy new brake pads, You might try wiping the engine bay and wheel well down with a rag to clean up all the grime then mask off the slit in the wheel well and drive the car a few days, if the engine stays clean and the wheel well is dirty again then Id say its your brakes if not then look elsewhere inside the eng compartment. Atleast by doing this you wont go spend $$ for brake pads that you didnt need and that might not even fix the problem. :coolman: