water leaking under my car, is this normal?

[darrens07gt]

Let me start by saying I just installed Headers on my car the day before I noticed this so I wonder if this is in any way related to me jacking up the engine (perhaps a little too high).

I pulled into a gas station to get gas and as I was walking towards my car I noticed a puddle under it. I got down and saw liquid dripping down at a pretty fast pace. The puddle was the size of maybe a baseball. I reached in as best I could to get a sample on my finger and to my relief it was clear and odorless. I was fearing oil or transmission fluid. It seemed to be water.

So This morning I put the car on jack stands and started it up. The leak seemed to be coming from my transmission at first glance. But it was a very minimal drip at this point. When I looked closer I saw the drip was coming not from the transmission but from above it. There was a hole that the water was dripping out of onto my transmission and eventually onto the ground.

Thinking this may be air conditioning related I turned the air on full blast and got back under the car. Now the water was coming out at a much more rapid pace creating a larger puddle like I saw at the gas station.

I know some condensation is normal while using air but leaving huge puddles? Is this normal or did I break something?

 

[AnotherS197GT]

Condensation from the A/C system. Normal.

 

[TexasBlownV8]

Yup. Kudos on checking the water for clarity and smell. Clear and odorless means condensation from the a/c. it can be a lot.

You mentioned headers, and sometimes with such exhaust changes, there can be some condensation in the exhaust that drips out of couplers, but only when the car is cold, and is independent of the a/c. It would not be from the bellhousing, though, but instead right at exhaust piping connections. This is not your issue, though.

 

[darrens07gt]

Well that's a relief. I was a little worried due to size of the puddles. Thought maybe I jacked the motor up too high and broke a line or a hose.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Condensation from the A/C system. Normal.

Yup. That was my first thought. When the humidity of the outside air is high, you can build up a big puddle pretty quickly. Can be pretty unnerving at first until you dip your finger in it, find that it's actually fresh water rather than coolant, and breathe a massive sigh of relief.

 

[MassMustang]

Reviving an old thread but this exact thing happened to me this week. I've never noticed it before and I've owned her for 3-4 years now. After a cruise to a club meet I get home and back her into the man cave. I notice wet spots on the driveway leading into the garage. I look under the car and drip, drip, drip!

Threw it up on jacks yesterday and found it was coming from the AC drainage line that vents right above the tranny. I'm still nervous that so much seems to be coming out but it did seem a bit humid.

Maybe it was plugged up a bit before and now it's draining properly? Hopefully.

 

[WJBertrand]

In really warm, humid conditions and after running the air conditioning, I've seen quite large puddles of water after parking in the garage, up to a foot or more in diameter and with a stream running off to a low point somewhere else on the floor even.

 

[MassMustang]

It wasn't that warm one day (70's) and only around 80 while idling in my garage. The leak started happening within 5 minutes of starting the car too. It's absolutely coming from the AC drain though.

 

[05stroker]

I guess less humid areas people don't see this much, down here the ground is always wet under my truck or any vehicle with the AC on.