Help - yellow liquid from middle bracket of exhaust?

Motacilla wrote:

Let me just repeat my key point, with the important word in bold:

I wish I could convey to you how not mysterious this problem is. A competent technician could spot the failure point in less time than it takes to make tea.

There is a pernicious myth that cars are prone to complex, inscrutable failures that are difficult to fix.  In fact, cars are dead simple.  The problem lies on the human end of things.  A bad tech will never admit he's a bad tech, but his failures will tell you.

As Soeley says, your task is to find a good mechanic.  And that is where your task ends, because a good mechanic will not need any suggestions.  He'll have it correctly diagnosed within moments of popping the bonnet, without any hints or tips.  And then you can get on with enjoying your new Jimny.

 

That's all well an good and was probably also quite a regular thing 25 years ago but unfortunately nowadays with the advent of plug in diagnostic technology the increasingly old boys that could diagnose cars just with a cursory examination are very few and far between, replaced by a couple of generations of lads who if it doesn't come up on the scanner are fresh out of ideas. This is why it's increasingly incumbent on the likes of groups like ours to assist as much as possible despite the limitations of doing so remotely and the frustration that can involve. It is also a priority that we do this gently and in a manner befitting of cultured gentlemen (I accept no one is perfect but we really must try).

Lambert wrote:

old boys that could diagnose cars just with a cursory examination are very few and far between

Which is why we should help Simon find one.

it's increasingly incumbent on the likes of groups like ours to assist as much as possible despite the limitations of doing so remotely and the frustration that can involve

I respectfully disagree.  Wild-arse guessing on the internet does not help.  This is particularly true when the OP is not seeking tips for doing the repair himself.  

If you came up with exactly the right answer "despite the limitations of doing so remotely," how would that help fix the car?  The OP can't very well go to the mechanic and say: repair it exactly like this, because some bloke on the internet says that'll do 'er.

It is also a priority that we do this gently and in a manner befitting of cultured gentlemen (I accept no one is perfect but we really must try).

Counterpoint: we're all adults here.  I am blunt because I believe that is the best way to help.  Offering pages of airy and (being blunt again) sometimes ill-informed speculation, to a questioner who is not himself aiming to pick up a wrench, only feels helpful to the adviser not the advisee.

Also, if I can offer a tough-love observation about this board, we like to offer speculation that is especially speculative.   Someone will say, "I hear hoofbeats" and the responses here will be several pages of replies ranging from "it could be a rare albino zebra" to "possibly it's a unicorn, did you note the presence of any horns and if so how many?"  We would be a better resource if we were more willing to say, "mate, it's gonna be a horse," and then left it at that.

Lastly, I am regrettably not a gentleman, but instead an oil-under-the-nails, arse-scratching lout who smells a bit like petrol.  Which one of those two types is more likely to fix your car? 

If you catch me being nasty to someone, by all means call me on it.  But if you just don't like being spoken to like a man, then frankly you can get back on your albino zebra.  And I say that with all the culture I can muster. 

Again, I apologise if I have offended anyone. I am - by my own admission- not good on fixing anything mechanically. I was just enquiring as to whether anyone else had experienced this problem before as two garages and an air con specialist had not come up with anything. Thanks to all who have replied- it is appreciated. Onto the third garage Monday. Kind regards 

This thread is now locked before it degenerates into abuse.