FC3S driver

iTrader: (1)

so long story short, I found out yesterday that I have some sort of oil leak issue. I found it because there was smoke coming out from the bottom of my car when I was waiting in line for gas and when I looked under it the smoke was coming off the front of the primary cat. looking at it by just poking my head under there, and not seeing anything under the hood my first thought was maybe I had a blown oil seal in my turbo and it was blowing oil down the pipe and it was getting hung up at the beginning of the cat, but that was a thought that was really stretching it. today I got under the car and tried to see what was really going on. what I found kinda has me baffled a little. it looks like the oil is actually leaking from the top of the tranny towards the back part of the main section. you can see how it has ran down the side and while driving it gets blown back onto the exhaust/cat causing the burning smell/smoke.

what has me shaking my head is what is up on top that could leak? the only thing I could feel and barley see is a nipple with some sort of cap on it that just spins, maybe the size of a pencil. Is this a breather value or what? and if it is the cause of my leak how is oil getting out of it? the tranny isn't pressurized or anything so....

I did wipe it all down clean and go for a 10-15min drive and then look at it again and there wasn't anything there. might go for a longer drive tomorrow but I am also worried that if this is not the leak and maybe just residue from something, then what is leaking? my car only has 44k on it and pretty clean underneath so it would be easy to spot if oil was coming from some where else.

any insight some one might have on this situation would be great, thanks

FDS08

There are a few inspections plates, a couple on the gearbox and one of the extension housing.

If you do a search for FC gearboxes you will see photos of the inspection plates.