Green sludge on front differential? (2 Viewers)

[BoneStalk]

So my Front diff and various other components have this green sludge on it. it gathered a decent puddle in about 3 hours. Idk what to refill and was wondering if yall had any ideas.

I dont have green coolant (its brown and needs to be changed), and theres no dye in the A/C. my engine oil isn't leakin and i dont think the diff gear oil is green either.

There seems to be water mixed in with is as well. see pics.

Any Ideas??

 

[chap79]

Looks like grease mixed with water. How are the birfields? I would degrease the front axle and engine and start from there. Isolating the cause of a leak when everything is wet is next to impossible.

 

[ajax1]

Looks like gear oil mixed with moly grease

 

[PKP80]

Looks like gear oil mixed with moly grease

I would say that is correct. Drain the diff, remove the axles, check your seals/gaskets.

 

[Grench]

It does - and it's hard to tell from the camera angle where it is originating from. Your front diff should have a fill plug too - we see the drain plug in the pics. Did you happen to recently get an oil change at a corner chain? Did they show you a goofy card with spots on it showing the condition of your front/center/rear gear box oil?

My suspicion: They pulled the fill cap from the diff - bent it all to heck and back on it's way out then put it back in damaged.

 

[e9999]

Wow! Major leak.

It's doubtful it's oil through the seals into the knuckles and out with grease. I can't imagine it would cover the diff like that. It's likely from somewhere else.

 

[Grench]

Show us the fill plug on the front diff. I'm betting it is deformed. The oil leaking by has then blown back while driving to coat the rest of it.

 

[BoneStalk]

I removed the fill plug and checked the level/added some. It was pretty much full, I couldn't add more than 30ml.
And the plug is in good condition, it's in the front and has no fluid around it.
The front diff fluid was the same color as this stuff.
Seeing that the front diff was full is really confusing

 

[BoneStalk]

Thanks for all the quick responses btw
@Grench @e9999 @PKP80 @ajax1 @chap79

 

[Landseer]

Did you check the vent hose?

 

[jvazquez53]

That's water mixed with gear oil. Do you do a lot of river crossings? Water can come in thru the axle seals, diff breather if its factory setup. Need to take apart everything, clean it, and replace the axle seals, in other words a birf job. It happened to me recently, not as bad.

 

[Tools R Us]

Looking at the pictures, doesn't look like it's been wheeled, not likely water? Where is the origin of the leak? Are the diff nuts properly torqued, is the diff gasket cracked/spit out at the top, pinion seal?

 

[BoneStalk]

https://goo.gl/photos/enMQReS59p6hUD3n6

Look what I found

 

[surfpig]

https://goo.gl/photos/enMQReS59p6hUD3n6

Look what I found

Yikes!

 

[gandrimp]

Well at least you found the problem.

 

[jvazquez53]

Yikes!

Easy fix! Silicone RTV and gasket.

 

[BoneStalk]

Just a good ole differential seal?

 

[lazy]

just this....Permatex® Gear Oil RTV Gasket Maker - Permatex

I wouldn't waste my time with the stupid paper gaskets, unless you enjoy pulling your axles and dropping the diffs. I'd check my breather tube as well....had to have a lot of pressure build up to come out of the top of the 3rd. If breather isn't clogged, I'd keep looking for other leak possibilities.

 

[BoneStalk]

But this is the front diff. Is a total diff removal required to access the gasket?

 

[BoneStalk]

just this....Permatex® Gear Oil RTV Gasket Maker - Permatex

I wouldn't waste my time with the stupid paper gaskets, unless you enjoy pulling your axles and dropping the diffs. I'd check my breather tube as well....had to have a lot of pressure build up to come out of the top of the 3rd. If breather isn't clogged, I'd keep looking for other leak possibilities.

Can the rtv be used without dropping the diff?