Grease on wheel
 

I can't see the pics posted in this thread http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=72624

..... but I noticed last week there appears to be grease slung around on my passenger-side front. This is definitely grease as opposed to NY Winter Weather Road Grime.

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Is this similar to what is being discussed in the other thread? Should I be heading to a garage?

Inspect your inner (and especially) outer CV boots on the axle for that side. See if there's a rip or tear.

it is most likely the outer CV boot, my inner one went on this car and i did not get ther, but on my Old car the outer one went and i had the same thing as tracy :(

FYI, this will mean a CV Joint (Axle) replacement. Once the boot is torn, it's all over. Only a matter of time before the joint fails.

umm not all the time wren ;)

My 88 Celebrity had one go well two. and one my dad had the car still and he replaced just the boot, and then at 200K the outer one went on me and i drive that car for another 48K miles and it still did not go :)

also at 160 on my bonnie my inner one went, i replaced the boot and its will fine.

im at 183K now

Look at the slime, badnit.

All that crap is in the bearings. It is general practice in all automotive technical circles to replace the axle when a boot tears.

Please be very careful with your advice. Just because your old car was a different case doesn't mean it's best practice.

This topic is a different case. I discovered SilverBullet's leak. It was at the clamp. Tracy's is more like a torn boot. Not a leaky seal:

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=72624

The cost of the axle is minimal in comparison to the labor involved and possibly having to do it twice.

While the boot can be replaced for about $25-$35 and a lot of greasy nastiness, even if the boot just tore, I'd suggest a new axle for $50-$60

yea i know, i just dont want to scare Tracy say that Its going to go and you have to do it Now.

But yes, they arnt that much money, i know for mine they are around $80-100.

and i just checked on Advance Auto's page.


Cardone CV Drive Axle: New
CV Half-Shaft Assembly: New Cardone Select; Front; Right
$100

Even a $200 axle is far better insurance in only having to do it once, as opposed trying to re-boot first, then pulling the axle a second time for replacement.

This is why we (and many other professionals) suggest the axle first.

Tracy, you're ok to drive for a bit, but get it taken care of soon.

i didn't have to pull my axle on either car.

but hey, its your money and car, do with what you please.

on my car ill replace mine when it starts to go. and save the $100 now.

The greasy wheel pic was on Feb 17th - two days after I first noticed it. So whatever happened, did so about 10 days ago.
Posting up pics in a second...I can't see a tear, nor any grease visible...but it has been 10 days of snowy, wet weather...

Tracy what are you doing Tomorrow?

I dont have to work, i can drive out there and take a look for you :)

Badnit..I've no idea what you are looking at.

That axle new on their website with my zipcode is $89 and reman (which is just as good) is $79

Then... let's talk about the Napa feeling. Flash a AAA card at them and they take off about 10%.

I'm not understanding how the grease from a torn boot would get all over the outside of the wheel. It's even around the center of the wheel & lug nuts?

Tracy:
You may have hit an oil deposit in the slush or snow. Clean the wheel at a DIY car wash stall and see if the condition reappears.

You may not have a problem. At least you noticed the condition and asked for advise. That puts you ahead of 95% of all car owners.

I was able to get the camera in at both angles. Car has 69,000 miles
First pics with steering wheel turned to the right, camera at front facing rear of car

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Second group with steering wheel turned to the left; camera behind facing the front of the car

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https://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a7...ot/misc112.jpg
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I am not an expert but I do not see any grease or oil in any of the pics. You may have picked up some road debris.

I do see a lot of salt and feel sorry for cars that have to be driven in the snow/ice.

Ok..this is an easy fix.

Soap and water!

This isn't a mechanical issue.. please move to General :P

Could it be coming from the wheel bearings?

There isn't enough grease in a wheel bearing to do that.

Tracy - what's the driver's side wheel look like?

Check your brake fluid, also just to be sure that you don't have a leaky caliper, brake hose, or fitting.

ok wow, thats weird :shock:

did a grease Ferry come and take dump on your wheel or something :lol:

Good pictures... It's definitely not the CV boots.

An inner bearing seal would leak out between the knuckle and the half-shaft bell. The pictures are clean.

It looks thin enough to be brake fluid, but if you lost that much, your dash light would be on, or you'd be piled up somewhere. Besides, all the brake fluid is on the inboard side of the rotor, and inner part of the wheel would have some trace.

An outer bearing seal would leak onto the inboard side of the rotor and down the cooling slots/fins. Again, there should have been evidence on the inboard side of the wheel.

There is a couple other possibilities:
There is a remote possibility that bearing grease could be leaking from the bearing split and running down the axle spline and past the PacNut.
If someone had trouble removing your wheel for a flat, etc. They may have put grease/oil on the pilot diameter and or the lug nuts.

95SLE could be right. And I also vote to try soap and water to start.

wow..that is a lot of something on there.

I just so happen to have a pic from the 17th! I didn't post it before because the snow sort of got in the way of the view... but I can testify that the Driver's side and rears all looked alike - just winter-grime dirty - not the same as the passengerside splatter pattern.

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Ding Ding Ding! Folks! I think we have a Winner! Sorry about the blurry pics...even with supplemental lighting I couldn't get a clear shot. But according to the directions on the cap, the fluid should be up close to the opening....

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Here's some extra facts:

Weather Conditions - this occured on/around the 14-15th - right in the middle of our 20 days of deep freeze weather. We had two feet of snow dumped on us the evening of the 13th - I remember because it was my son's bday on the 14th and there was no school that day. Driving to work on the 14th was in 5 F weather (wind chill of -20F) and the roads were at least a foot deep with drifts up to two feet.

Braking: I don't have a spongy pedal... but I do recall feeling something happen - and it was probably on the 14th. Now that I think about it, it did feel like the pedal "let go" about an inch or so. The car had been sitting all day at work, and this occured as I was pulling out of the parking space and braking as I approached the access road. ...there was a crunch sound. I tested the brakes and they worked fine...ABS and all. So I chalked it off to tire slippage on the ice.

Here's something else that may / may not be a factor. About 5 mos ago, at Bandit's NYBF, I went over some rough RR tracks... the ABS light and Traction Control lights both came on. The ABS doesn't work after this occurs. The lights are usually out the next time I drive the car and the ABS will work normally. This has occurred at least 6 times since then. This last time, the other day, it was definitely on the passenger side (that was where the road was tore up).

I don't know.... those pictures showed the caliper and brake lines were pretty dry. You might have brake issues, but I don't think it's leaking out over your wheel. Your brake fluid level is about what I would expect for 3/4 brake pad wear.

Tracy, notice the difference of your rotor on the other side? It's rusty, which would be normal for sitting for a bit after driving in rain or snow. The first picture you posted, the rotor is not rusty, and appears to have brake fluid on it. That would affect how your brakes work on that wheel, and cause the ABS to do strange things. My suggestion is for you to pull that wheel, and caliper and inspect it for leaks. I'd rather be proven wrong, than have you ignore it and have a brake failure.

lol ok, again, what r u doing tomorrow tracy? :)

i can come out and see if i can find whats wrong

Tracy.. the blurry master cylinder aka brake fluid holder picture. Tough to see, but it looks like the fluid is in between the full and low marks. This would be considered normal. If you were leaking much brake fluid...as mentioned, you'd have warning lights and a pile up.

I'm all for inspection, however I still think that waiting a week to post a possible brake or axle issue is too long. ;) And my gut tell me you'll find nothing (which is good) and merely need to clean this wheel like the other before taking the picture next time.

Bandito...I'm at work all day today... not sure what time i'll get home. I totally appreciate your offer, but would hate to make you drive out tonight. I'll try the "wash and see if it comes back" method.

That's soap and water...not just a rinse.. ;)

..... thus the reason I used the term "wash". :? Taking into consideration the physical properties of grease and water and their interactions with each other, it's anticipated I will use a brush as well. ;)

8) :lol: 8)

Clean as a bone. No leaking boots there. Good thing. My vote is for road crap. One thing I noticed in your very first picture is there seems to be no greasy deposits on the caliper face. That is a good thing too. Regarding a leaky seal I do not see how that much grease could work its way all over the outside of the wheel. What does the inside look like? Just salt residue and std. road grim I guess.

Try cleaning the wheel off and then take her out for a good 25 mile spin. Check back in with us.

Been a while now.. I'm looking to hopefully close and ship this off to general as a wash and wear topic.

Tracy.. please bring us up to speed. Any more goop on the rim?

I've been curious myself. I've seen that on other cars where I've had to replace brake parts. It doesn't take much brake fluid to make a mess. I'm hoping for the "wash, rinse, repeat" myself, but I'd feel more comfortable if we knew for sure.

Yeah, that looks the same as when I blew a brakeline at the caliper doing a heavy freeway stop. one wheel just PLASTERED with balck goop after I drove home with it like that. road grime got mixed in and turned it into grease. So Tracy...did you find the problem? Bad leaky caliper piston? That would be my first bet.

Alas....it has not returned.... it's a mystery. Off to General I go....

Can we change the name of the thread to something like "Wash your car more frequently?"

ROFLMAO...

Seriously ...I'm very happy it wasn't anything. BTW..if you'd like I can snap a pic of a bad CV joint..