Oily smoke from FR wheel ?

callaway · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:35 pm

I had thought the FR cv was bad, took wheel off and investigated, cv's look fine ( no boot tears ) but where the FR cv attaches to the intermediate shaft, I can wiggle the cv housing a good half inch in/out.

I also noticed oil dripping from the junction area, pointing to bad axle seals.

Today while driving home I noticed what looked like smoke coming from the FR wheel area when stopping ( stopping after driving 45mph + for extended periods of time, coming to a stop at red lights spaced pretty good apart ). Initially thought it was exhaust from a car next to me, but it kept up. When I notice the smoke, there's an oily/burning smell that lingers for a few seconds ( smoke itself lingers for a few seconds as well, and only happens while stopping ).

Is this the leaking oil burning off the cv thanks to friction ?
Is this safe to drive on ? I checked fluids an all look ok... what's going on ?

Liberty02sport · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:18 am

Could fluid possibly be getting on the brake rotor and be getting cooked off as the rotor heats up while stopping ?? This sounds the most likely thing to be happening.

callaway · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:55 am

Liberty02sport wrote:

Could fluid possibly be getting on the brake rotor and be getting cooked off as the rotor heats up while stopping ?? This sounds the most likely thing to be happening.

Don't know... the only place I've spotted the leak is where the cv and intermediate shaft meet...

I circled where it's leaking from in red... kinda hard to see, but there's fluid pooled on the flange as well, so it musta been leaking for a while...

callaway · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:25 pm

Ok so now on the way home tonight, the oily/burning smelling smoke appeared from the FR wheel area, and I also noticed it coming in through the air vents... could this be coming from under the hood ??
I checked under the hood when I got home and all looks ok....

anyone have any ideas what could be going on ??

Liberty02sport · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:25 pm

Only other thing I can think of is if the fluid is being flung off the CV as it spins and getting onto an exhaust manifild or other component hot enough to burn it off. Would there be anyway you could try replicating the conditions in something like a parking lot where you could come to a stop and then quickly get out and pop the hood for a closer look tyo narrow down the source for the origin of the smoke ?? If the fluid is pooling up on the flange then you can bet it's being sprayed around like a dog shaking off water when the axle is spinning.

KJ Willy · **Posted:** Wed Apr 13, 2011 7:37 am

Have you narrowed down what oil it is? difs, engine oil, radiator fluid, trans fuild? maybe just grease?

callaway · **Posted:** Wed Apr 13, 2011 10:50 am

Liberty02sport wrote:

Only other thing I can think of is if the fluid is being flung off the CV as it spins and getting onto an exhaust manifild or other component hot enough to burn it off. Would there be anyway you could try replicating the conditions in something like a parking lot where you could come to a stop and then quickly get out and pop the hood for a closer look tyo narrow down the source for the origin of the smoke ?? If the fluid is pooling up on the flange then you can bet it's being sprayed around like a dog shaking off water when the axle is spinning.

There's no big splatter of oil in the wheel well, so it's not being flung around... Seems to happen after the car's been warmed up for a bit, and only happens every so often - it's not there every time I come to a stop, so it's hard to reproduce on in a controlled setting...

KJ Willy wrote:

Have you narrowed down what oil it is? difs, engine oil, radiator fluid, trans fuild? maybe just grease?

No =/
The lip has a lot of dirt/grime collected on it so I can't tell a color or identify a smell

bugnout · **Posted:** Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:34 pm

wheels/rotors getting Hot?

callaway · **Posted:** Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:37 pm

bugnout wrote:

wheels/rotors getting Hot?

Don't know. Every time I notice it I'm driving smoking I'm not in a position to pull over and check.
I checked when I got home last night and they didn't feel toasty

callaway · **Posted:** Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:18 am

yellocoyote wrote:

Check condition of brakes? Was thinking today, maybe a sticking caliper? You said you had pulling to the right... so, maybe that. :?:

Maybe... I still think the pulling is the bearing again... the cabin noise is similiar to how it was last time around...

yellocoyote wrote:

You need to take it apart to rule out components before you can get a solid answer.

Yea... just gotta find the time =/

ihatemybike · **Posted:** Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:38 am

Wrench fest this Saturday.

callaway · **Posted:** Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:51 pm

ihatemybike wrote:

Wrench fest this Saturday.

going to be in Champaign Sat =/

Oily smoke from FR wheel ?

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