What is leaking by my wheel?

T

The "A" Team

Member
Hi,

I just pulled two of my wheels off to replace the tubes and clean up/de-rust the brakes. After I put the front and rear wheels back on, i drove it out of the driveway to turn it around. I left it for a few minutes to eat lunch and when I came back out I noticed some liquid by the rear wheel and saw it dripping from somewhere around the castle nut. There was actually a small puddle of liquid gathering in the middle of the wheel. It doesn't look like oil or gas, and doesn't bead up when water touches it, and doesn't really have a smell to it, which makes me think maybe it's water.

I don't know where it could be coming from. Everything was removed from the rim and new tubes were installed with the tires.
 

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It appears differential oil is leaking out down the axle shaft past the seal in the axle housing that is probably shot and past the small seal behind the axle shaft nut, that may not be there.

Tom Endy
 
I just pulled off the other hub and it also looks like there's something around the shaft. It's clear and doesn't smell like anything, so I'm thinking it could be water.

I also forgot to mention that the car was sitting by my parents' house In a leaky garage in an area that also flooded whenever there was heavy rains. I brought the car over to my house about a year and a half ago, but never saw anything leaking from the wheels until I pulled the hubs off to clean up the brakes. And it's only happening in the back wheels.
 

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Water in oil makes a milk shake like mixer, you second picture. Might be time to drain the rear end oil and flush it out
 
Yep' water in the oil. Anyone that has experience with outboard motor gear case lubrication will recognize that "milk shake" color... water/ oil emulsion.

Joe B
 
I am with Big Hammer on this one. Drain the rear end and flush it out. Run the car for a while then do it again. Repeat until no more water in the oil. Or, better yet, take the rear end apart and thoroughly clean it out.
 
Update 04-23-23 1015: Since POST #6 says that car has been flooded:

Running or driving the car with water in the transmission, Engine and Steering gear will also cause damage!
 
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My nose isn't what it used to be but I can still detect odors of gear oil (sulfuric stink) and gasoline pretty easy. Urine generally smells unless the dog or person has been drinking a lot of water.

Water only temporarily mixes with either fuel or oil. It's heavier so it always settles out on the bottom. If there is water in the banjo then it will drain out first if the drain plug is pulled. If a person just drove the car then it will milkshake for half a day or so but always settles out after a period at rest. The differential case would have to have a lot of water in it to come out into the brake drum around the axle seals.

We're the tires removed to replace tubes? We're the wheels removed to do that? If removed, did they come in contact with water? If the answers are all no then I would chalk it off to the unknown and not worry too much about it.
 
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Pull the drain plug on the banjo and see what comes out. If water then do the transmission and anything else that can be wet.
 
1955cj5 said:
???
Click to expand...

Made me remember a time I was having new tyres fitted to my car. I was standing at the front of the business (an old service station) when a guy came in and started checking his tyres. He unscrewed the valve cap, put it in his lips and started to inflate the tyre The owner of the place said that this guy does this every week or so and bought nothing. He said watch this. He went to he guy and asked "You've got the valve cap in your mouth - don't dogs ever piss on your wheels?"
Pteeew and the cap flew across the concrete.
I'll never forget that moment and I've never put the valve cap in my lips since.
 
"I also forgot to mention that the car was sitting by my parents' house In a leaky garage in an area that also flooded whenever there was heavy rains."

Very possible water got into the rear end when the car was standing in the flooded garage. As I stated above, the best solution is to take the rear end apart and clean it out. If that is not in the cards then drain the rear end, grease the bearings, repeat until no evidence of water.
 
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