Oil inside rear wheel barrel help!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
Oil inside rear wheel barrel help!
Hey guys the other day I noticed when cleaning my wheels that there was an oily substance inside my rear right wheel barrel. It wasn't there before so it is recent, and since the time of discovery it appears nothing else has leaked in there. My first thought was brake fluid, but the brakes appear to be functioning fine, and pad wear is even at about 60% or more left on both rear pads. My next thought was maybe the shock? But they are C6 Z06 shocks which i bought brand new and only put 25,000 miles on them. I can't seem to find splatter marks anywhere but inside the wheel barell, except one mark on the shock (maybe from spin off)? What could be leaking in there? I dont think it is possible to be from the road by the way it is splattered inside the rim and it doesn't appear to be leaking any more. One thing I did notice is the "rusty" color inside the wheel which wasn't there before which made me think brake fluid since it's corrosive? I don't think the other wheels look like that. Thanks guys.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
Hmm interesting, so would that be grease that splattered out of it? Funny because i'm getting the "clicking sound" when going from reverse to forward. I fixed that noise once before by greasing and tightening the axel nut, but it is back.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
Sucks the rotors rusted like that inside the holes and slots, they are napa performance rotors. They sure looked good brand new! How hard to change that boot, and is it something I need to fix right away? On a side note, i'd hate to keep posting threads but I have the dual zone a/c in my car and already fixed the climate display screen once. now all the lights went out at once on the hvac controls, but the screen is fine. Is there a fuse for that, or what happened they all went out at once. The yellow on/off function led's still work, but the ***** and or buttons themselves no longer light up and is annoying me. Thanks!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 989
Likes: 8
From: Chino Ca.
Sorry, I don't think my earlier answer is correct. The CV is traveling the same speed as the wheel and probable would not distribute grease around the wheel like that. Now I am thinking more a brake line, something stationary, compared to the wheel.
Is it oily or greasy?
Is it oily or greasy?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,479
Likes: 36
I also think it's brake fluid. Normally, splattered oil inside the wheel barrel can only be two things; brake fluid or a badly leaking shock absorber. A torn CV boot would cause more of a greasy/ dirty mess over time. If you see fresh "oil", then it's not coming from the CV boot.
Check your brake line connection on the back of the caliper. Are you sure that no brake work was done recently? What happens often is the copper washers are left out or fall out when taking that line off.
Check your brake line connection on the back of the caliper. Are you sure that no brake work was done recently? What happens often is the copper washers are left out or fall out when taking that line off.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
The way to tell if it's the poly grease that's leaking on to the inside barrel is this.
Drive your car on the e-way for about 20 min to a half hour.
Let the car set for a couple of hours.
If it's the outer boot leaking, you will see a puddle of poly on the very bottom of the inside barrel after a few hours.
The poly grease gets thin while spinning at high RPM's.
When the car sets after the poly grease is hot/thin, it will drip/pool onto this area.
Drive your car on the e-way for about 20 min to a half hour.
Let the car set for a couple of hours.
If it's the outer boot leaking, you will see a puddle of poly on the very bottom of the inside barrel after a few hours.
The poly grease gets thin while spinning at high RPM's.
When the car sets after the poly grease is hot/thin, it will drip/pool onto this area.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
Hmmm it seems like a thicker grease then brake fluid and almost "smelled" like an oil substance. No recent brake work done, but the IRS was dropped for a T56 rebuild about two months ago. It's hard to tell the color of the actual fluid because there is dirt stuck to it, and it is very odd that no more has leaked out since! I will clean the inside of the wheel this am, check the master cyl fluid level and report back. Where would brake fluid start leaking like this out of nowhere, and wouldn't it continually leak? Odd.....
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
It seems too far in to be brake fluid but that might be possible. A brake fluid leak will quickly empty the master cylinder.
It's about in line with where a CV boot leak would let the grease out. However, it looks more like an oil than a grease. You're indicating it's more of a grease though so a CV joint would make sense. A leaking CV boot will spread grease out in a ring like that. There have been other pictures here of the same failure with similar results. Usually they make more of a mess so you've likely got a very small leak.
It could also be the shock. That should be fairly easy to check. Remove the lower bolt on the shock and try to compress it.
It's about in line with where a CV boot leak would let the grease out. However, it looks more like an oil than a grease. You're indicating it's more of a grease though so a CV joint would make sense. A leaking CV boot will spread grease out in a ring like that. There have been other pictures here of the same failure with similar results. Usually they make more of a mess so you've likely got a very small leak.
It could also be the shock. That should be fairly easy to check. Remove the lower bolt on the shock and try to compress it.
Last edited by lionelhutz; Feb 15, 2013 at 01:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
I cleaned the inside of the wheel and it was a pretty sticky, almost greasy material. The Master doesn't "seem" to be low on fluid, as it is right bwteen minimum and maximum. It's hard to tell because I use the turkey baster method to "change the fluid" and keep it somewhat fresh as it discolors. I don't believe it is down any on brake fluid quite honestly.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
I was told that no shops will replace just a torn boot. I have a buddy who is willing to help out, are there any write ups on boot replacement and or axel replacement if I decide to go that route? I have been getting "the click" very slightly when it's cold and i back out the garage then take off in 1st long before the boot incident, greasing the axel nut and re-torquing it made it go away for awhile. My buddy said the axel since it's a 97' with 130k might be hyper extended and thats why it ripped. I do have a other vehicle, but we have a trip planned soon to go to the HardRock casino and cruise with a few vettes down.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,962
Likes: 254
From: Richmond, Ky
I have a friend who owns a salvage yard and he had a company that you could send your axle to and they would disassemble, clean, inspect, repair, and install new boots then return back to you. I had this done on a Celica GTS I owned about 8 years ago. cost me less than $100.00 . Of course I pulled the axle and reinstalled them myself. Might want to check in and see if this service is available in your area.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,100
Likes: 17
From: Somers, CT and Clermont, FL
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I have a friend who owns a salvage yard and he had a company that you could send your axle to and they would disassemble, clean, inspect, repair, and install new boots then return back to you. I had this done on a Celica GTS I owned about 8 years ago. cost me less than $100.00 .
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...mString=search
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Billings MT
I also think it's brake fluid. Normally, splattered oil inside the wheel barrel can only be two things; brake fluid or a badly leaking shock absorber. A torn CV boot would cause more of a greasy/ dirty mess over time. If you see fresh "oil", then it's not coming from the CV boot.
Check your brake line connection on the back of the caliper. Are you sure that no brake work was done recently? What happens often is the copper washers are left out or fall out when taking that line off.
Check your brake line connection on the back of the caliper. Are you sure that no brake work was done recently? What happens often is the copper washers are left out or fall out when taking that line off.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
I will certainly check the brake fluid, I detailed the car last evening and cleaned up the barrels of the wheels, didnt seem to be anything more in there.... I just happen to NOT have the right size huge socket for the axle nut as well, kind of sucks.