rockclimber

Hey everyone,
Just developed a leak and i'm trying to pinpoint the cause and the fix.

Symptoms...walked out to my truck (2004, 3.4L, tacoma) and noticed some kind of oil on the inside of my front, driver's side, wheel well and mud flap. Popped the hood and looked around. It almost looks like it might be originating from one of the two breather plugs (is plug the right term?) that are located slightly behind (towards passenger compartment) the battery. If memory serves these are the breather plugs for the transmission and front diff?

There is no oil ABOVE these breather plugs. The oil seems to start RIGHT at the breather plugs and then spreads out and makes a mess below. Could a leak below spread oil upwards? I could see the fan slinging oil from a lower leak upwards but this seems pretty PRECISE (starts at the plugs and then spreads out downwards.)

Has anyone experienced a leak from this location? Any OTHER ideas? What could be the cause? Any ideas for the cure?

I'm headed back out to look around some more.....
thanks for any ideas and/or suggestions.
cheers RC

eddieleephd

usually when it comes to the breather "valves!!" they become clogged and force oil through the axle seals, not saying that the oil is not going up through them...
if you happened to get some oil up to them and then the diff got warm it could push the oil out through them.. possible fixes would include an extended breather line and replacement of the valve itself...
You know how when you get air in a straw and there is water trapped above it and it does not go past the air that is the effect that I am thinking of, then the heat expands the oil and air and pushes the oil out...

metalhed

I have the same leak and I am tracking it down. On my truck it is either the Front Diff puked or most likely the steering rack is leaking.

Check the consistency of the oil. Gear oil= smelly Power steering (if original) thin and brown with minimal smell

Gerdo

Check this out.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/f...ing-oil-79690/
Is this what you have going on?
Mine look like this. Now that I think about it I think I'm going to pull off the breathers, clean them, extend the lines and never look back.
It could be from going up or down extreme angles. They should be higher anyway.