Possible Driveshaft Gaitor Problem

Hi,

Don't have any pics sorry, Freelander 1 TD4 2006, looking down into the engine on the offside noticed something sparkling in the depths like droplets to the rear of the engine and offside, a closer look and the outside of the offside driveshaft gaiter and seems to be a small amount of oil around the whole outside, sticking my fingers through the wheelwell I could feel an oily substance on the outside of the gaitor however as was bringing my fingers out they touched just behind the gaitor about 10 cm thick oil type material which I can only imagine is grease.

I don't have enough access with the tools I have to see any splits in the gaitor but would a split gaitor cause those types of symptoms? The thick greasy oil was black, it wasn't oil it was too thick for that but oil type colour, does gaitor grease go that colour?

Sorry if it all seems a bit vague, just something I wasn't expecting and just had the rear brakes fixed too

Going to guess it is grease it wipes straight off your hands with just a towel

Jay247 said:

The thick greasy oil was black, it wasn't oil it was too thick for that but oil type colour, does gaitor grease go that colour?

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Molly grease is black and gungy, so it does sound like the CV boot has split. Get it replaced before the CV joint gets damaged.

For the last few days I had noticed a strange smell after I had been driving, not immediately, if I left the car and came back to it you would notice it, quite foul smelling, I noticed some of this stuff had gone onto the exhaust, I am now wondering if it was that that I had been smelling and if so its been like it for about 4 days, thankfully I only do about 5 miles a day so will get it down the garage to be changed. I know the kit is pennies but god knows how much the labour will be

Jay247 said:

I know the kit is pennies but god knows how much the labour will be

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Buy a genuine hard polyurethane boot kit, not a cheap rubber one, or you'll need to do it again in a couple of years.

It's under an hour's work, for a mechanic worth his salt.

Will make sure a genuine kit is used, thank you.

Lets hope I can find a decent mechanic

Just would like some info from those in the know. The Haynes manual goes on about losing fluid when you take the driveshaft out and having to top up the IRD.

In real life how likely is it to lose a lot of fluid? I just have a feeling that the garage isn't going to bother checking the IRD fluid as it's not on several quotes I have received from various garages, none of them mention IRD fluid and they would do as they would certainly charge you for it if they were going to use it. Just wondered other peoples experiences, if you have changed a cv gaiter, have you topped up the IRD as well or just left it?

Thank you

you will lose some oil

Ok thanks, do you refill the oil or just leave it?

refill it, if its on the ground you can jack that side of the car up so oil doesnt run out or if on a ramp drain the box first then refill

Can they just top it up? Reason for asking is I only had the IRD fluid completely renewed a month ago :/

yes

Ok thank you

One garage wants £76 to do the job the other wants £191 !! saying something about bolts shearing off or something, not sure what they are on about

There's very few bolts to undo. I expect the cheaper place will do it the same way I would, which involves minimal bolts being removed.

The cheaper garage I used before and they seemed very good. I will go with them and get it booked in

Well the cheaper garage misquoted and said it would cost almost twice as much so have gone to a garage I have used before elsewhere but on the way the brake pedal almost went to the floor, pulled over about half a mile later and smoke pouring from the rear drums :/

As the car was going to the garage anyway breakdown took it to the garage and they are doing the brakes as well. Hope its nothing serious! They were only adjusted last week :/

Jay247 said:

Hope its nothing serious! They were only adjusted last week

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A shoe retainer has failed I expect. This allows the wheel cylinder to slip off the shoe and pop it's seal. You'll need new wheel cylinders and shoes with the retainer set. This sort of issue should be picked up at the annual service, but I suspect the rear drums are never removed for annual condition checks.

Thanks, could well be that, it wasn't a nice experience to be honest, seemed to only be the offside rear. Will find out tomorrow or Monday what it was exactly.

Just to complete the thread.

Gaiter changed

Rear brakes was the cam arms weren't adjusted properly by the previous garage. Resulting in one side not being able to move at all and the other side seizing up