 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Axle oil contaminated with CV joint grease |
 
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| mark_d Member Since: 07 Sep 2013 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 266  
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During my 3rd service the oil in the front axle was found to be heavily contaminated with what appeared to be the one-shot grease from the swivel housings.
Has anyone else experienced this? At the time of the service the oil was replaced and a couple of weeks later both front hubs were rebuild with new seals and gaskets and the oil and grease were both replaced. All the seals looked like new, but as I had to strip both hubs down to examine them, I replaced them any way. The vehicle is just over 3 years old with 18,000 miles on the clock and has never done any serious off roading or wading - does that sound normal? I read in another thread that blocked ventilation could drive axle oil out into the hubs, but this was the other way around. Could the grease be getting sucked past the seal as the diff cools. Oddly the grease in the swivel housings didn't seem to be contaminated with much axle oil (if any). Thanks, Mark http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/ |
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3rd May 2014 3:30pm |
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| bga86 Member Since: 17 Jan 2014 Location: Here and there Posts: 205 
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Every defender on the road has this issue, it won't cause any harm just make sure at every service you top the one shot swivel grease up in the hubs, it's the inner seals in the stub axle but they will leak again as soon as you replace them!
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3rd May 2014 4:29pm |
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| mark_d Member Since: 07 Sep 2013 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 266
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It wasn't me who spotted it, an independent Land Rover specialist did the service and reported the problem. He kept the fluid to show me. The oil came out very much like grease with the same colour and smell as the one shot grease. Considering the axle oil should have been changed only 7,000 miles previous - but then I never trust that main dealers actually service cars. Changing the oil again a couple of weeks later, the new oil had gone black/dark grey. I assume this is from residue rather that new grease leaking. I'll keep an eye on the axle oil to see if it starts to get contaminated again now that the seals have been replaced. http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/ |
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3rd May 2014 4:59pm |
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| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558 
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the little bit of grease that would get into the oil if seal gone , I don't think would make the oil look like grease
did the main dealer change the oil at 12,000 |
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3rd May 2014 5:14pm |
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| mark_d Member Since: 07 Sep 2013 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 266
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The dealer stamped the book for the B service but I don't know what was changed.
I've just checked the diff oil that was changed 2 weeks ago along with the seals and thankfully it's still golden in colour, although I've probably only done a couple of hundred miles. http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/ |
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3rd May 2014 5:41pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17544  
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If there's that much grease in the axle it makes me think someone emptied a one-shot into the wrong hole.
It's not unusual for oil to leak from axle to swivel, it's more unusual for a small amount of contamination from swivel to axle, but that much grease with nothing amiss in the swivel is very unlikely. I'd do another axle oil change fairly soon and if it looks ok write it down to a mis-fill. |
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3rd May 2014 5:57pm |
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| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558
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don't know what land rover service schedule says but autodata state front diff oil change at 48,000
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3rd May 2014 6:02pm |
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| mark_d Member Since: 07 Sep 2013 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 266
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The oil has been changed twice in the last 4 weeks and the seals were replaced 2 weeks ago so I'll never know.
But you could be right about the grease being put in the wrong hole. It was heavily contaminated and yet the swivel housings seemed to have plenty of grease in them. Could a main dealer make that mistake? I'd be a little bit gutted if that was the case as I spent my Easter weekend building both hubs, although I did enjoy it.  http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/ |
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3rd May 2014 6:06pm |
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| mark_d Member Since: 07 Sep 2013 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 266
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Just checked the Land Rover Service sheet and your right it is the 2nd B service. http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/ |
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3rd May 2014 6:08pm |
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| MK Member Since: 28 Aug 2008 Location: Santiago Posts: 2446  
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I exchanged the seals when I fitted the front TruTrac diff. They were quite worn out and for sure allowed the oil to migrate into the swivels and back.....I do not think it is a big issue though. Puma 110" SW
............................................................. Earth first. Other planets later |
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3rd May 2014 10:59pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6317 
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You say the oil was contaminated.....did it really stink?
Sounds like what I had recently....changed oil and plan to do the same again soon. Noticed any improvements? |
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4th May 2014 8:38am |
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| mark_d Member Since: 07 Sep 2013 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 266
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Yes it did stink Caterham. The only improvement I've noticed is the colour of the oil.
I'll keep an eye on it and report back, but as of yesterday it was still a nice golden colour. It seems the oil change that happened at the time of the service did a good job of working as a flush for the oil change 2 weeks later when the hubs were rebuilt. http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/ |
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4th May 2014 9:44am |
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| AlanH Member Since: 15 Mar 2010 Location: WA Posts: 242 
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I've got the same thing with my front axle. Just dropped the oil to check for water contamination after being seriously bogged in a water filled hole a week ago and the oil is very dark. Rear was as clean as when it went in.
This is the 3rd time it's been like this, first was at the 80K service, then I changed it againat 100K and now when just checking. No water but dark coloured oil. Will it do any harm if oil is sloshing around through the seals? None is leaking out. AlanH. |
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20th Jun 2014 8:30am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6317
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Alan, just wondering does the oil also have a very strong smell to it?
I'm lead to believe this may all be normal but if it is surely there's a good reason for it as it's very different to the rear - presumably because the diff does a lot more work than the rear having the steering? I'm not convinced it's right and suspect something is wearing out - would be good to get some feedback to confirm if it is / isn't normal? |
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20th Jun 2014 8:48am |
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