Brake fluid was a little low but not leaking anywhere. Everything else was full, it didn’t even smoke this morning for some reason and it was 48 degrees. My passenger axle boot is ripped but I don’t think that would cause a puddle under the carCheck all your fluids to see if any are low.
Brake fluid, power steering fluid, rad fluid(in the overflow tank), engine oil, transmission fluid.
Smoke caused by fluid burning on the exhaust pipe is different than smoke blowing out the tailpipe.
Pads are going on this weekend and rear rotors. I kinda redneck engineered an axle boot off of a cavalier onto it for now lol it definitely looks like it’s gonna be a headache to change the axle though.The brake fluid level drops as your brake pads wear.
Once the level gets to the low mark, it's time to check your brakes.
You're going to need a new axle shortly. Once dirt and water get inside the axle goes bad quickly.
Removing the axle from the steering knuckle can be a real PITA.
You will probably need a sledgehammer.
The reddish/brown fluid could be just antifreeze that got dirty?
Hopefully I won’t have to even put the pads and rotors on this on lol I got them anyway though just in case my other deal falls through.When you push your brake pistons in to change your pads, the brake fluid reservoir will probably go back to the full mark.
You can also get a split boot that wraps around the axle then you glue it shut.
It's kinda cheesy though but it's a perfect redneck fix.
Chances are that you've got crap in the joint and it will fail soon enough anyway.
Seized axles is nothing new lol seems like every FWD I’ve owned besides a few Honda’s never wanted to let go of their old axles.The axle splines like to seize into the hub and you may have to pound the shyte out of it to remove it.
Then when it comes time to install the new axle, the one side (the passenger side I think?) is a royal PITA to get the snap ring to pop into the transmission. (or the joint shaft.)
It's best to lay on the ground and hold the axle perfectly straight and compressed (it has some in and out movement as well as the wobble), then get someone to crack the axle with a sledgehammer.
(Use a trusted friend, ... They're wielding a sledgehammer. Lol)
It takes quite a crack to seat that c-clip.
... lol last time we tried something like that I had to drill a hole in my pinky nail and ring finger nail
Oh yeah,it’s crazy how fast the pain goes away when there’s no pressure on the nails. If I have to drill a hole in a nail though,I use a 1/8th bit as well but I usually use the impact gun lol the vibrations feel funny as hell until it pops throughI've done that too. Lol
I put a 1/8" drill bit in the big drill press and drilled a hole.
As soon as the blood came out my finger stopped hurting instantly.
Hell I might do that to the axle for now,it wouldn’t be the worst redneck fix I’ve done
mine was leaking power steering from the power steering return line on the front of the car attached to the front of the radiator in the lower grille. $78 part sent directly to me and i replaced it and now the car runs like a dream. the exhaust out the back even stopped! id suggest jacking the car up and seeing if you can get underneath it and find the leak.Mine does the same thing. Smokes (white) like a freight train when it’s cold until it either warms up or I get around 35mph and keep it there for a minute or two. Have a big reddish brown puddle under the front of the car and can’t tell where it’s coming from. Almost seems like my radiator is leaking by the drain plug in the bottom of the core support but it’s definitely got green coolant, not sure where this murky mess keeps coming from. Smells like oil but can’t find a leak anywhere.
I’ll have to give it a look, thanks man!mine was leaking power steering from the power steering return line on the front of the car attached to the front of the radiator in the lower grille. $78 part sent directly to me and i replaced it and now the car runs like a dream. the exhaust out the back even stopped! id suggest jacking the car up and seeing if you can get underneath it and find the leak.