Gearbox oil leak

[Oli.g]

Hi everyone, just came back from a 400 mile round trip, got home and checked under the car as i could smell gearbox oil very faintly near home.

Noticed its coming from this rubber pipe clamped to a metal pipe around the clutch/front diff area (couldnt look properly as was pitch black and raining)

Any ideas what this could be for or what could cause it?

Thank you for any help

 

[Finiterex]

Hi everyone, just came back from a 400 mile round trip, got home and checked under the car as i could smell gearbox oil very faintly near home.

Noticed its coming from this rubber pipe clamped to a metal pipe around the clutch/front diff area (couldnt look properly as was pitch black and raining)

Any ideas what this could be for or what could cause it?

Thank you for any help

View attachment 162130

Auto or manual mate?

 

[Finiterex]

Looks like it's the hose from the steering pump to the rack...?

 

[AdventureWagon]

Hydraulic clutch hose? But then it would be brake fluid not oil.

 

[Oli.g]

Shes a manual, sorry i forgot to say haha.

 

[Finiterex]

Need some better photos tbh

 

[Steve H]

That looks like the front diff breather hose to me. Check the level in your diff . On your trip it would have got hot and possibly you had a bit too much oil in and overflowed?

 

[Oli.g]

Sorry for bad pics its an awkward place to take a photo hahah

Its a rubber pipe with a metal plug which seems like some sort of breather

 

[Finiterex]

Front diff breather. Did you hear any strange noises? Grinding sounds? I'd change out the front diff oil. easy job and worth doing every year or two anyway. My guess is there's prob a ton of muck in there blocking things up and causing over pressurisation hence the weaping from the breather.

 

[Oli.g]

Front diff breather. Did you hear any strange noises? Grinding sounds? I'd change out the front diff oil. easy job and worth doing every year or two anyway. My guess is there's prob a ton of muck in there blocking things up and causing over pressurisation hence the weaping from the breather.

Thank you so much!
Ill see if i can find the oil tomorrow while im christmas shopping ! Worth extending the pipe higher while im messing with it all?
Appreciate the help!

 

[diggerdave]

Thank you so much!
Ill see if i can find the oil tomorrow while im christmas shopping ! Worth extending the pipe higher while im messing with it all?
Appreciate the help!

To check the oil level in the front, the underguard has to be removed. You'll need a large hex key (two different sizes for the drain and the filler - can't remember the sizes, perhaps someone else can). The oil level should be just up to the bottom of the filler hole. It's worth buying good quality oil for the front especially as its capacity is small and it works hard.

I thought the breather on these was pretty high anyway. I'm sure mine is right up in the engine bay? I've never bothered extending my front from standard (done the rear though) and I do lots of deepish water crossings and never had an oil contamination issue. However the breather caps are renowned for rusting up eventually and you may find that is the problem - if the breather can't breathe it can force oil out where it isn't supposed to be. New breathers aren't much money from Roughtrax or similar and extending it can be done with any old tubing and a suitably sized push fit connector, if you think it needs it.