2009 Escape 4x4 found oil on the rear axle - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

deftonesman · 03-28-2009, 09:01

So nice spring day here. I got 7500kms on it. Decided to look into my wiring for my trailer hitch..so i get under and i see my rear axle is wet. Im like, ok the roads were dry..so i rub it at the bottom and got a good drop on my finger..its rear-end fluid...you know that smell...the rear end has the middle plug and the top plug where you fill it from. but the head is like a poppy pressure thingy...could it just be this..high pressure and it releases some fluid?

I cleaned it with a rag and will monitor if it gets wet again..but it appears it came out of the top plug...

anyone can add to this?

**360ci** · 03-28-2009, 19:55

That's a vent tube to release pressure as you drive, heat builds up in the differential and instead of having the seal burst causing a differential failure, the vent allows excess air and heat to escape through the vent. Some seepage is normal but monitor it as it should stop after a while. Another possibility is the differential was slightly overfilled at the factory.

Generally, the vent is attached on the top of a tube that's a good 4-12" above the differential, so if you drive through puddles etc, water won't seep into the vent and into the diff contaminating the oil.

deftonesman · 03-29-2009, 17:57

Thanks, likely what I thought..they over filed it at the factory..it some is coming out. We are finally having warm weather here and likely hit a new temperature in there...so more pressure...i will watch it for sure...the seal looked fine.