so as i was inspecting some things like my cv boot and linkage bushings etc on the front right of my 99 jimmy 4x4 i noticed a significant amount of oily sludgy buildup. i found an area that wasnt black grease in consistancy, but it was a red oily consistancy. i know my tranny fluid is red but this didnt have the typical nasty stink of tranny fluid. is there anything else i should check? it also was all over the chassis and such right above the front right linkages which would be an unusual location for tranny fluid to be dripping.. i wasnt able to tell where it was coming from exactly. honestly, i didnt really smell anything at all, i may have had a stuffy nose but trans fluid is hard to miss

 

Some power steering fluids are red in color... also some people put trans fluid in the power steering fluid. This works, but I have heard it swells the seals too much. A power steering leak would be on the driver side, though. Some greases are purple or red in color. Could it be grease from the chassis or steering components? I suppose it could be some dried up Dex-Cool, but I don't think that would leave a residue.

 

Best advice I can give you is clean up the mess to the best of your ability and then find out where the leak is. There is a dye you can put in various fluids that will show up using a black light that would help to pin point where the leak is.

I was going to ask if you had possibly overheated the tranny recently and caused it to burp out the vent but I'm pretty certain the vent hose is attached to the firewall. Not 100% sure on this, though.

 

I have the exact same problem but mine start happening right after I replaced my radiator.

And it looks like it is coming from the whose that suppose to take the extra antifreeze from

the radiator. checked that whose if its coming from there also check the level of antifreeze in the radiator.

 

my coolant is green, which maybe is bad? it was that way when i bought it, but everywhere i look it makes me feel like im supposed to have red or pinkish dex-cool or something? i have no idea whats in there now, it looks clean, but its green, probably generic crap..

so back to the issue, I will clean it all up, and the dye idea sounds really good, i may try that. the residue is definitely slimy in consistancy, like oil. it is not a crusty residue nor is it watery. it is a type of lubricant. i dont know anything about dex-cool red coolant, but i dont think antifreeze is as oily feeling as this stuff, though it can be kind of slimy, this is less viscous than coolant. gonna take a more thorough look if i get a chance, possibly take out my splash shield so i can see up in there better.

thanks for the tips

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the color of the coolant so long as it looks consistent with no debris, etc.

Could you take a picture of the location and post it?

 

^^ What Kyle said..... Trans cooler is in the passenger side of the radiator, I'm gonna hazard a guess that that MIGHT be where it's coming from.

 

^^ i never thought about that, I am afraid that's the problem.
You should be fine with the green coolant.

 

only camera i have is my phone which is 8mp, but bad optics like all phones. i can try and get a picture, will do that soon as i get a chance and ill post it here. also, for a leak in the trans cooler, would that be something i should address while im having my transmission valve body/filter/plug replaced? assuming that is the problem for sure.

on another note, is it possible i could have wiped it up on my finger, and smelt it up close and not smelled anything at all if it was tranny fluid? i feel like that stuff could stink up an entire city block or 2.

either way, thats a good point, i at least have somewhere logical to start, appreciate the knowledge

 

If its sludgy build up by your CV boot then your CV boot could be slowly leaking (like mine) and throwing the grease all over the place. The Trans cooler is a little to far up for it to be that (if im correctly imagining where you are saying the grease is at) but i suppose it could be. But my guess is the CV boot, or a seal on the shaft coming out of the differential.