Hy everyone, this is my first time here and I want to start thanking everybody if wasn't for this forum I was broke right now and my mechanic rich....that means I got a lot of help from this forum.Ok here is my problem I have a 2001 blazer 4.3 vortec 4x4. My wife is the one that drives the car most of the time. Today I went to check the ac on my car and notice a big puddle of oil on the drivers side close to the tire, at first I tough was from the brakes but when I looked under the car I saw a big hole that have like a bearing inside and the oil was coming from there, I looked on the other side and there was the same "hole" but with "something" stuck in covering the hole, I'm looking all over to find the name of the "something" but no luck so far,can anyone help me? I don't know what kind of oil is that so i can't figure it out where to look if is power steering fluid or engine fluid, the only thing I know for sure is that is not transmission fluid, thanks and please somebody give me some light.

 

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I may be wrong but how long have you had this vehicle? What kind of work have you had performed on it lately providing you've had it a while? Looks like to me your front axle shafts are missing, which is NOT a good thing.

 

About 7 months and I have done a tune up and fuel pump so far.

 

Im been driving the car for 7 months now and If is missing it didn't feel weird at all.

 

Ok, IMO,there are two scenarios here. Does it have the front driveshaft?

1. The previous owner had issues with the axle(s) or differential and removed them to hide the problem(s) so he could sell it to an unsuspected buyer.

2. Do you trust your mechanic and his employees? Maybe someone there needed some and took yours during another repair trip.

 

I think the first one.. The previous owner took the shaft of... My question now is. Is it ok to drive like that? Could I just cover the hole and that's it?

 

Me, I'd want to find the root of the problem and fix it. Being open to the elements in not going to help it any. Greae can leak out, get contaminated and damage what's left of it. I guess you could block the holes off but I have no clue as to where to get covers or plates. Probably will have to have custom made.

Maybe someone else on here can chime in with some ideas or thoughts.

 

They would have had to have taken the axles apart so they could leave the outer half bolted in the bearing to keep it from falling apart. I think the first thing i would do is check and see if both the differential and transfer case are in working order, then just get some axles and fix it. But yeah you can drive it that way just tuck some rags in the axle holes, but do make sure the outer axle half is bolted in the wheel bearing, it will eventually fall apart if it is not.