Photo diagnosis: Cosmoline?

[aaronsdropzone]

It's been about eleventy-billion degrees outside and while I'm sure that over the last 9 years our X5 must have experienced heat like this before.

We've always garaged the car but due to a project in the garage it's been outside during the 108 degree heat over the last few days.

I noticed a growing puddle behind our X that I'm 60% sure must be cosmoline but I'm surprised that it hadn't already melted some time over the years.

If it were closer to the diff I'd have thought it was gear oil. Am I correct, or am I missing something? Is there a vent tube for the diff that terminates near there?









Thank you!

[civdiv99]

Dude.......

I dunno, but I don't understand what the garage has to do with your question.

Mine is outside 24/7/365 and 100+ temps or zero, whatever occurs.

I have never had anything on the ground.

You need to trace and inspect. I do think you may be onto something with your rear diff comment, though. Time to get under there for a snoop session.

[civdiv99]

Gear oil has a pretty distinctive odor because the additives; whatcha got with that sample on the ground?

[TwinTurboGTR]

Looks like brake fluid??? Having that color like that... How do the brakes feel? Check your rez.

[aaronsdropzone]

Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR

Looks like brake fluid??? Having that color like that... How do the brakes feel? Check your rez.

I would have thought that too except that I am running Ate Superblue right now. I just changed it back in February.

This stuff reminds me of gear oil, and is pretty clean and has no real distinct odor other than a light oil aroma.

As I wrote this I thought it through and remembered that I had a spare quart of Mobil 1 in the cubby in the trunk right above this. Just went and looked and saw that it sprung a leak. Problem solved.

Thank you!

[civdiv99]

Well, you'll not have any rust develope in that area, then!

[jgold47]

Diff oil smells like sex panther...by odeon.

[admranger]

Pics don't work, for me anyway.

Cosmoline is a sticky, nasty substance that remains solid through most normal temp excursions. A 'puddle' of it is highly unlikely. A little run coming down from a door drain is much more likely.

If I could see the pics, I could tell better.

As far as the brake fluid change, how much did you bleed out of the system? Did it run blue out the bleeder before you finished bleeding the brakes? I only ask b/c some people believe a brake fluid change only involves draining and refilling the reservoir.

[Green Dragon]

Originally Posted by jgold47

Diff oil smells like sex panther...by odeon.

Ron--"What cologne are you going to wear, Black Beards Delight?"
Brian--"No, No. This one gets something special. It's called Sex Panther. It"s made from real bits of Panther."
Ron--"Whew, that is rather pungent, stings the nostrils."Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline."
----------------------------------Anchorman, The Lengend of Ron Burgandy