AMP76

Here's the story. Two days ago I drive my 98 XJ (220k mi) less than a mile to the store. When I pull in, I notice a rainbow slick (it was raining) trailing my front driverside tire all through the parking lot. I look under my tire and threre's a puddle of what I immediately thought was an oil and coolant mixture, due to the "chocolate-milkiness" of it (though it was dark colored and mixed with rainwater on the ground). I pop the hood and check for leaks, all hoses, the radiator... everything looked fine from the top. I checked all the fluids and everything was full (had to top off the oil but that's normal at this point between oil changes).

So I drive home and notice that, when I switched into reverse, I could release the brake and drift backwards, but when I gave it gas the engine only revved. I switched into drive and it went in gear fine, and driving back was fine, though I didn't get past 25-30 mph (same on the way to the store, btw).

While it's still raining I get geared up and crawl under to look around. There was oil (maybe oil? looked like black oil, not that dark chocolatey stuff I saw earlier) all around the driverside tire, steering gear box, inside the front bumper, still with no apparent source. I'm figuring by now must be axle oil that shot out and got spun around by the tire.

Yesterday was dry and sunny, so I go out to look around, start her up and drive around the block... but I never make it out of the driveway. When I switch in forward or reverse, the tranny shifts, the rpms change, I can let off the brake and the jeep will move forward or backward on it's own... but when I push the gas it doesn't "connect", the engine revs but doesn't move the jeep. I decide to check my front differential fluid (the common connection between my oiled tire and transmission). I thought it was going to be empty, but when I broke the seal on the pumpkin fluid came pouring out. Was heading down the road of changing my inner axle seals, but with a full differential I'm not even sure I was barking up the right tree, and now I'm fearing transmission issues.

So today I'm gonna change the tranny fluid and filter, and look for... idk really, anything that looks "wrong". But I still have no idea what kind of fluid I lost, or where it came from, if and/or how it's related to my transmission.... Basically, I'm all fubar'd. Any and all help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

EZEARL

"all around the driverside tire, steering gear box, inside the front bumper, still with no apparent source."

Right off the top of my head I'd say it's a trans fluid leak even though it may not look like it trans fluid. The area in the quote above is where the cooler lines from the trans go to the radiator. I just recently bypassed the oem hoses that were seeping fluid on mine. Clean that area as good as you can and keep a close eye on it. Also clean and look on the trans cooler side of the radiator for possible problems. Could be a crack in the trans reservoir.

No need to replace the trans filter. Just do use the drain plug and replace the fluid (~3.75qts) until it's clean.

PatHenry

x2 - As I was reading it I'm thinking diff fluid until you were mentioning drivability issues that scream "transmission related". I'd bet one of the cooler lines is bad like EZEARL suggests.

AMP76

Man oh man. That feels so right. I'm not gonna be able to work on it again until tomorrow, but I can't wait to look.

Thanks for sharing your expertise! I'll let you know how it turns out.

EZEARL

Good luck to ya!

PatHenry

Report back with your findings please.

AMP76

Finally got a chance the past couple days to get out there (been raining a lot) and lo and behold, the trans cooler line had slipped off the nipple. Not completely off, was still lined up and appeared to attached -- if I wasn't specifically touching and checking that hose I never would've noticed. Thanks for the insight... I was about to pull out my axle and replace those inner seals. You saved me a ton of disappointment!!

So the hose is on (and I never get a break as easy as this to fix), some brand-new diff fluid and trans fuild swirling around...

...and when I took her around the block a few times I came back with a brand-new coolant leak from the radiator. C'est la vie.

Thanks again for your help!