So I got home today and noticed a nice sized puddle runnning down the driveway (my wife had just gotten home - she drives the Rover) and abit of smoke coming from the grill. It looked like oil, so my first thought was valve cover gaskets (they have always looked oily since I bought the truck). There does seem to be some oil on top of the cover towards the back, and running down the back of the cover, but I can't see it running down the engine anywhere else.
The oil really looks and feelslike power steering fluid though(it isdefinintly a light oil, but it runs down the driveway like water would. It looks like rusty water with some light oil mixed in). I can't see it leaking anywhere, though the underside -frontof the engine seems to have more fresh oil on it (the whole underside has always been pretty oily). It drips to the driveway from the bottom of the pan.
I did just replace the steering fluid, for what it's worth. I idled it for a while and took it for a short drive, but I can't reproduce it.
Is there anywhere to look for a steering fluid leak? Wouldn't a valve cover leak all of the time once started? All of my fluids look good (Iwill check again once cooled down). Any ideas?

 

I just remembered there was a post recently on power steering leaks.Sounds common. I filled it with Valvoline syn. and added Lucas stop leak additive when I did the refill. Still, I'm surprised that Ican't see it leaking anywhere, or that it has stopped almost as soon as it started.

 

It may be tranny fluid.
Sounds like you need a little direction so call me.
303-862-7680

 

Hmmm, that's a real good possiblity (ATF cooler line?). It's not red though, it's adirty golden brown. I will say though that it looked like a couple ofthe boltson the underside of the front of the engine had a nice fresh bead of red fluid hangin off them.
It just occured to me that I had another unexplained spot on the driveway that looked similar to this one. It's possible it has done this before.
I'll try you again later Mike...

 

Did you check your front diff for a leak? Gear lube is brown. As for the smoking probaly PS fluid on the exhaust.
Check the brake fluid as well, it to is brown.

 

It's funny that you mentioned that. I was outside looking around the top of the left valve cover near the fire wall where I thought I had seen some of the fluid sitting earlier, looking for someplace it could have been coming from. I noticed a plactic tube against the fire wall that ended right above the wet spot on the valve cover. I followed it down to where it attached to the front axle tube. I guess it's a vent for the diff.. I can't really see how it would leak fluid though.

 

That is your axle breather tube. It is so that moistre can excape the axle and not contaminate the fluid.
Yours diff might be contaminated. Pull the plug and see if it is brown or milky.
If it is over full than it is contaminated and I would get it changed.
Same as if it is milky colored. You just might want to get them both done.
Most quick lubes will do transfer case, front and rear diff's for under $100.
The transfer case takes gear lube, not transmission fluid like most Jeeps, so dont let them put in the wrong stuff.

 

I've got some Royal Purple I've been meaning to put in there.

 

There you go, RP all the way around. This is the perfect excuse. I filled mine with cheap gear lube first and drove for a couple hundred miles to really "flush" everything out before I put in the good stuff. (I used Mobil 1)
I also have full synthetics in the driveline. FYI, the t-case fill plug is really hard to get to.
A 1/2" drive ratchet without a socket is what fits the drain/fill plugs.

 

That reminds me, were your diff plugs plastic? I read that they and the radiator plugs are. Was it the fill and drain plug, or just the fill plug that is plastic. I think I can live with a plastic fill plug, but a plasticdrain plug seems absurd.