Right inner drive shaft boot looking oily

Are you sure it was oil and not something else? Where you able to see above the shaft (as it might be something dripping from the engine)?

So far mine is dry all around. Hope you don't have anything serious going on.

 

I just did my 30,000 oil change. I always look at the boots when I'm under there and mine are clean and dry.

Is it like an oil, or more like a light grease? Is it slick or gooey to the touch? Boot grease is thicker than oil and is gooey. Take some paper towels and carefully wipe the boot clean without deforming it to much. Then drive it for a day or two and check it again.

The only boot leaks I ever had on my 4Runner was when the boot clamp came loose on one end. The boot itself was intact. The clamps should not turn on top of the boot material. They should be tight. Be gentile.

 

Can you take a picture of it?

 

I don't know but I've gone over a curb (the same one!) twice recently while parking due to paranoia of someone dinging up my door, so I'm going to give mine a glance over soon (no lift available, so I'll have to get down and dirty).

 

I used to have a little leak via timing chain cover, dealer replaced the seal, and seems to fix it so far. Maybe you can check it. It's facing the firewall on the passenger side, so it's hard to see, but you can touch and feel around. You can also look up from the bottom when you open the oil change plastic cover.

 

The seal you suspect is the "Transaxle Assembly Type T Oil Seal" in the transaxle case. It seals the hole where the drive shaft enters. You have to pull the axle to replace it. It is a major job. The dealer may tell you that some seepage is normal, but if it seeps now it will leak later and needs to be replaced.

On the other hand, if an axle boot is leaking, the boot needs to be replaced because it will also just get worse over time and will eventually cause the CV joint to fail.

Good luck with the dealer.

 

While changing my oil several times I noticed my CV boot was a little greasy looking and this seems to be the normal. No leaks or oily drops anywhere.

 

So far after 25k miles, everytime that I have changed oil and/or transaxle fluid and checked my CV boots they have been dry all around.

Let us know what you find.

 

My right hand inner drive shaft boot looks a little shiny as if there is a waxy coating on it, no signs of any leaks or flung oil anywhere.

 

As you feared, if you just take it to the dealer as is, you may get a new boot whether you need one or not. It probably is the boot from your description but I'd want to check closer if it was mine.

 

Pics please

 

I noticed what I think you are describing on both of my inner boots- the outers are bone dry. It's a very light coat of slightly sticky greasy-oily-waxy smutz. I found no sign of leakage from the joints or anywhere else making me suspect that this goop was deliberately applied. My idea was to clean it off thinking that it might attract dirt which would abrade the rubber but I got distracted and forgot about it until the car was off the jack and then I was too lazy to jack it back up. I'm just not as anal as I was in my younger days- the dumb goop will just have to whirl around until the next time the car goes up in the air for something more important.

 

^ it sucks getting old. lol

 

Cool, that's great news!

 

Glad to hear no problems.

 

just saw my mechanic this afternoon and he tells me i need a new driver side drive shaft boot. apparently my old one is leaking. anyone knows the part number for this??