THE BIG STINK

[Guest Dinero]

About six months ago, the inner CV boot ruptured on the passenger's side of my 99 Forester. Man, CV grease went everywhere! Including, of course, the hot muffler! Well at least the CV joint was OK, so the mechanic just replaced the boot. After a couple of weeks, the CV grease stink went away. But now it's back, big time. I jacked up the car, no broken boots and no grease on the muffler. Let the car run for a few miles, then stop for a light, and cabin fills up with CV grease fumes. ANY good ideas on curing this problem would be REALLY appreciated. Thanks.

[Guest theotherskip]

check along the entire exhaust system - you could have a seal on the transmission leaking and dripping on the exhaust. it may not be cv boot grease...it could be tranny or engine oil...

[Guest Strakes]

I had a similar grease leak out of the front inner cv boot backing plate...Covered under warranty...dealer fixed it for free. The boot itself was fine, with no rips. The grease oozes past the metal plate. Visually the joint looked great. The grease would get hot and migrate past the backing plate and onto the spinning shaft and get slung. So after you stop to inspect, the boot looks great, and you wonder where all the grease came from. I don't know all the technical terms, so this is how I'd describe it:

 

Going from the transmission to the front drive wheel, the shaft that comes out of the transmission is attached to the inner cv joint. There is a space of about 1 inch before it attaches to the inner cv joint. There is a metal backing plate, and then the boot. Followed by the drive shaft and then the outer cv joint.

 

The connection on that metal backing plate to the rubber boot was faulty. And grease was slung everywhere and all over the catalytic converter. And boy did it stink!