Rear end question

[drewmar74]

I'm stumped.

I found myself under the back end of my explorer this afternoon and saw something that isn't right.

For the record, this is a 2000 Sport 4WD (6 cyl SOHC) with a 5R55E transmission. The truck has +/- 150k miles on it.

I was going to put a picture up, but I cannot post attachments. Soooooo, I'll have to describe what is going on.

I'm under the back bumper looking forward. To the left of the transmission on the axle (but to the right of the springs) is a nipple. If you were standing on the transmission and looking down the axle towards the driver's side tire, the nipple would be oriented at about the 11 o'clock position. This nipple had a black flex tube running to it. Said tube arches back up to the frame and then continues toward the front of the vehicle. I did not trace it further.

This tube has broken at the end of the nipple and now the nipple is exposed. Something has obviously leaked out and gathered dirt. I'm not good enough with smells to identify the fluid based off that.

Three questions come immediately to mind:

1) What is it that is no longer attached that obviously needs to be attached?
2) What (beyond reattaching said hose) needs to be addressed to avoid utter catastrophe?
3) On a scale of 1-10, how screwed am I?

Thanks in advance! This place is a life saver.

Oh, and I do have a photo if anyone wants to see a picture of the issue to make life easier.

Mods, please move if in the wrong forum.

-DM74

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Not screwed. That is the breather for your rear axel. When the axel is cold you might have a little seepage of gear oil. The hose goes to nowhere, it just sits up on the body to give you more clearance to avoid water getting into the axel. You can just cut the hose and reattach to the nipple. Try to give it a little more slack. The hoses dry rot and lose flex then break off when the rear wheels hit a pothole. A lot of rear wheel drive cars and trucks run for years without the hose.

 

[yavapaires]

If you live in wet country, you really should reconnect the breather hose, just to keep water from getting into the axle housing. And, a little seeping is normal, just the vapor from the gear oil in the rear end.

 

[drewmar74]

Boom. Awesome.

Thank you for the peace of mind. The tube will be reattached in the morning.

I learn every time I log in to this site. It's a great place.