Way OT - automobile question

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Ysabel Kid
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Way OT - automobile question

Post by Ysabel Kid »

What viscous, grease-like fluid is a bright red (almost like chainsaw bar oil, but a lot thicker) that would be in a car like a Ford Explorer?

I was heading out to go to the airport last week, and my wife came in and said "what did you hit? There is red stuff all over your car."

Sure enough, it was all over the passenger side of the vehicle. A bit in the rear tire well and on that tire, and absolutely coated the front tire well. I thought at first I must have hit an animal, but didn't remember doing so. Then I took a closer look and realized the red was too bright, too viscous, and smelled and felt like an oil-based material. I ran it over to the Sam's Car Wash (nearest place), but that didn't take it off. Then off to Auto Bell and ran it through twice. That mechanically removed the majority of it, but it still left a residue. Since my car was going to sit at the airport and bake in the sun all week (between the darn thunderstorms), I took it back home and cleaned the rest off with paint thinner.

I don't think it is brake fluid (wrong color) or steering fluid (possibly right color but wrong consistency). Maybe I ran over a tube of something - but it would have had to be a BIG tube!

Any ideas?
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Pete44ru
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by Pete44ru »

.

It sounds like hydraulic fluid, so I'm betting you ran through a puddle from a leaking transmission or ram (like on a payloader/bulldozer) that passed by there earlier.

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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by Blaine »

It's only a SWAG, but sounds like automatic tranny fluid. I'd put the car on a lift and see what, if anything, is leaking.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by AJMD429 »

BlaineG wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 8:51 pm. . . I'd put the car on a lift and see what, if anything, is leaking.
Yep.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by vancelw »

Transmission fluid is that color but not very viscous .
Some chassis grease is that color and would be softened by the heat of the pavement if some had been spilled and you ran over it.

Check the front CV boot, too.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by hayabusa »

Our 1995 & 1999 Ford Explorers (SUV) are both rear wheel drive and do not have CV joints/boots.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by GunnyMack »

It's probably a synthetic grease, the High Pressure synthetic greases are usually red in color.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by Old No7 »

Ysabel Kid wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:49 pm What viscous, grease-like fluid is a bright red... too viscous, and smelled and felt like an oil-based material...
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by mikld »

GunnyMack wrote: Mon Jun 04, 2018 4:10 am It's probably a synthetic grease, the High Pressure synthetic greases are usually red in color.
Yep. If there are no new noises, no puddles under the vehicle after parked over night, then you may have run over something on the road. If you ran over a tube of HP red grease (I use this for some bullet lubes) it would produce the same "spatter pattern" on the side of your vehicle and be difficult to remove...
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by Tycer »

vancelw wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 9:22 pm
Check the front CV boot, too.
My guess if 4x4
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Hawkeye2
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by Hawkeye2 »

If that much lubricant came from your car in that short of a time you would be well aware of what the problem was before you got home.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by rossim92 »

sounds like high temp bearing grease. we use it here at work. it is red in color and sticks to everything :shock:
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by piller »

You ran over something. It does sound like bearing grease. Someone must have lost a tube of grease, and you ran over it.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by Ji in Hawaii »

Sounds Like automatic transmission fluid to me too. Maybe a quart bottle somehow got on roadway, and you ran over it. I can't imagine it came from your vehicle but maybe have it checked to be sure.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by piller »

Depending on the year, Ford designed some of the Explorers with a sealed transmission, and Ford normally puts the Transmission filler cap and the drain also on the driver's side.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by lthardman »

I use a bright red Pennzoil 707L Wheel Bearing Grease Jay. I can surely imagine that being the source if you ran over a tube or even a place in the road where someone an incident that resulted in some sort of spill.

By the way, it is pretty good stuff for boat trailer wheel bearings. But I would not care to have to remove it from the wheel wells or fenders.
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Re: Way OT - automobile question

Post by Ysabel Kid »

I must have ran over something, or ran through a BIG puddle of something, because it didn't come from my car. Just had the periodic maintenance done and asked them to look. Nothing is leaking and no fluids were low. Given how much of it was there, if it came from my car, that fluid would be low to empty!

Thanks fellas! :D
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