Burning smell and gunk in engine bay!

[B-e30_e46]

driving home I smelled something burning... kinda smelled like asphalt and I had been through a construction zone so I figured it was that. Stopped at post office, got back in car and drove home from there... noticed the smell again... pictures coming of some weird gunk (it's thick and black and semi liquid) I noticed in the engine bay that I think might be the cause


Here are the pics:








any ideas?

[euro3]

If it's an IX

Maybe its your halfshaft puking grease from the boot onto your exhaust??

[B-e30_e46]

Maybe its your halfshaft puking grease from the boot onto your exhaust??

It is my iX... I will take a look at the front right halfshaft after class or tomorrow... thanks!


any other ideas of what to look at?

[motorprestige]

I agree with euro 3, look at the "puke radius", it seems to be heavier the closer you get to the half shafts cv boot, check it for splits/tears. If it's not that, i would check the same area for the next few days to see if the amount of gunk grows, although, i am pretty sure it's grease coming from a cv boot leak.

[PeaveyBassist]

What they said. Looks like grease coming out of the halfshaft boot.

Will

[B-e30_e46]

just got out of class and threw the car on my jack stands... got under it and it definitely is grease coming out of the halfshaft's CV boot


will look more closely for holes or a tear


thanks guys!


how hard is this to repair? is it DIY?

[Brew]

just got out of class and threw the car on my jack stands... got under it and it definitely is grease coming out of the halfshaft's CV boot


will look more closely for holes or a tear


thanks guys!


how hard is this to repair? is it DIY?

Are there any noises coming from the front end while accelerating and turning? Clicking sounds? If not, and if the boot hasn't been torn for too long, you can probably get away with just getting the boot replaced. I wouldn't recommend the job to someone who isn't too familiar with working on cars and without a full complement of tools. Take it to your local shop.

[B-e30_e46]

I've access to 2 guys with tons of knowledge and tools...

one of them is recommending we do the front wheel bearings while we're in there messing around... he's got some uber tool which makes the job 1000 times easier or something


will keep you posted!

[NC325iC]

looks like tar to me