93 ZJ Terrible Shake and Smoke

Good idea. Where do you live??

 

I live in Oklahoma...

 

https://youtu.be/ZxoPAEpiNxw
The fluid was like molasses and real thick. I just added a new fluid a few days ago and it's already black which would indicate that there was some fluid before I put the new fluid in, correct?

 

As long as there isn't any metal in the fluid, I think the teeth look fine. A few teeth seem to have something on them, I can't really tell what but I don't see any chunks missing.

I am sure it wasn't bone dry and the fluid like to cling to the gears and case and such so I am sure the new fluid got dirty quick.

Jack it up and inspect the brakes, see if the wheels turn freely and if nothing else have someone get it up to speed while you watch the rear tires. Just make sure there is enough area in front so in case things get out of hand and it comes off the jack stands you have room to shut her down.

I have had front brakes stick but have never had them smoke.... so I am wondering what this issue is.

 

https://youtu.be/7skdz5c_G-U
https://youtu.be/5oKmtSWRsR8

What about maybe my rear drum brakes having one of these issue issues? Looks like fluid everywhere on the rear on the rear passenger tire. The drivers side doesn't look like that. One side of the reservoir is empty and the other not very much in it.

 

Yeah I seen those spots on a couple of the teeth too. I'll go out there and take a second look to be sure what it is. But other than that, can we eliminate the rear differential as the problem? And okie dokie I'm jacking it up and running it.

 

Well... that could be gear oil if you have a leaking axle seal or brake fluid if you have a leaking wheel cylinder.
That could smoke if it got hot enough, like maybe from brakes that are stuck and dragging. I would start on that side and pull the brake drum off to take a look.
If the brakes are dragging and the drum is worn it may be difficult to get the drum off. You may have to go in from the back side and adjust the pads down far enough to release the drum. This can be tedious as the window to move the adjuster is small.

 

On another note, the smoke could have been coming from the exhaust pipe. I didn't notice this happen but apparently my catalytic converter and the piping I bought with it all fell apart and fell off the Jeep somewhere I guess as I was driving but I'm not sure exactly when. But exhaust pipe is cut and it stops about midway of the bottom of the Jeep so maybe that's where I was seeing smoke.

 

The only problem with that is, for some reason that I don't know why, the Lugnuts on that wheel are size different from the ones I have on the other Wheels and none of the ends on my four way fit it. That tire went flat couple of weeks ago and I had to take it to a shop to have the lug nuts removed but when we put the new tire on we use the same lug nuts

 

That is why I hate sleeved lug nuts. The sleeve falls off and then the 4 way doesn't work anymore. Luckily I generally carry an assortment of tools with me, but it is definitely a pain.

 

The day before yesterday I went outside and started it and let it idle for 15 minutes and as soon as I put it in reverse the engine died on me. It wouldn't restart so I let it sit 24 hours and went outside and started it again. This time when I started it it started right up and had a loud bang like a misfire and stayed running. I let it warm up but this time with my foot on the RPMs. When I put it in reverse it went in reverse and then I put it in drive and it drove back into the parking spot. I put it in reverse again and it reversed but when I put it in drive it died on me.

 

The sleeves are still on but for some reason I can't get the four way onto the lug nut. I had the same problem when the tire went flat and I had to drive it to a shop several yards luckily and have somebody use an air tool to get it off

 

Bunch of issues on one thread. Might forget some....lol
Just get a new set of solid lug nuts, inexpensive. IMO use a new gasket and fill with proper the gear oil. Inspect the parking brake for drag and lube metal contact>adjust. Inspect the brake pads and caliper and lube metal contact. Find what fluid is leaking and getting burned. If the brake fluid is low then that might be the fluid leaking. There is some dark spots on some of the teeth that's concerning but not imminent failure just yet.

 

https://youtu.be/xOy5YbgS7Y0
I got under the Jeep to jack up the rear end and turn the rear tires to see if they would spin freely and they did without much effort and both tires turn at the same time... However when I crawled under to turn the drive shaft the drive shaft didn't turn in the direction it turns to rotate the wheels backwards very easily and takes quite the effort to turn it that direction whether it's in Reverse or Neutral. The drive shaft turns the opposite direction just fine in reverse, neutral, and drive. While I was down there looking at the drive shaft, I check the pinion seal area and found a spring wire looks as if it's wrapped around the rear differential pinion and drive shaft yoke. What is it?

 

Can I reuse the fluid that I had in the rear differential or should I buy new fluid?

 

My guess is the spring is part of the pinion seal that quit doing it's job.
That's a lot of fluid on the underside there... that could definitely be where the smoke is coming from if it was hitting the exhaust.
Still not sure what would cause the rear end to "wag".

 

By wag do you mean vibrate? If you mean vibrate then maybe the vibration was coming from the pinion or the screen is throwing the driveshaft off balance or causing the vibration altogether? Do the pinion seals have springs in them or somewhere in the assembly of the pinion?

 

Yes by wag I meant the back end to shake.
Is there side to side/up - down play at the pinion like maybe the bearing it bad?

 

Yes there is slight play but not much ?