mystery vnet and belt tensioner

[dripley]

i was changing my oil today and when i took out the bhaf and intake pipe i saw some oil on the fender well. it is apparently coming out of a hose with a funny cap on it. it sits about 4" in front of the pcm under the bhaf. the hose runs from the fender well to something on the front axle, passenger side. i am not familiar with this at all. there is not alot of fluid on the fender well and it is cover with dust so whatever is coming out of it is doing it slowly. seemed to be spread out to much for gear oil, but then again i dont know what i am dealing with. Can someone please enlighten me.i also heard what i think was the belt tensioner pulley starting to squeal. after it warmed up, whatever is was quit. pretty sure it was the pulley though. The FSM says it is serviced as a unit but i can buy just the pulley or the unit. any of you just replaced the pulley?

[gassernomore]

i also heard what i think was the belt tensioner pulley starting to squeal. after it warmed up, whatever is was quit. pretty sure it was the pulley though. The FSM says it is serviced as a unit but i can buy just the pulley or the unit. any of you just replaced the pulley?

I purchased a pulley from AutoZone a while back. Can't remember the price though.

[MarbleCrusher]

I keep an extra tensioner pulley under the backs seat just in case but most of the time I replace the tensioner as a whole. Oh and the vent you describe just sounds like a axle vent-Jordan-

[98whitelightnin]

That is your axle tube breather, shouldnt be getting oil up that high though.

[flagmanruss]

If front axle oil coming out the vent... why? Over filled? Water in axle (deep water crossing)? I would check the axle oil... as cheap as I am... the front diff is way more costly.

[dripley]

I purchased a pulley from AutoZone a while back. Can't remember the price though.

i found it for $17.99 at auto zone or advance.

--- Update to the previous post...

I keep an extra tensioner pulley under the backs seat just in case but most of the time I replace the tensioner as a whole. Oh and the vent you describe just sounds like a axle vent

-Jordan-

thanks, probably will replace as a unit and just see if i can rebuild the old one for a spare.

--- Update to the previous post...

That is your axle tube breather, shouldnt be getting oil up that high though.

this one comes of what appears to be a shift motor connected to the axle just inboard of the passenger side yoke. it holds 5 oz of gear oil. i read that in the 2001 FSM. i dont know squat about it. but i would agrre that is pretty high to vent any fluid especially holding that small amount of fluid. it was getting to late last night to go any further so i cleaned it up and will watch it for a while.

--- Update to the previous post...

If front axle oil coming out the vent... why? Over filled? Water in axle (deep water crossing)? I would check the axle oil... as cheap as I am... the front diff is way more costly.

if what i read in the FSM and saw on the axle it is not comming from the pumpkin but a shift motor on the axle shaft. that is where the vent is coming from. it only hold 5 oz of fluid and i never new it was there. so i would think it is low if anything since i have never added fluid. i very seldom use the 4wd and dont think i ever had it under water. i do have a small leak at the diff cover, but it appears the venting is coming from else where.

Have any of you ever serviced the shift motor?

[98whitelightnin]

One step forward, two steps back.....Pulled my water pump today to flush my engine out and when I put it back on it was leaking from the weep hole and squeeling something awefull, never a drip before but anyway, got a new one and its still squeeling so I guess im gonna change the tensioner pulley tomorrow. How does the unit come off and am I gonna need any special tools getting the pulley off?

[MarbleCrusher]

Should be a standard hex head bolt to remove the tensioner assembly and a star bit to remove the pulley from the tensioner assembly if i remember correctly.-Jordan-

[dripley]

have not done mine yet. but from what i see and what the service manual says, Marble Crusher hit on the head.

[98whitelightnin]

Thanks guys, I found ISX's video on this a few minutes after I posted this.