Part two of me prepping my rig to make a transcontinental drive from Indiana to the Sierra Nevada...

When last I left you, I had successfully and comically changed my rear differential oil in my 2002 4Runner SR5 with 180k miles on it. I'm not laughing now, however...

To get a jump start on the weekend, I decided to make use of my last hour of daylight here in sunny Indiana and take off the skid plates. Took off both with great ease using my 1/2" rachet with a 12mm and 14mm socket. Easy peasy.

Unfortunately, when I removed the conjoined front skid plates, this is what I saw:



That is one nasty skid plate! And sadly, some of that mess seemed fresh. Note that is the passenger side "back" corner. (this is the side that faces "up" under the engine area)

I immediately hit the ground with my LED spotlight and phone to get these two pics of the front differential:



The above was taken with the camera almost directly under the corner of the front bumper. (driver side)



The above was taken almost directly under the differential. (driver side)

No fluid seemed to be running/dripping from the pieces/parts onto the driveway, but the fluids on them did look damp. We did have some rain today, but as you can see from the above skid plate photo, nothing else was wet or oily.

After this, I started rolling under to get better looks at everything. Here are two shots, this time from the passenger side.



Above was taken from just in front of the front wheel.



Above was taken from just behind the wheel, under the passenger side door. I am not ASE, but that area next to the rubber accordion thing does not look so good.

As you can see from the pics, ambient light was fading and I could not get good pics as my chosen extension cord was too short for the job. I threw a giant piece of new, pristine cardboard under the rig before I came inside and am going to check it out in the morning. Hoping it doesn't rain, so I can have untainted evidence of any leaking and the fluid in its original (sic) condition.

As a backgrounder:

1. I recently (this week) got a OBD2 scanner and have been monitoring engine temps. Engine seems to run between 195 - 199 when driving locally or on state/county roads, so anywhere from 10 - 60 MPH. I do seem to burn (maybe it's burning...) some oil. Couldn't quantify the amount since I just noticed it, really.

2. Also been monitoring tranny temps for the past week. I've seen them as low as 164 when cruising at speed, especially with cruise control on. Also seen it over 200 when in city driving. For example, it was up to 210 today, with weather here about 90 with 80% humidity. I checked fluid and it does not smell burnt, nor is it black. It's still got some pinkish hue to it. Looks like what Chris Fix would call, "OK, but should be changed soon" (I am paraphrasing on of his videos, I don't know him and he did not examine my vehicle...) Also, the radiator (changed at maybe 140k?) is pretty dirty and bug ridden. My plan was to remove front grill and hit it with some HVAC coil cleaner this weekend.

3. I've always just felt (like the 4Runner Force) she ran a little hot. I'd take a ten mile drive on a warmer day and at a drive through, could feel the heat pouring out from the sides. But honestly, I have a late model Odyssey van in great shape that feels the same way sometimes.

4. I do park on a slight, driveway incline, kinda sideways like this:

\

so I suppose it is possible that any leak naturally seeks the low point of where it lands, which would push it to the rear, passenger side of that skidplate.

5. I can say I have never seen any fluid leaking on my driveway or any other place we've parked the rig.

6. I'm hoping this "is it" but last time I changed oil (late winter) I did fumble the oil filter (was trying to grab it from the wheel well and I'm on the...errrr...husky side) so I know some fluid did leak out of it when it hit the skid plate and laid there while I tried to fish it out.

EDIT: 7. I do not think it is gear oil, because it does not smell like putrid vomit from a drunk that has been on the ground for a day or two after Mardi Gras. It is "oily" and dark in the sense of old oil. Just wanted to add that. I know the smell of gear oil from my adventure a couple of weeks ago.

Anyone who has an opinion on this, please let me know. This girl is supposed to head to Cali in 3-4 weeks and I'm starting to think she ain't making the trip like this.

Thanks!

UPDATE: So about 90 minutes after parking her, the cardboard remains clean as a whistle. I went into the garage and wiped part of the dirty area of the skid plate and it was more dry and gritty than wet, despite having a sheen. I guess oily stuff just looks shiney, regardless of moisture content.