Looks like you're right. I would start by wiping it off carefully to identify the source of the leak.

I haven't done this job on my Pilot, but previous experience suggests that if you intend to keep the vehicle, replace the axle with OEM. Unless the failure is obviously from external damage (like a puncture hole) or you're well under 100k, do both sides if your budget will tolerate it. If there's any other front suspension work that needs doing (links, tie-rod ends, struts), this is a good time.

If you're not worried about long-term, put in a cheap one and hope for the best. I wouldn't bother with replacement boots or partial fixes.

Don't know how hard this is on a Pilot, but it will be moderately expensive if you get it done by a pro.

 

You can get the part from HondaPartsNow for $200 and some change. Why do you have to replace the whole axle? If it is only a tear in the boot can that be repaired and more grease introduced? Also, how much better is the OEM part? This part on RockAuto is $45.

I watched a couple videos on it and does not seem too complex of a change. Can I do this and save a couple hundred $$ or am I missing something? Maybe I can couple it with my cat replacement and get a deal.

If these operate independently of each other what is the advantage of replacing the other one if it isn't broken?

 

I used Autozone on my 2003 (about $60) and they work fine. Easy job to do. It eliminated vibrations at freeway speeds.

 

An impact wrench is the best way to go to remove the axle nut. The newer battery powered are strong enough.

Removing the passenger side can be difficult, I had to rent a slide hammer, wrap a chain around the axle joint at the transmission then connect to the slide hammer to pop it free. The rental is free from O'Reilly's. I also rented a torque wrench for the job.

I also replaced the transmission seal - using a seal remover.

 

My passenger side was tricky at first. A video I watched said to be careful not to pull the axle apart. That video said that because they were reusing the axle because it was good and they wanted to make the video. I attempted to knock it off from the driver's side using a long screw driver along with a hammer. I couldn't budge it much and then I accidentally did pull it apart. That actually made it much easier to tap out as the axle and outer joint were no longer attached. It then popped off with a few taps. If you have no plans to reuse the axle, pull it apart as a last resort.

 

>>Why do you have to replace the whole axle?

You don't, of course. For me, the biggest cost of any job is time and effort. Parts are typically less than half of the total. I prefer to put in a complete assembly and start new, vs. waiting for the next component to fail and doing the job again.

>>If it is only a tear in the boot can that be repaired and more grease introduced?

Sure. Unfortunately, the probability that zero dirt has migrated into the boot and contaminated the business side of the CV is pretty low. People bet both ways on things like this.

>>Also, how much better is the OEM part? This part on RockAuto is $45.

No idea. I usually wonder how much worse is the cheap part, and how much do I care if it fails early. If its easy to replace and doesn't impact safety or driveability, buying the cheaper part often makes sense to me, too.

>>Can I do this and save a couple hundred $$ or am I missing something?

No doubt you can do it if you have this forum, YouTube, patience and the tools.

>>If these operate independently of each other what is the advantage of replacing the other one if it isn't broken?

Its a philosophical thing. With pairs of equivalent parts, one will fail first. If they see the same conditions, they can be expected to have similar lifespans. If I plan to keep a car, I assume that the other one will fail soon and replace both parts as a preventative measure, unless its obvious that the failure is not just normal wear and tear.

As with so many things related to cars, your mileage may vary.

 

In my case, I initially replaced only the bad axle and had it aligned but the other went bad 10 months later. That cost me an additional alignment job so I would agree with replacing both at the same time.

 

I think you guys have me set on replace both, but since I am in there AND I have to get another alignment (just got new tires, struts and shocks in Nov- KYB from RockAuto,) should i replace other things too like tie rods and control arms? I can see a large bushing on the control arm looks a little worn.

 

I have a 2003 and my lower control arms were bad so I replaced those as well as the sway bar links and bushings. I didn't have any play to warrant replacing inner/outer tie rods.

 

I agree with doing it all at once. Tie rod ends and sway bar links are easy, and the OEM parts don't cost much more. I did the sway bar bushings too. They're cheap but driver's side is awkward to get to.

Honda LCA's are crazy expensive. I used the ProForged LCA after reading through a few threads here (search for LCA), mainly because I was skeptical that the lower-priced ones would last. They include ball joints and the front bushing. I put in the KYB struts as part of the same job, too. Everything is doing fine, but only 11k miles so far.

In any case, it transformed the vehicle. Ride went from mushy to just right for me.

 

I hope someone is still reading this thread. I got a close look at the boot and felt all around it trying to find a hole where the grease escaped. I could not find one at all. Is there any other way the grease could get out? Can it get a hole that would be imperceptible? Boot seems tight at both ends.

What's inside the boot? Some type of linkage?

 

Based on that picture, that is the inner cv that inserts at the transaxle and not at the hub. If so, the end of the axle has 3 wheels on 3 separate connectors which fit into a cylinder. The cylinder ha 3 separate small square ridges that the wheels catch on. Mine had rips in the boot itself and it did not leak at the end. Look for that.

 

From the picture, it appears that you're throwing grease from the axle. Unless there's some other source for the grease, your boot isn't sealed any more. This will require replacement sooner or later. On the flip side, you probably won't tear up anything else (other than throwing more grease around) if you drive it a while longer. It probably won't suddenly strand you on the side of the road unless you drive it past more obvious symptoms of failure like unusual noises.

You've established that there's no obvious source of the leak, so the most likely cause of failure is old age. Whether you choose to replace it ASAP, or let it go until its more convenient (or maybe more urgent) is mostly dependent on what you're comfortable with.

There's a good YouTube of a guy taking an axle apart to show what's inside the boots. Search for "How a CV Axle Works". Well worth the 6 minutes.