I recently inherited a 1987 Ford Taurus with only 6500 miles on it. I changed all fluid, but my constant headache has been with the brakes. Just before I took posession, my father-in-law drove the car and the front brakes locked up. When he first arrived at the garage, the right front wheel was smoking and there was a strange brown extremely sticky goo that was visible from the wheel and dripping down the tire. In addition, the wheel was so hot it was melting the center plactic hub that covers the lugs.

A garage said it was the master cylinder, so he replaced it. The problem persisted when I took posession of the car. So, I replaced the brakes, turned the rotors, replaced the calipers, and installed the Ceramix pads.

Although the wheel seems no hotter than the others after driving 20-30 miles, it is still seaping that goo from the wheel. I doubt it is brake fluid leaking because the goo is only visible on wheel itself - not on the brake parts. Also, the brake fluid resevoir is not losing fluid. At this point, I doubt that there is still a brake problem, but I am reluctant to drive the car without knowing what the goo could be.

My neighbor (a mechanic) believes it is actually the rubber covering over the wheel (optional wheels on the Taurus that year) that was melting when there WAS a brake problem, but it continues to seap.

Any thoughts on what this very sticky brown goo could be??

Check the cv joint, and look for a ripped boot (the boot at the wheel end of the axel)

That plastic on those rimms has to get really hot to melt like that and I can't see it happening without a fire

don't forget to check the wheel bearing grease and seals the seals may be damaged and need to be replaced.

Aren't the front bearings a sealed 1 piece press in unit on the Escort?

If they are then they can't really leak

your right about the press in bearing, sorry, was answering a lot of questions and must of merged answers. check the cv joint boot.

Well I'm the same way, I thought that it's an Escort when it's actually a Taurus.

Although I believe that the suspension is basicly the same design.

What can I say, except no one is perfect

The goo comeing from the wheel could be the adhesive the bonds the "buttugly" rubberlike substance thats applied to some Taurus rims. So unless you locate another source of the goo, I'm inclined to agree with your nieghber :iagree: