Fired up the Jeep this morning ('70 CJ5) since it hadn't been started in a while. Figured I'd go top the tank off while the gas was cheap too.

So I put it in 4x4 high (since I have to drive out of a valley) and headed to get gas. Soon after I was on the road I noticed that the front diff was loud ... much louder than I remember it so when I drove the couple of miles to the gas station I decided it would be best to put it back in 2 wheel drive. When I got out I noticed a noise under the Jeep that sounded like sizzling grease in a frying pan and there was oil coming out of the back of the diff where the drive shaft goes into it and it was obviously very hot (sizzling and all).

So is the diff fried? Or is it just a bad seal?

Thing worked just fine last time I drove it (back in October) so I'm wondering if the intense cold caused some damage (maybe some water got into it, froze and broke something?). Also last time I drove it I checked the diff oil and it was fine.

Stuff like this makes me wish I'd stuck with the Porsche ... at least I would know what was wrong with it.