During my last oil change, I noticed alot of gunk in the drivers side wheel well but didn't see an obvious reason for it. Closer inspection revealed the CV boot torn in the crease allowing the grease to be randomly and liberally distributed throughout the wheel well.

The question is...what kind of a problem do I have here???

Is this a need for immediate attention? Will there be any significant damage as a result of this? and...Is this a fix I can do myself?

I'm not sure how long it's been like this. I can't recall seeing any signs of this problem the last time I changed oil (~5K miles ago).

Anyone else with this problem?

As always, any help is always greatly appreciated.

 

You really ought to replace that ASAP. I've never really been a fan of just replacing the boot simply because there is usually a reason why it tore. Yes, it may have been something outside of the truck, like a piece of debris on the highway, but in all likeliness, the boot tore because of some internal problem. If you don't attend to this soon, the grease will dry out and dirt will get in there. Eventually, you'll get this "clicking" type of sound which means the CV joint is offically dried out and gone.

Replacing a CV joint is kind of a pain. If you can do the work yourself, you'll save a few bucks. Otherwise, let a mechanic do it and you'll be all set. Good luck!