Hi Will, if you have a grease mark from the breather hole then the water seal is leaking which means the bearings are on there way out. The grease is from the bearings and they will only get noisier as time goes by so if you can, then change them now, or you may need a new drum support as well (the iron part of the drum support is protected from water by the seal).Bearings are not hard to change as long as you take your time and work methodicaly. Good luck Dave
Casper
January 2007