Diff oil smell

[Sexy Fingers]

I bought my latest GQ a little over a month ago. When I got it home, I noticed a build up of oil and crap around both rear wheels and calipers, indicating that the axle oil seals were leaking and probably have been for a long time before I purchased the car. Anyway, I pulled both rear axles out, cleaned everything to within an inch of it's life with around 6 or 7 cans of brake cleaner, fitted new axle seals, repacked the wheel bearings, and reassembled everthing. I then filled the diff with nice shiny new Penrite LSD oil, and thought all was hunky dory again. The problem I have now, is everytime I go for a drive and step out of my car, I smell a strong smell of diff oil. I've checked again underneath and everything is nice and dry and the oil level has'nt dropped. At first I thought it may have been just a bit of oil left behind on the discs or calipers burning off, but I've been driving it for some time now and it still stinks. Anybody out there got any ideas??

[Beastmavster]

Maybe a small amount leaking out somewhere and getting cooked on the rear brakes?


Not sealed properly as far as diff breathers?

Good luck finding it.

[InSanE]

maybe the outer rear wheel bearing seals are leaking, they require the bearing to be pressed off the axle and new seals and bearings fitted you can get kits from bursons for about $55 a side

[Hulksta]

I would check the breather... it can get blocked then oil could be forced out pass the seals one would asume.
Are you sure its the rear and not the front/motor/trany?
Just a thought.

Cheers Dan

[Sexy Fingers]

Yeh, I think I may have another look at the breather on the weekend. Being brand new axle seals, I'd be dissapointed if they were still leaking (I hate doing the same job twice ). The smell is definatly from the rear of the car.

I could'nt imagine the problem being the wheel bearing seals, because the way I figure it's supposed to work is, the axle seals and the axles create a seal that stops the diff oil leaking past that point to the bearings, which should be packed with grease. The bearing seals, I believe, are there to keep the clean grease in, and the road dirt out.