Differential leak - Only one time?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 750
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From: Goodyear AZ
Differential leak - Only one time?
I took the car out and noticed there was a pool of oil (dark oil) around where the differential was. It was the size of a half dollar. It only happened once and I can't reproduce it? Has anyone experienced this? I heard it can only leak during aggressive driving? I am going on a long trip and I am worried. I bought some oil and topped it off and it took about 200 ml.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
Mine would leak a little after hard driving and I figured it was coming out the vent at the top so as long as it's not leaking regularly you should be fine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,752
Likes: 3
From: Bethlehem PA
Originally Posted by runamuk
Mine would leak a little after hard driving and I figured it was coming out the vent at the top so as long as it's not leaking regularly you should be fine.
That's what I was told with each of mine as well.The General seems to put out some leaky diffs.
My 2000 Z28, '03 AE Vert and the new '04 have all had spotting rear diffs.
Only once did the dealer replace the gasket/seal and that was after having it looked at 3 times. And each time they swore the diff was bone dry.
Scott
twice. Both times it was real hot out and I'd just finished a 75 mile highway drive. 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Probably just an isolated case of the vent releasing excess pressure. My '03 Mustang GT even did that after I brought it home from the dealer the first time. Never did it again after that. Here's a shot of the vent on a C5 diff. It's the little cylinder on top.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 522
Likes: 1
From: Solina Ontario
Diff fluid
At the very first oil change on my 2002 the lube guy noticed a very slight presence of diff fluid on the diff. I had noticed a very small spot on the garage floor but only very minor.
By the third oil change there was no longer any wetness on the diff. Near the end of the warranty I had a dealer check the fluid level and it was right up.
As others have mentioned previously, often times the diff seals are changed under warranty when all that is really happening is that a little fluid is coming out of the vent either from being a little hot or being over filled at the factory.
By the third oil change there was no longer any wetness on the diff. Near the end of the warranty I had a dealer check the fluid level and it was right up.
As others have mentioned previously, often times the diff seals are changed under warranty when all that is really happening is that a little fluid is coming out of the vent either from being a little hot or being over filled at the factory.
