danny99

Guys, I may have a odd situation.. not sure... but last year April 2016 I got an oil change at a body shop, drove it around the next several weeks and the rear end would leak on my garage floor and it made the garage smell like gear fluid.. it was clear fluid maybe with a small tint of green.

Eventually the problem went AWAY completely and I figured the vent was just venting and spilling out extra fluid. I took it to the same shop and they lifted it up and did not find any evidence of the output seals leaking.

Fast forward April 2017, got another oil change, and SAME thing happens. Drove the car down the highway , parked to stop at a zoo, noticed the same gear fluid smell ..looked at the rear end, and i see the same type of drops on the ground..


My question is, can a fresh oil change be related to the rear end leaking?

Note: I drove the car home yesterday and placed it my garage, put cardboard underneath it, checked it this morning, zero drops.

huesmann

No way it can be related, unless your oil change person was fooling around at the wrong end of the car.

tbrowne

Is the person changing the oil experienced enough to spot a leak in a Corvette differential? Most wouldn't know to check the sides of the case for leaks. A discoloration on the side of the case is the tell-tell sign. Many if not most Corvettes will have output shaft seal leaks after 40 or 50 K miles. The leak isn't a serious concern in most cases but you do need to watch diff fluid level if it's leaking.

danny99

Thanks guys. I called the shop they said bring it in and they'll lift it up again and check for leaks. I believe last April we checked the sides of the case and they were OK. Must've been spitting up fluid from the top vent.

I don't believe they're topping off the diff fluid btw. only an oil and filter change.

i'll keep monitoring the cardboard to see if new drops occur in the meantime.

El original

Are the oil change tech's checking transmission fluid level? Maybe when they open the filler some oil is running out and not wiped off. I would ask or look at receipt on what services are included with oil change. I know with my C3 the rear diff filler bolt was stripped by some lousy oil change dude when doing just such a service.

Vetteman Jack

Can't see how an oil change would cause the rear differential to leak. Either the tech is messing with the differential (i.e., checking fluid level) or the differential is overfilled to begin with and is spewing out the vent tube. This assumes there is not a leak from the seal on the side of the differential.

foggy

My guess would be that they are Topping Off the differential Gear Lube..
You have a leaky seal..
After it leaks out below a certain point, it's just not leaking much more..
So, not good to be low on gear lube- but messy to be filled correctly..
Time for rear diff axle seals

FASTFATBOY

If you overfill the rear the diff seals will leak.

kcobain147

Noticed both times it was april. Could it perhaps be just simply from sitting all winter (assuming you garage all winter and don't drive of course). Seals get a bit dry, leak. Drive the car, get things moving, absorb a bit and seal back up?

Does it happen any time the rest of the season or only (presumably) when you first drive it?