Gear Oil Smell in Interior?
#76
road warrior
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Oakland and Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 1,861
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Originally Posted by swoope
no paint is correct. but simple green will not do it.... gear oil is hard to get off...
beers![Beer](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/beer.gif)
beers
![Beer](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/beer.gif)
#79
Rule #1 in public speaking: Know your audience. You and I know what brake cleaner does but the rest of the readers of this thread may not. Then guess who they become upset with when their connectors and seals are wasted because he wasn't clear when he said "nuclear"?
![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#80
road warrior
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Oakland and Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 1,861
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Originally Posted by Charles R. Hill
Rule #1 in public speaking: Know your audience. You and I know what brake cleaner does but the rest of the readers of this thread may not. Then guess who they become upset with when their connectors and seals are wasted because he wasn't clear when he said "nuclear"? ![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#84
Registered
iTrader: (25)
IMO you don't have the shifter boot seals installed properly or there is a tear some where. The very bottom boot seal has a lip that needs to fully be seated around the trans tunnel sheet metal opening, the next one seals against that and also is an extremely tight fit around the shifter shaft body. There's no way any undercar smells should be getting past those if they're not torn/bent and seated properly. I would pull it all apart and double check.
#85
Anatomy of a corner...
Originally Posted by TeamRX8
IMO you don't have the shifter boot seals installed properly or there is a tear some where. The very bottom boot seal has a lip that needs to fully be seated around the trans tunnel sheet metal opening, the next one seals against that and also is an extremely tight fit around the shifter shaft body. There's no way any undercar smells should be getting past those if they're not torn/bent and seated properly. I would pull it all apart and double check.
FS
#86
Team, the point you make is precisely why most of us with the problem are baffled. Plus, there are several others who ONLY changed the fluid, while not even touching the boots and seals, and the odor presented itself.
#87
Zoom-Freakin'-Zoom
iTrader: (5)
my other guess is since i dont have this problem, and i just did it by dumping it down the shifter with the fill plug off to get the right amount in...
if you even get a bit of this stuff on you hand and touch anything in the interior you are going to enjoy it for a while...
beers
if you even get a bit of this stuff on you hand and touch anything in the interior you are going to enjoy it for a while...
beers
![Beer](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/beer.gif)
#88
Registered
I changed my fluid last August, to RP Maxgear 75w90, using the filler hole. I have never disassembled the console or removed the shifter. Since the change I have had an oil smell, that RARELY enters the cabin unless the windows are open or I sit for a long time at a light with my HVAC on fresh air. When I get out of the car in my garage, however, the smell is pretty strong.
After reading thjis entire thread, I am convinced that this is the problem I have, but I can only smell it from outside the car (thankfully) since I never opened up the shifter.
Some questions:
So, is this something that is unavoidable as a result of the vent design, or can we hope to find a solution?
Is it really appropriate to fill the tranny until it dribbles, or does that end up being more than 1.8qt?
Is there a vent on the rear diff also?
After reading thjis entire thread, I am convinced that this is the problem I have, but I can only smell it from outside the car (thankfully) since I never opened up the shifter.
Some questions:
So, is this something that is unavoidable as a result of the vent design, or can we hope to find a solution?
Is it really appropriate to fill the tranny until it dribbles, or does that end up being more than 1.8qt?
Is there a vent on the rear diff also?
#90
Registered
iTrader: (25)
another possibility, for me at least
swapped out the differential this weekend, which meant draining all that stinky oil from the trans. When I was putting the new oil back in the trans I noticed there was some oil smearing on the forward bottom of the trans housing. It appears to be some gear oil weeping out the front trans shaft seal and out the weep hole hole in the bottom of the bellhousing just above the rear of the engine subframe. There was zero leakage anywhere else, including the tailshaft seal. It wasn't dripping or anything, just a light smearing that I wouldn't have seen unless closeup under the car with a light
I had already purchased Redline Shockproof oil to install in the trans this time, the Heavy version for max durability at no viscosity increase, when I also noticed this statement in the Redline literature;
"does not produce the foul sulfur smell common to most gear oils"
interesting ....
swapped out the differential this weekend, which meant draining all that stinky oil from the trans. When I was putting the new oil back in the trans I noticed there was some oil smearing on the forward bottom of the trans housing. It appears to be some gear oil weeping out the front trans shaft seal and out the weep hole hole in the bottom of the bellhousing just above the rear of the engine subframe. There was zero leakage anywhere else, including the tailshaft seal. It wasn't dripping or anything, just a light smearing that I wouldn't have seen unless closeup under the car with a light
I had already purchased Redline Shockproof oil to install in the trans this time, the Heavy version for max durability at no viscosity increase, when I also noticed this statement in the Redline literature;
"does not produce the foul sulfur smell common to most gear oils"
interesting ....
#91
Anatomy of a corner...
Originally Posted by TeamRX8
another possibility, for me at least
swapped out the differential this weekend, which meant draining all that stinky oil from the trans. When I was putting the new oil back in the trans I noticed there was some oil smearing on the forward bottom of the trans housing. It appears to be some gear oil weeping out the front trans shaft seal and out the weep hole hole in the bottom of the bellhousing just above the rear of the engine subframe. There was zero leakage anywhere else, including the tailshaft seal. It wasn't dripping or anything, just a light smearing that I wouldn't have seen unless closeup under the car with a light
I had already purchased Redline Shockproof oil to install in the trans this time, the Heavy version for max durability at no viscosity increase, when I also noticed this statement in the Redline literature;
"does not produce the foul sulfur smell common to most gear oils"
interesting ....
swapped out the differential this weekend, which meant draining all that stinky oil from the trans. When I was putting the new oil back in the trans I noticed there was some oil smearing on the forward bottom of the trans housing. It appears to be some gear oil weeping out the front trans shaft seal and out the weep hole hole in the bottom of the bellhousing just above the rear of the engine subframe. There was zero leakage anywhere else, including the tailshaft seal. It wasn't dripping or anything, just a light smearing that I wouldn't have seen unless closeup under the car with a light
I had already purchased Redline Shockproof oil to install in the trans this time, the Heavy version for max durability at no viscosity increase, when I also noticed this statement in the Redline literature;
"does not produce the foul sulfur smell common to most gear oils"
interesting ....
Could you post a picture of the location?
FS
#92
road warrior
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Oakland and Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 1,861
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
I just finished taking apart my center console and removing the rubber shift boots. There is a sheen of gear oil on my shift turret and both my shift boots had gear oil residue on them. This makes sense as my leather shift boot also has gear oil residue on it. I'm taking it in tomorrow as I don't think there's any way to clean the rubber boots of the gear oil without destroying them, and I don't really want to change the transmission oil in Pepboys' parking lot a third time.
I know correlation does not equal causation, but the last time I changed my gear oil I put in about 1.9 quarts.
I know correlation does not equal causation, but the last time I changed my gear oil I put in about 1.9 quarts.
#93
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
got the smell, found the cause.
I got the smell about a month ago. it comes an go. I thought it was from plastic bag stick on exht or from someone elses car. because the smell only present when I am driving with fresh air setting or just parked. at the same time I notice a leak on my garage floor. at first I thought it a slow drip from change the oil filter. days later oil accumulated,it created a foot wide oil mark on the floor. I decided to put a piece of cardboard underneath to get a gerneral ideal where the oilis coming from. then I drove the car on a ramp and got under it. Imediatly I notice dark oil stains under side of the tranny housing. I cleaned it as well as I could, burned gear oil doesnt come off easily. then I waited to see where the leak comes from. Everything seem to be dry. I notice there s a pair of wire going into something like a lug nut. its on the right side of the tranny. where the wires attached to the nut is oilly. so I gave it a wriggle and notice oil weeping very slowly from the wire grommet that set into this nut. anyone know what this nut is call? it must be some kind of sensor screwed into the tranny. I going to have it replace on saturday.
I read through the whole thread , seem like I am the only one with this problem, oil splatter and burn marks on the tranny housing.
I read through the whole thread , seem like I am the only one with this problem, oil splatter and burn marks on the tranny housing.
#96
Destroying Threads
I can smell oil in my interior for a few seconds after starting up the engine......after that the smell kind of disappear, is it the trans fluid ? or something can some one tell me? I have AT btw
#97
2 turbos > 1
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Shrewsbury, MA
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Really good information here. I've had this problem for a while. My question to you guys is this: I had my oil changed with my 30K at the dealership, has ANYone gotten the dealer to cop to smelling the oil? and has anyone gotten the dealer to fix this? i'm pretty pissed that they charged me a crapload to make my car smell like gear oil. Thanks.
#98
2 turbos > 1
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Shrewsbury, MA
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another question on top of this... has anyone else experienced issues with the 2nd and 4th gear synchros after the tranny oil was changed? The dealership already inspected it once (for about two hours while i was stuck there) and found no leaks.