Smell of gear oil coming from shifter boots.

2004 5-speed 4-cyl. Tacoma. Is this something that I need to be concerned about? I changed out the oil in the tranny and transfer case this past fall. When it started to get really hot here a month or so ago, I started smelling gear oil. I searched every inch of the drive train and there are absolutely no leaks. I then just did the ole fashioned sniff test and started literally sniffing to see where the smell was coming from. It looks (or smells rather) like to me that it is coming from the transfer case boot. I took the boots off and there is nothing leaking around the shift levers either. But the smell is very obviously coming from the transfer case shifter. Lube levels are good and the gear oil only has about 5,000 very easy miles on it. Any ideas why this would be happening all of a sudden? Is there maybe a seal in the transfer case "shifting" mechanism that is no longer "sealed"? Thanks for any help.

 

i had the same issue on my 03, which was a 5 speed.

i found that the fumes from the tranny/xfer case were entering the cab through the shifter boot.

my quick-fix was to extend the breather/vent further towards the back of the truck with the leftover fuel line from when i did my diff. vent extension. ..worked like a charm.

 

Thread revival!

I'm having this same issue on my 2003 w/ 5 speed. I changed out the xfer case/tranny/both diffs and occasionally I get the strongest smell of gear oil in my cab. Nothing appears to be leaking.. Is it common for the smell to permeate up through the shift boot? Is the transmission breather right there under the boot?

Is there a link as to how I can address this. The smell is driving me nuts. Thanks.

 

Thread revival

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/89283-breathers-diff-transfer-transmission.html

Shows the trans breathers and how to relocate so you dont take on water, but also so they vent away from the boots

 

^ That was the exact post I was looking for. I searched too and could not find that that one. Thanks!