Hi all, noticed a mysterious oil leak coming from the driver side rear above the diff, it’s leaking down the axle tubes and onto the sway bar mounts. The car hasn’t been regularly driven in about 10 years, and today was my first time moving the car more than back and forth, nothing high intensity, just moving it around the lot in 1st/reverse at 1000-2000rpm max, trying to find the bite point and such. Anyways the transmission started acting up (and after turning it off wouldn’t go into 1 or 2 and was grinding in reverse) so it might be done but my main question is the oil leak. Attached are some images but not sure how clear they are, the oil is leaking from 2 spots, 1 is on the sway bar mount and the other is in front of the strut. Also if it helps the oil is yellowish and smells like cooking oil. Thanks in advance!



Oil leak in question, droplets formed on the bottom of the sway bar mount (probably leaking at a rate of around one drop/ 5 minutes)

Oil patch left by spill, this had to be created over the course of an hour and a half, I tried cleaning as much as I could which probably spread it out but it was about 1ft x 2ft.

 

Diff leaks are going to leave spots near the centerline of the car, not over by where the sway bar attaches. I'd be looking for brake fluid leaks or even the shock leaking.

 

That’s what I was thinking, I figured the strut was likely leaking from the top. Maybe it’s brake fluid too, not sure but I guess I will see when I get under the car. Thanks for the reply!

 

No struts in the rear (or front), only shocks.

I agree with JohnnyB on the brake fluid/brake line check. That's an awful lot of fluid for just a shock leak.

 

• Thank you for the information, I am currently working on the car and have more images, does appear to be coming from the brake line mount next to the shocks in the rear. Whether or not the stuff coming from the diff is a second leak or a different leak entirely I’m not sure, but nonetheless it would seem the leak has been solved, thank you both!