Bizarre oil leak from gearbox dip stick
 

Can anyone help me with the above, when I park my scoob facing down a hill I have started to get lots of gearbox oil leaking out of the top of the dip stick in the gearbox.
I know there is not too much oil in, don,t think theres any in at all now!:eek: It happens when the engine is running and when it is stood with out it running.

Someone please help I cant stand that smell of cat pee anymore :(

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You might want to double check the oil level anyway. Really sounds that there's to much.

Does it do it only after it has been driven ie. gearbox hot?

The dipstick is a vent, filler and dipstick so try removing it and see if it does the same, wondering if it is a bit dirty and not allowing air to enter the gearbox causing it to vacuum or siphone the oil out? long shot but cannot think of anything else other than too much oil but you covered that already..

Theres definately not too much oil in the gearbox, the oil was changed about 12 months ago and the leak only started about two weeks ago.

I have tried cleaning the top of the dip stick as I thought it may act as a breather too. The leak starts even if the car hasn't been driven.

Would mind the leak too much but why does gearbox oil have to smell so bad :eek2:

It is a terrible smell isn't it!

I presume the gearbox functions normally?

Who changed the Oil 12 months ago, just wondering if they drained the old oil out.

How steep down hill are you parking?

Does it do it on a flat surface?

A mate of mine changed the oil and I watched him remove all of the oil. I check the level of gearbox oil monthly and I know it wasn't over filled.

The oil doesnt leak out on the flat or if the car points up hill. But once the car points down hill its sometimes starts to leak. The hill outside my house is what i would class as steep. The leak is getting worse even though there is less oil in now.

When the oil was drain, how much did you drain off, and was the car flat of lifted at the front or just lifted at the rear to drain.

The gearbox oil takes an absolute age to drain, and even then it doesnt wholely empty.

If there is the slightest hint that the car is not level, the gearbox reading can be miles out, due to the length of the box, it can all sit at the back of the box, away from the dipstick.

How much oil did you put back in?

I would be tempted to drain the box and leave it to drain for a couple of hours, measure the amount oil that comes out, and then refill it. In this instance i would suggest draining the oil whilst the nose of the car is lower than the rear (ie on a flat surface, jack the rear of the car up and supprot with stands and leave it there).

Cant think why it would leack out other than an overfill.

Thanks for the replies P20SPD. The oil was drained when the car was on a proper mechanics lift, my mate works on Impreza`s daily. Think i will change the oil just too see if there are any bits of metal or seal floating round inside the box.
I agree with your thoughts on that an overfull gear box can be the only real explanation for the leak, but what concerns me is why it has taken 12 months before the problem has started, and the leak is getting worse when there is less oil inside the box as it keeps leaking out.

Anyone else got anymore ideas ?

No probs, i would still tilt the car forwards a little to aid draining.