After driving the truck for about 2 hours to go visit my folks, I parked it overnight. The next morning, there was a small puddle of gear oil behind the front passenger tire. I traced it back and found that it must have burped out of the vent tube. I've never had a leak out of there before, and it has been some time since i've made any changes to the front gear oil, so this is a new development. I checked the fluid level, and it was still fine. On the return trip home, it didn't do anything like that again. I searched on this and other forums, and found several posts asking the same question, but no one had an answer. Why would this suddenly belch up a small amount of gear oil out the vent tube?

 

I just had the same problem a few days ago. Where can you check the fluid level at?

 

I have an aftermarket diff cover that has a dipstick in it.

I think this must happen when you get a blockage or air bubble in the vent tube. Then as you drive, pressure builds up in the diff until it finally burps up bit of fluid. it had never happened before, and hasn't happened again since, so this is the theory i'm going with for now.

 

So did this ever happen to you again Silver? Mine tends to do this from time to time, and not after really long drives either. My standard trip is 5 miles of in town driving. Checked my fluid levels and it never appears to be low.

 

Yes, it has happened one other time, but the fluid level is still fine. I'm just keeping an eye on it.

 

The front diff. cover. Just take out the bolt and feel the level with your finger. It should be just under the hole.

 

Mine has done it at least a half dozen times, but I did fill up the fluid at one point, although i could feel it through the hole so not sure how low it was. Always seems to do it in my driveway, which I have to make a sharp left then immediate right to swing it into my 'spot', so thinking that 'burps' it.