I've been getting a pretty crazy gear oil smell that seems to be coming thru the vents.  It seems to happen specifically when the AC is not on, the fan is on, and a window is cracked open.

I have a very small bit of gear oil up front by the air box from the air locker's exhaust, but it doesn't smell up there if you put your nose to it.  When the smell comes in the cab while i'm driving, it really stinks, so i switch on the AC and it goes away.

Anyone else experienced this?  The air intake for the inside vents is up by the windshield, right?

hey dude it's sounds crazy but my 88 samuri has the same smell . i think mine is coming from a small tranny leak. the only thing is that it is only after i drive it on the hiway. that is the only thing i can come up with on mine.
                                                    sickmagna

The rear diff breather comes up into the cab behind the rear left wheel ... could try undoing the hose at the diff to see if that's where it's coming from ...

Had the prob, what 10 years back, in the Sami's. It ended up being three loose bolts at the stick coupler to the tranny and a ripped isolator boot.

The diff breather could also be it as well. A/C is recirc, so when it's on it's not drawing air in from the cowl, IE the breather wouldn't be pushing any out there.

If your diffs are doing it, change the oil cause what you got is excessive condensation in there burning off and taking the oil smell with it. If you live on the east coast then you know our humidity levels lately have been more than high and overnight it's getting below the dewpoint which means condensation will form inside the mechanicals that were hot the day before. This is also why we have water drip out the exhaust on cars.

Thanks.  I'll try those few ideas.  Maybe my front breather is close the cowl.  I've seen the rear one, but the smell definitely comes in quick, so it most be something up front doing it.  The tranny and t-case are dry as a bone on the outside after just R&R-ing them for the new gears.