Since this seems to be puzzling to all of us reading, could you take some pics so we can see exactly what it looks like?

From how you're describing it the only thing I could come up with was basically the same ideas already mentioned. Is it possible you tore the new seal when putting it in, also the lip on the seal could've flipped which would allow oil to seep out. If it's bad enough I guess it could just blow out through the seal not leaving a trail, but not likely.

 

Well......when you took it back apart, was there oil inside the shaft? Mine was bone dry, because there isn't supposed to be oil inside it.
Why would there want to be oil in it anyway, to oil the sealed, greased bearing on the opti? No.

 

there was oil in the splines when i took it apart. i thought it was sealed the first time so i greased it like you did but when i pulled it apart the grease was gone and there was oil in the connector and spline. i then realized there is no i ring on the water pump side of the connector and a old o ring on the motor side that felp more like plastic it was so hard.

to JGuy i would take pics but i got the car back together and running. heres a diagram of the shafts seals and connector


where a is there was oil thrown around the underside of the water pump in a pefect line. there was no oring on the water pump side. there was oil on the splined part when i pulled the connector off (39). there was a old oring on the motor side. im thinking that there is oil in the shaft but since there was still an oring on the motor side that it somewhat sealed it and since there was no seal on the water pump side then the oil pushed out there when the motor was running. i think the amount of oil in there is very little just enough to lube the splines.

 

I think you're trying to give yourself some peace of mind. Since the drive gear/spline shaft assembly isn't hollow. and doesn't pump oil through it and into the connector shaft, how do you then suppose the oil is getting inside the shaft? Past the old timing chain cover seal is the only place where the shaft is near an oil source. Keep an eye on it, you must have a leaker. Look at it this way, I think you'll find that if one was to replace the factory water pump with an electric unit, the factory cam gear driven spline shaft doesn't have to be removed. By your theory, if left exposed, oil would be squirting out of the end of the spline shaft. When I did mine, out of curiosity I checked the indented end of the spline shaft with a thin wire, no hole. And the inside of my shaft had no oil in it.

 

I have replaced my gear drive with an electric pump motor. I can tell you that the shaft has NO hole in it for lubrication, as some of the spline drives are very rusty. There is a bearing in the block for support for the shaft and an o-ring that MUST be replaced when servicing the bearing.
When I rebuilt my motor I eliminated the bearing and shaft mess by JB Welding a JFK 50 cent piece in place of the bearing.
Be advised that the o-ring is easily cut by the splines when it gets replaced. There are multiple how-to's on this subject.

 

well i got the leak to stop. i still had oil pushing throught the shaft. the o ring on the water pump side was way too loose because there was no groove for the oring to fit in so swapped water pumps and decided to change the seals around the opti and the shaft. did them both in car. had to make a sleeve to put the water pump seal on to spread the rubber to get it around the shaft and then drive it on. got it back together and running so far so good

 

So the old seal on the wp shaft was torn and creating the leak I assume.

 

The shaft for the w/p has NO oil going THROUGH it. It is solid. The shaft of the gear takes alot of wear. It will develop a groove where it rides in the bearing's seal. The groove then lets oil out even if a new bearing is used. The o-ring may hold it at bay for awhile.
I didn't use my w/p gear. I went with an electric w/p. I couldn't find a new w/p gear. Well, I did but, it was $185. A electric w/p was 182...and no leaks

 

He finally replaced the water pump seal on the timing cover, which took care of the leak. The replacement seal is a different style from the original one, which to me seemed to be a tighter fit to the shaft, and also fell on a different spot on the shaft.

 

i still think there is oil in the shaft but since i was into this area for a third time i was going to replace them. the seal i took out looked really good still and showed no signs of leaking. then it was a pain to put back on. ruined one fel pro seal. parts house didnt carry singles (i bought the whole timing chain kit) so i had to go the local chevy dealer and get one. replaced the opti seal as well. also changed water pumps becasue i got to looking at my original and the new one from napa there was no grove for the o ring like the stock one.