Jeep Enthusiast Forums banner

Oil Leak

1K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  greasefingers 
#1 ·
Well i just switched to syn oil about 150 miles ago and now i noted a leak ...from what i can tell its comming for between the engine and the bell housing here are a few pics i took





 
See less See more
3
#4 ·
that is what i was thinking how hard is it to do, do i just drop the pan replace the seal and put a new 1 piece gasket on the pan or is there nore to it than that ?
 
#6 ·
thanks for the link puma
 
#7 ·
Yeah, it looks like the rear main seal. Those are fun. I've just finished helping my best friend do his YJ's 4.2L. I'd die a happy man if I don't have to do it again.
 
#8 ·
Did you check around the oil filter area also? I just came home to an oil leak on mine, First inspection makes me think oilfilter/filter adapter. The oil is running down to that area also, so I'm hoping for the best. Maybe you will get lucky also. I will check mine out as soon as I get time, but i'm pretty certain thats where my problem is.
 
#9 ·
How many miles are on the jeep? if it is over 100K then I would assume that it is the rear main seal - and your switch to Synthetic is your catalist - being a thinner oil than standard oil it will seak out any and all cracks in seals - I have replaced the rear main seal twice - a two piece seal - not all that hard but time consuming and messy.
 
#10 ·
Kind of cracks me up. Not that you have a leak but i think that it is that Castrol commercial the other day that said that switching to synths and it causing a leak was a myth.

Most likely rear main, but check the back of the valve cover first.

The 4.0 has a two piece seal the hardest part will be getting the top part of the seal in without wrecking it.which is not hard, I cant remember what my chiltons said to do I believe that it was put engine oil on the lip of the seal and liquid hand soap on the flat surface of the seal dont force it, it should go in nice and easy.

Hardest part is the cleaning of the oil pan. I used one of those 3M stripping wheels in a drill and some carb cleaner for the oil pan. Use some PB Blaster on the pan bolts, loosen them be hand and then use a butterfly impact to loosen them the rest of the way if you have one. Also do not follow all of the steps in the Haynes. They will have you take off the starter and other steps that are not necessary. My Jeep is lifted 3 inches so I didnt have to worry about room underneath. I cant remember if the book said to disconnect the shocks to drop the axle to remove the pan, but I didnt have that trouble due to the lift (This was on a YJ) 4.0.. Maybe even at stock height it would be fine, just look under there and see. Be careful of the bolts around the oil pump I snapped on, I put it back together and it didnt leak. Just figures that out of 20 some bolts I snap one of the most important ones. :brickwall

Good Luck.
 
#12 ·
there is 177000 on th ejeep ill go check the filter and the valve cover right now... since the leak is not bad how long do u think i can hold it off?
 
#13 ·
Same thing on my 95. It turned out to be my oil pressure switch located by the oil filter. I took the plug off and the oil was leaking from there. It ran down the engine and dripped onto my driveway in the same spot as yours. Im sure you also have seepage from your main seal as well. I do, but since I replaced the pressure switch, I havent had a drop on my driveway.
 
#14 ·
ya the plug was the 1st thing i checked cuz it looked like it was comming from there untill i crawled under and found out it was tight
 
#16 ·
Well since Randy brought up the oil plug which I was thinking of also metioning earlier. Did you try a new rubber seal on the plug. When I bought my GC there was a puddle under the Jeep and an oil drip the plug was tight so I felt above the plug and there was no oil. I told the dealer it leaked and he said no that is fixed. I laughed because I was there on Sat after he was closed and I wiped down the oil pan and went back the next day to see if it leaked. It did. I told him that if he took care of the leak would buy it. I wasnt sure if the oil pan was stripped, He called the Chrysler dealer right away and got a new plug and rubber seal and that stopped it.
 
#17 ·
the rubber seal looks good and does not seem to be dripping from ther .....
 
#18 ·
spros95jeep said:
No, not the drain plug... The plug on the oil pressure switch. That was where the leak was.
This leak is not at the oil pressure switch, or the oil filter adapter. It doesn't leak down there when it leaks. I've done all three seals on mine. The oil filter adapter, the oil pressure switch, and the rear main seal. They all leak in different places. At least mine did.

The rear main is most likely. Slamm, do yourself a favor and replace the oil pump while you have the pan off. After 170,xxx miles it's probably due for a change, and it's not very expensive.
 
#19 ·
Airmanwoody is right. I wished that I would have replaced the oil pump on my 91 Wrangler even though it only has 99,ooo. When I was on the middle of the job I kind of smacked myself in the head over not picking up a new oil pump. My oil pressure is fine, but it always sticks in the back of my mind that if that thing goes out in the next 5,000 miles I am going to be pissed.

Speaking of oil pumps dont overuse the RTV you dont want that getting in your pump then it wont matter if you have a new one or not. :laugh:
 
#20 ·
ya i checked to see if the leak was any were else but the main seal and i could not find any oil any were else....and i will replace the pump while im in there ....do u guys think sence the leak is not so bad i will be able to hold of on till after christmas?

Thanks
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top