Strange oil leak (comes and goes) - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

XJJack · 01-22-2003, 03:05 PM

I have this leak that isd stumping me. It seems to be from the back of the motor, I have replaced the rear main and oil pan, the vavle cover, and the oild filter addaptor. After all this one at a time, it does the same thing. It will be leak free for awhile, but after driving it hard, or on a warm day, it will leak bad, about a drip every 2-3 seconds, after doing the oil filter addaptor, I thought I had it, went fine for three days with some hill driving it did not leak, (40 miles), then I took it for some trafic on the freeway,after getting off 40 miles later, drip back, got up the next day took it to my mechanic, about 40 miles of freeway, and no drip, he has it now, and it is not dripping, I know I am going to pick it up and have it pour out again..

Help

BTW, this is a 98 XJ with 200,000 miles 4.0. The motor is the only thig I have not upgraded.

Tom Houston · 01-22-2003, 03:26 PM

I had a similar leak that I finally tracked down. The seal on the oil pump was leaky, pressurizing the area around the distributor shaft and the gasket under the distributor was crap. It would come and go, but when it went, it covered everything from one end to the other and you couldn't find it. I guess it was comming out in a mist and the fan was blowing it around I finally degreased the whole engine and drove about a mile at a time and checked, and repeated the process about a half dozen times. I finally caught it. I though I was loosing my fricking mind.

XJJack · 01-22-2003, 03:45 PM

The side of the motor is clean, only in the back, seems to be coming out of the bell housing. Hoping it is not a cam seal, but I would think if it was that, it would leak all the time, that are is under presure.

apeters89 · 01-22-2003, 04:07 PM

If it's a standard you might be mistaking the tranny 90 weight for 30 weight engine oil... maybe a seal in the tranny is bad. If it's an auto then just ignore this as I would hope you can tell the difference between ATF and 30 weight.

withamc · 01-23-2003, 08:23 AM

Did you do the rear main yourself? I've replace a couple of those over the years, and some I've had to do twice. Wife's Cherokee - replaced it and it was fine. Kid's Cherokee - replaced it and it leaked like a SOB. Put a little gasket sealer on the outside of the nex one before putting it in, made sure I sealed the mating surfaces properly and it didn't leak a drop. Also, the one piece rubber oil pan gaskets seal much better than the Felch-Pros.

Tuffjarhed · 01-23-2003, 08:43 AM

Could possibly be an over torqued valve cover, as well. If you are in a cold climate, this sort of thing can drive you crazy for many, many reasons. Do the degrease/pressure wash thing, it helps. And a mirror on a stick is VERY handy for these times.

90wrangler · 01-23-2003, 11:05 AM

i had the same problem on my jeep and i found out that it was the oil dipstick, and when its get hoter and colder then the oil finds its way down to the bottom of the motor making it look like you rear main but really it is only your dipstick atleast that is how mine is. hope this helps chris

sceep · 01-23-2003, 11:28 AM

maybe you've got a sticky pop off valve in your oil pump? Now and then it;ll stick and build to much pressure, blow some oil out the path of least resistance, and then unstick itself for awhile>

Robert · 01-24-2003, 01:39 PM

I would steam clean the shit out of the engine, then run it with a tracer dye in the oil. Check it after about twenty miles of hard driving. By then it should be leaking, but hopefully not all over the place. The dye will show up bright as daylight under a UV light, just follow the trail back to the source of the leak. As suggested before, you may need to get in behind the engine with a mirror.
This does require some investment on your part, buying the dye and UV light, but it will save future headaches further down the road. If you had the dye and light already, you might not have done all this other work.
I find oil leaks like this almost every day at work. I do not know for sure about automotive oil dye sources. I am in the heavy truck field, and as such I use Cummins oil dye. One bottle treats ten gallons of oil. It is available at most major dealerships. The UV light can be found at better automotive parts houses. Not Kragens, Checkers, AutoZone. For sure you can get them on tool trucks, but that is probably more money than you want to put out.

LEVE · 01-25-2003, 01:25 AM

1. Robet's got a good plan going...
2. I use a similiar method..
3. I wash down the engine with kerosene...
4. Let it dry off (well duh!).
5. Then drive it...
6. When done I use a small squeeze bottle with talc to find the leak.
7. The talc sticks to the oil, and it is easy to trace the leak back.
8. From the description, it sure does fit another bad rear main seal.

01-22-2003, 03:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
XJJack Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Member # 3698 Location: Hawthorne, CA Posts: 740	Strange oil leak (comes and goes) I have this leak that isd stumping me. It seems to be from the back of the motor, I have replaced the rear main and oil pan, the vavle cover, and the oild filter addaptor. After all this one at a time, it does the same thing. It will be leak free for awhile, but after driving it hard, or on a warm day, it will leak bad, about a drip every 2-3 seconds, after doing the oil filter addaptor, I thought I had it, went fine for three days with some hill driving it did not leak, (40 miles), then I took it for some trafic on the freeway,after getting off 40 miles later, drip back, got up the next day took it to my mechanic, about 40 miles of freeway, and no drip, he has it now, and it is not dripping, I know I am going to pick it up and have it pour out again.. Help BTW, this is a 98 XJ with 200,000 miles 4.0. The motor is the only thig I have not upgraded.

01-22-2003, 03:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tom Houston Wheeler Join Date: Nov 2002 Member # 15213 Location: Loveland, Colorado Posts: 390	I had a similar leak that I finally tracked down. The seal on the oil pump was leaky, pressurizing the area around the distributor shaft and the gasket under the distributor was crap. It would come and go, but when it went, it covered everything from one end to the other and you couldn't find it. I guess it was comming out in a mist and the fan was blowing it around I finally degreased the whole engine and drove about a mile at a time and checked, and repeated the process about a half dozen times. I finally caught it. I though I was loosing my fricking mind. __________________ Tom Houston, ex-NAXJA President, Current Colorado Chapter President You guys are just jealous because the voices don't talk to you.

01-23-2003, 08:23 AM	#5 (permalink)
withamc Rock God Join Date: Sep 2000 Member # 1757 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 1,144	Did you do the rear main yourself? I've replace a couple of those over the years, and some I've had to do twice. Wife's Cherokee - replaced it and it was fine. Kid's Cherokee - replaced it and it leaked like a SOB. Put a little gasket sealer on the outside of the nex one before putting it in, made sure I sealed the mating surfaces properly and it didn't leak a drop. Also, the one piece rubber oil pan gaskets seal much better than the Felch-Pros. __________________ Usually lost... Eat your spaghetti

01-23-2003, 08:43 AM	#6 (permalink)
Tuffjarhed AKA Topper Join Date: Oct 2002 Member # 14368 Location: Ft Wayne, IN. Posts: 658	Could possibly be an over torqued valve cover, as well. If you are in a cold climate, this sort of thing can drive you crazy for many, many reasons. Do the degrease/pressure wash thing, it helps. And a mirror on a stick is VERY handy for these times. __________________ NEVER FORGET 9/11!!!!! Hung like Einstein, smart as a horse.

01-23-2003, 11:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
90wrangler Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Member # 10869 Location: san jose,califorina Posts: 851	i had the same problem on my jeep and i found out that it was the oil dipstick, and when its get hoter and colder then the oil finds its way down to the bottom of the motor making it look like you rear main but really it is only your dipstick atleast that is how mine is. hope this helps chris __________________ jeeps, a never ending project 90yj with full width axles, rear 14bolt 5:13's , HP44 front 5:13's with high steer and an ARB, all on 44044's. LS1 motor w/ sanderson headers LS6 intake...3.8 ATLAS 32 spline F&R...4L60E tranny

01-22-2003, 03:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
XJJack Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Member # 3698 Location: Hawthorne, CA Posts: 740	The side of the motor is clean, only in the back, seems to be coming out of the bell housing. Hoping it is not a cam seal, but I would think if it was that, it would leak all the time, that are is under presure.

01-22-2003, 04:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
apeters89 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Member # 7647 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 7,547 Blog Entries: 2	If it's a standard you might be mistaking the tranny 90 weight for 30 weight engine oil... maybe a seal in the tranny is bad. If it's an auto then just ignore this as I would hope you can tell the difference between ATF and 30 weight.

01-24-2003, 01:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
Robert Registered User Join Date: Jun 2000 Member # 1050 Location: West Sacramento, Kalleyforneeya Posts: 2,399	Tracer dye and UV light I would steam clean the shit out of the engine, then run it with a tracer dye in the oil. Check it after about twenty miles of hard driving. By then it should be leaking, but hopefully not all over the place. The dye will show up bright as daylight under a UV light, just follow the trail back to the source of the leak. As suggested before, you may need to get in behind the engine with a mirror. This does require some investment on your part, buying the dye and UV light, but it will save future headaches further down the road. If you had the dye and light already, you might not have done all this other work. I find oil leaks like this almost every day at work. I do not know for sure about automotive oil dye sources. I am in the heavy truck field, and as such I use Cummins oil dye. One bottle treats ten gallons of oil. It is available at most major dealerships. The UV light can be found at better automotive parts houses. Not Kragens, Checkers, AutoZone. For sure you can get them on tool trucks, but that is probably more money than you want to put out. __________________ Ask me anything about a Cummins, I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

01-25-2003, 01:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
LEVE Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Member # 7819 Location: On the Palouse Posts: 64	1. Robet's got a good plan going... 2. I use a similiar method.. 3. I wash down the engine with kerosene... 4. Let it dry off (well duh!). 5. Then drive it... 6. When done I use a small squeeze bottle with talc to find the leak. 7. The talc sticks to the oil, and it is easy to trace the leak back. 8. From the description, it sure does fit another bad rear main seal. __________________ Good Jeepin' LEVE

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode