About to buy TJ with oil leak...help?

[BillaVista]

Hi folks,

Sorry for the "non-hardcore" post - but I need help.

Looked at a 98 4 cyl TJ today - all is well except that it has an oil leak, rather typical looking - trailing edge of the pan stained, slightly wet where engine and tranny mate, a single drop lingering at the bottom of the pan.

Looked a lot like when the rear main seal in my XJ was bad.

Is this likely in a 98 TJ 4cyl with 60,000 miles?

I know pretty much squat about the standards....could this be a problem for the clutch?

If it was my XJ I might be tempted to ignore it and keep checking the level - but this Jeep is 10 years newer, and I'm not sure about the manual.

Anything else it might indicate or i should check or be worried about?

I know good advice is to do some major checkin - but show me the used car lot that let's you do a compression check in the lot???

Thanks for any help,

Don't you DARE point me to JU!!!

Bill

[Buster]

Oh man!! I've lurked long enough to know this guy ain't a newb! But WTF.. if this isn't a newb question I'm not sure I can come up with one better!

back to lurkin/searchin

[geberhard]

I have seen TJ's with less mileage developing that problem (rear main seal leak). My buddy had a 2001 TJ that was leaky from factory and got repaired, and another buddy witha 97 had leakage on it with about 50K miles.

My YJ had the same problem. Teh seal costs about $20 bucks, the labor was $800 (I should have tried it myself first, since it could not get worse).

if the deal on teh car is pretty good, and you knwo how to remove teh old one and re-isnatll the new one, I woudl go for it. I know it is a pita to install the rear main seal on Wranglers.

Gui

[84 Sheepdog]

My 97 tj had the same leak on the rear main seal. It's fairly common. Mine was like that for over 30,000 miles--never did fix it and it never gave me any trouble.

[Kilby]

Originally posted by 84 Sheepdog
My 97 tj had the same leak on the rear main seal. It's fairly common. Mine was like that for over 30,000 miles--never did fix it and it never gave me any trouble.

Same here. I've got WORSE troubles w/ mine than the small leak.

[kjp98TJ]

rear main seal. i replaced mine twice on a 4.0 YJ. never got better.

what are the plans for this bohemoth?

[AdamH]

I have had two new ones put on my current TJ at it only has 12K miles!

[P&T Jeeps]

yup, it happens no big deal.

one question I have seen it happen more on Jeeps w/ t-case drops, does it have one? I think it happens more on t-case dropped Jeeps is because of the stress put on the bottom ot that seal theoretically trying to open because of the t-case mount and engine mount fighting each other while making the top "tighter".

mine did it when the t-case was dropped but stopped when I undropped it. just a thought.



newb!

[Keith Strong]

Originally posted by BillaVista
Don't you DARE point me to JU!!!

Bill

Fine....GO TO THE NEWBIE SECTION

Yeah, rear main seal.....PIA to fix but easy and cheap.

[ItsaCJ6]

Bill, I say run it as is untill it gets bad..... Hell Jeeps leak, its almost a REAL "Jeep thing"....


But really Bill you are shattering your god like status as tech guru asking about an oil leak....

[GO 4LO]

Mine's had a real slight leak (not enough to drip when parked over the weekend) since about 20k miles.
Chris

[Tall Grille]

I'd bring it to the attention of the salesman. Bitch about the leak and see if you can get a couple bucks taken off of the price. Get a written quote from a Jeep Dealership to replace the rear main seal and tell them that you want at least half of that taken off of the sale price.
Josh

[moveaside]

Yeah thats about as common on those engines as an exhaust leak from the manifold

[Oxjockey]

Originally posted by P&T Jeeps
yup, it happens no big deal.

one question I have seen it happen more on Jeeps w/ t-case drops, does it have one? I think it happens more on t-case dropped Jeeps is because of the stress put on the bottom ot that seal theoretically trying to open because of the t-case mount and engine mount fighting each other while making the top "tighter".

newb!

What? How does the BH/tranny move in relation to the block?!

I've seen it happen more with synthetic oils than anything else...

[Steve N]

And what itsaCJ6 said






How much? 4 cylinders are nearly free-ish out here.

[Dan-H]

oil on the clutch is bad mojo.

I'd fix it. besides, you really want to drop everything and take pics don't cha?

[P&T Jeeps]

Originally posted by Oxjockey
What? How does the BH/tranny move in relation to the block?!

I've seen it happen more with synthetic oils than anything else...

definitely more w/ synth.

I'm not sure how to explain it more than I did above. it's just a theory I've come up w/ b/c I've seen it happen on a few rigs.

here's a poor analogy: if you took a thin piece of wood (for the obvious reason of exaggerating the results) and bent it so the center would bend towards the ground. The fibers at the bottom of the board would be streching (ever so slightly) while the top fibers would be getting more compressed.

when you drop the t-case your effectively "bending the board down". sure there is give in the engine and tranny mounts but that joint will possibly strech a few mircons which could allow for a small leak.

now I just look dumber......

[Steve N]

yes you do




What is more likely is the vibrations from a non cv shaft are causing faster leakage


where's Bill?

[Franklin]

My rear main has been leaking in my Bronc since 98. I even swapped trannies and completely forgot to do it. But the good thing in zero rust underneath