Knucklehead97 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I've had a pretty good oil leak since I bought the truck. It only leaks when the trucks running though. So I cleaned the engine as much as I could with my trusty garden hose. Then cranked the engine and left itrunning a bit. Came back with a flashlight and went to searching. It does seem to be running from the RMS place. I was just wondering if the RMS only leaks when the engine is running, if not then what would seem like a RMS leak but wasn't? Also how much would a shop averagely charge to change it out and how hard would it be to do it myself? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirsMJ86 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 The rear main on my old '86 leaked all the time but was very bad when running, so bad that there was a trail of oil leading up to the stop sign on the street my gf lived on. I took it to a shop and was told $1800 to $2200 I think, guy said the engine would have to be pulled. I tried to fight with him on it because I knew from looking around the internet that it could be done by dropping the tranny instead. Either way not a fun job I'm sure, so if you are able to I would do it yourself. I ended up selling mine rather than deal with it any longer, but I had a weak 2.8L so it wasn't as hard to part with as a good running 4.0L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 I know for sure that a 4.0 RMS can be changed by dropping the oil pan instead of removing the tranny. the 2.5 has to have the tranny dropped, I believe. I don't know about the 2.8. If a shop was to charge that much then Id deff do it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I'd be looking up ABOVE first, and VERIFYING the source of the oil leak YOURSELF. Everybody, who doesn't own or have to pay for or perform your vehicle repairs, loves to poke their noggin UNDER the Jeep and come out bearing the false bad news that your RMS is leaking. Many mechanics, friends, people on Jeep forums who can’t see your Jeep from where they’re at, and good old Uncle Bob seem to enjoy telling you it’s the rear main seal. Has a catastrophic ring to it, doesn’t it? A simple leak at the back of the valve cover or other source could produce the same symptoms. You don’t need to be a mechanic to figure this out. If you have good eyesight and a dim flashlight, you’re good to go on your own. Don't jump on the RMS/oil pan gasket bandwagon right off the bat. Almost any oil leak on your 4.0 is gonna drip from the RMS area for two simple reasons. First off, the engine sits nose-up and any oil will run back to the RMS area. Secondly, the RMS area is also the lowest point on the engine. Simple physics and the old plumber's adage apply here. "$hit flows downhill". Valve cover gasket, oil pressure sending unit, oil filter adapter seals and distributor gasket, in that order, have to be eliminated as possibilities first. Revised 02-26-2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 Ive already checked pretty good and it does seem to be the rms. Ive got to get to a pressyre wash to get everything really cleaned up, but all those places look pretty okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 The RMS on my XJ is what got me started on this crazy journey. They told me the part was $15.00 and the labor was $650.00. I could not live with that, so I got a manual, got on a Jeep forum and asked how it's done. I had only minimally worked on any vehicle before that 10 yrs ago. I spent a whole day doing it...but it was worth it...I don't make $650 a day. Time to get dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I ignored the leak on my 4.0 MJ for two years, finally got so bad I was losing a quart of oil over a month of street driving, or one day of hard wheeling. Turned out of be the RMS. Don't know what engine you have, but on a 4.0 it can be done without removing the engine or transmission. You do need to remove the oil pan, and you will need a RMS (obviously), oil pan gasket, and a tube of anaerobic RTV (Loctite 518, difficult to find in parts stores, but Summit Racing has it available through mail order). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmoore2 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 4 hours labor is what I was charged on a 4.0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 I'm deffinetely not going to be paying someone upwards of 500 for it. So this'll be my first big job on the truck. Till I'm 100% sure its the rms, what weight oil does a 89 4.0 take? I don't have my users manual Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 10-30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 10W30. I use either Quaker State Defy, or Mobil 1 high mileage. Both of those are still API SL. Despite what the oil companies say, API SM and SN are NOT backwards compatible. 4 cycle motorcycle oils are still API SJ because even SL doesn't have enough zddp for those engines, but it is usually only available as 10W40 or 15W40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 I'm gonna pick me up a quart of 10w30 to hold me off till I'm 100% sure its the rms. Anybody got tips for changing it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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