she's leaking

[onlyinacomanche]

So my truck has had a bit of an oil leak pretty much since i got her but just recently It's gotten pretty bad. I can't tell exactly where it's coming from so does anyone know any tricks to pin pointing where the oil is leaking from? Thanks. -Will

[Pete M]

Clean off everything with a degreaser and a towel and then follow the new trail up to the source. Typical locations are rear main seal, valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, oil pan drain plug, and where the oil filter adapter seals to the block.

[fendermb4]

So my truck has had a bit of an oil leak pretty much since i got her but just recently It's gotten pretty bad. I can't tell exactly where it's coming from so does anyone know any tricks to pin pointing where the oil is leaking from? Thanks. -Will

 

My truck was leaking like crazy. The whole underside was coated with oil. I never would have thought that so much oil could leak out of the back of the valve cover gasket...but it can.

 

I say change the valve cover gasket because its cheap and easy and you probably need to do it anyway. Maybe it will make your leak go away!

[Wildman]

2X every thing mentioned, de-greasing will help narrow down the leak, Valve cover gasket, easy and first choice replacement.

 

I had a bad leak, after valve cover replacement, center of the engine, found it on the oil pan, front of the sump, rusted from the outside - in, patched it for now, and new pan on the list, with all the bottom gaskets and seals.....ah....one of these day jobs.

[onlyinacomanche]

I was told by someone that you can't just replace the valve cover gasket but that it's part of the cover and you have to replace the whole thing. Is that just a load of crap or what's the deal??

[CWLONGSHOT]

I was told by someone that you can't just replace the valve cover gasket but that it's part of the cover and you have to replace the whole thing. Is that just a load of crap or what's the deal??

 

HOGWASH!!

 

Felpro make a nice cork gasket!! Just go slow and becareful at the rear....it gets pretty tight back there!!

 

I agree wih all previous suggestions. don't even think of finding that leak untill you get whats there mostly cleaned up!!!

 

get the Jeep good and warm. get your self MULTIPUL cans of a good degreser and spray away...don't be bashful with the stuff...get it good. Even then its very likely you'll need to do this twice.

 

THEN look at the Rear main, Front main as well as the afore mentioned valve cover gasket.

 

CW

[87manche]

don't degrease the motor over anything you care about, like a nice concrete drive or grass.

It will stain/kill anything under it.

 

I killed a nice spot in my parents yard, stayed dead for about 2 years.

[mjcanoe]

onlyinacomanche, Agree w/ suggestions, cleaning is critical. As far as the sealer on the v/c, it is a silicone sealer that can be removed w/care. 1st, scrape off as much as you can, then use a good wire brush & solvant like carb. cleaner. make it very clean. Then just use permatex grey rtv & apply evenly to the "top" of inner casting, this is w/v/c upside down. Allow to cure at least 2 hrs. Meanwhile you can clean the sealing surface on the cyl.head w/brush & cleaner. Use shop rags to absorb excess gunk by putting the rags inside of Head. I've done hundreds that way over the years & only problem I had was @ rear when istalling as metioned b-4. Last longer then cork. Either way you go, snug up v/c bolts every so often.

 

mjcanoe

[onlyinacomanche]

It's definitely leaking from the rear main seal... dang it. Thats gonna be a pain in the but to fix huh?

[mjcanoe]

onlyinacomanche, There not too bad, a bit harder if done on the ground, but if on ground, make sure you raise it high enough for you to work comfortably. It does need to be high enough that frt. axle is completely unloaded. Make sure you use safe jack stands to support mj. Oil pan has to come off, since 4.0 runs a 2-piece seal, 1/2 in brg cap, 1/2 in block. These steps will help in either situation: 1) drain oil & let sit o/night to drip(keeps you cleaner). 2) remove frt. track bar from frame & wire it to steering linkage. 3)Remove starter, bell housing shield & exh. pipe, secure out of the way. 4) Remove 4 nuts holding trans. mnt. to x/member, so you can raise back of trans. w/a jack of some sort(will give you more room to work). 5) Remove all retaining bolts & seperate pan from block. I use a short pry bar w/ the edge sharpened almost like a scraper, then tap it between pan & block w/hammer(stay away from the oil pump) usually I start behind t/cover, then move to back about 4-6". You will bend the pan but, it can be straightened out once removed. Once pan loose then drop down in frt.. & forward a bit to clear bell hsg., then down & out the rear. 6) Clean old gskt off block b4 removing rear bearing cap, straighten pan & clean. 7) Remove brg. cap, seal1/2 in cap easy, but clean gunk from cap b4 installing new(direction is based on "L" tabs). Upper a little harder to remove, you can use 3/16 rod w/a mild point ground on one end or what suits your fancy. The seals have a wire insert that you can tap on, BUT YOU MUST CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE SEAL SURFACE on the crank. Those diagonal lines you will on crank are supposed to be there, they "work" the oil back to pan sump. Once you get about 1/2-3/4 of seal pushed out other side, carefully pull it out with good pair pliers of your choice. Then use a good cleaner to flush out debris from where seal was. 8) Lube upper seal w/a good grease & install w/the lip pointing to the frt. of motor. Work it in slowly & patiently so you don't skin the back of seal, you'll see a small ridge there. Then use quality lube on cap brg. & seal, install cap, torque to 80 ft.lbs. 9) Installing gskt is not bad if you use a late model style gskt that is one piece(Fel-Pro). I have had great succes w/using 3-M spray adhesive. Spray on block after swabbing clean, then on the mating side of the gskt. Spray 2-3 times each & allow to get tacky. Make sure the tabs @ rear cap are inserted & the "U" @ rear is in place, then just add some rtv sealer @ each corner & then reinstall pan in reverse of removal. Then reassemble, make sure you change the oil filter.

 

mjcanoe