Hello all,

New to the site...new to XJ's. I just bought the XJ for 900 runs good looks bad. Anyway, i have a pretty substantial leak coming from the front of the oil pan right below the bottom pulley. I dont know if this a known thing or just the oil pan gasket. I got some quotes, all around 500.00 to replace the gasket. Seems high to me. Anyone have any good contacts in AZ, or any info would be great. Thank you for the look...


Keith

 

http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoRearMain.htm

Look pretty easy, have not done it myself yet.

 

is the front crank seal leaking?

 

may be n20 not sure yet

 

1) Get the later (1996-up) sump gasket - it's easier to work with. The Fel-Pro part number will end with "R" instead of "C" ("Rubber" vice "Cork" - the later piece is one-piece moulded rubber.)

2) Drain the sump pan.
3) Remove the sump pan. If you have 3" or more of lift, you can do this with all four feets on the ground. If you have less or no lift, you'll need to jack up the front and support by the frame rails to allow the front axle to droop fully. If this isn't quite enough room to finagle the sump pan out, you can use the OEM tyre-changing jack between the frame rail and the axle housing to force it down some more (but I've not usually needed to, and I've never needed to disconnect any suspension.)
4) Clean the sump rails on the engine block fully. If you're somewhere on the far side of a quarter-million miles, and you're not sure if the RMS was done, might as well see to that now as well.
5) Clean the sump pan fully. Get the rails cleaned off, and scrape out any built-up sludge inside the bottom.
6) Fix the gasket and sump in place. There are a couple ways of sticking it all together:
A) Use about four SBChevvy valve cover studs (1/4"-20x1-1/2" or so,) and put them in near the end of each of the long rails. This will allow you to set the gasket in place, then set the sump on top of it. Then, you need merely push up on the sump to keep everything ready while you reach for the nuts with the other hand, and get them started (hand-tight will serve.)
B) I've heard of people tying the gasket to the sump pan rails with monofilament, starting screws, and then cut the mono and pull it out. This can work - I've just never done it.
C) Stick the gasket in place with RTV, and assemble.

- Whichever method you use, hand tight only on the screws until you get them all in. Screws are either 1/4"-20x1/2" or 5/16"-18x3/4" (if you need any,) with the 1/4" screws taking a 7/16" socket, and the 5/16" screws taking a 1/2" socket. Torque the 1/4" screws to 7 pound-feet, and the 5/16" screws to 11 pound-feet.

NB: DO NOT OVERTORQUE THE SUMP SCREWS! If you do, you'll be doing this job again in a fortnight. You Have Been Warned...

The hardest part of the whole job, really, is finagling the sump out past the front suspension, and then working it back in. I can usually do a sump gasket in a couple of hours or so - with no suspension lift, and no vehicle hoist (both of which make the job much easier.)

$500? I should start charging that much! Last time I did the job, I think I got something like $70 in labour, with parts provided.

 

thx for the write up, this is my job for today lol, unfortunately I have 3 stripped bolts so hellei coils here I come yeah

 

use weatherstripping glue on the gasket to hold it to the pan. I've done this on almost every gasket I've ever replaced. works great. It's the yellow stuff in the red tube from NAPA.

 

Some people have also used loops of fishing line or other fine string with good results - get it all in place, get the first few screws started, clip the loop and pull it.

I just put in about four studs, and use those. Line it all up, hold it up with one hand and start nuts with the other. Get the nuts started, and they hold it all in place to get the screws in.

I've also found it helpful to replace all of the screws with socket heads - it's easier to bear on those to get something lined up and started when you need to. I've had sumps that were "sprung," and that was the only way I could get them started and run the screws in.