i just bought my wagoneer/xj and have discovered a major oil leak somewhere under the engine. the whole left side of the oil pan is coated as well as under the rad and the front diff/steering parts are also covered. it looks to me like the oil is spraying out under pressure to cover that much of the undercarriage but when i talked to a mechanic at my work he said i dont have oil cooler lines, only transmission cooler lines. i've repeatedly check the tranny fluid and it hasn't gone down at all, but i have to top up the motor oil every 3 or 4 days, or after about 1.5 hrs of highway driving.

how can i identify the lines as engine oil cooler lines or tranny cooler lines? i also have a couple stripped bolts on the oil pan, would that be enough to cause that big of a leak?

if someone could post a couple pics of what the engine oil cooler lines look like that would be very helpful. thanks!

p.s. other than the oil leak i absolutely love my xj! its a blast to drive and so far is better on trails than any other 4x4 i've had

 

Trans fluid should be red. What color is the fluid on our dipstick? Should match if that's you leak.

Don't rule out power steering fluid leaks either.

 

its definately motor oil, all other fluids dont drop in level. ive already replaced power steering lines cuz they were leaking. if its an engine oil cooler line can i just cut where ever its leaking and replace it using hose clamps or is there too much pressure in the hose or would it be easier to just replace the line all together and rule that out as the cause of the leak?

 

I didn't think we had oil coolers.

I'm betting its either the oil pan or the oil filter assembly. You said its on the passenger side, right?

 

yea its only of the left side of the oil pan but its all over the diff and everything else and under the rad support. i've spent hours thrying to figure out where its coming from, had it up on a hoist with the engine running but cant see any leaks, it only really does it when its driving. the harder i work the engine the more it leaks.

in regards to the oil pan stripped bolts...do i have to pull the engine to drop the pan and re-tap the holes or can i leave the engine in to do it? when i do the oil pan bolts im probably gonna replace the front main seal as well since i'll have the pan off already. i was told that to replace the rear main i have to drop the tranny if its a 1 piece rear main seal (cant remember 100% what my mechanic told me but im pretty sure he said if its 2 piece seal i dont have to drop the tranny).

how can i tell if someone put in an aftermarket oil cooler (if thats a possibility) there is a small cooler in front of the rad but i dont know if its engine or tranny oil cooler.

 

sorry i mis-read that last reply, its all over the drivers side ofthe oil pan, not passenger

 

Thats a trans cooler.

 

ok, thought so but wasnt sure, i dont know much about jeeps, this is the 1st one i've owned.

what would cause engine oil to be spraying the whole underside of the jeep, right from the rad all the way back to the rear bumper? my back window and door get covered in oil if i drive on the highway for awhile.

it looks to me like its sprayin out under a lot of pressure but is there enough pressure in the crankcase to spray out of the oil pan gasket?

 

I'm guessing its being sprayed by wind.

 

i figured as much, but even just driving around the city it still coats the whole front end in oil.

 

where in alberta are you? welcome to the forum. if you're close by edmonton maybe i can help.

 

Thanks! Im down Im lethbridge, a bit far unfortunately