Tevett Goad

I think i have the problem figured out, and just wanted to get a second opinion and any tips/tricks on the repair.





These are the pictures of my leaks, which one is obviously the oil adapter, and i believe the other is the rear main seal. The oil adapter seems like a pretty straight forward repair but i have never dealt with the rear main seal before. Any advice, tips, tricks, or links to a how to would be much appreciated.

XJwonders

Replace the valve cover gasket, distributor gasket, and the oil filter adapter gasket fest before tackling the rear main seal.

http://cruiser54.com/?p=96

BlueRidgeMark

....because everything winds up down by the RMS making people think they have a leak when they don't.

Tevett Goad

Valve Cover is new, and i don't see any fresh oil around the distributor.

pvsprme

My filter adapter was leaking and it looked similar to yours, thought it might also be rear main but it's oil from the adaptor blowing up in the cover plate. I'd try that before tackling the rear main. simple fix; https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/89-...source-232770/

cruiser54

So nobody has to strain themselves and click a link....

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, 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: “Crap 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.

DFlintstone

I was always a stead fast, "fck that RM it's your adapter O rings) Then my latest..I figure the po put ina funky RM seal before I bought it instead of O rings. So I get it with oil everywhere. Fix O rings, still oil. Now the (lilikly cheap aftermarket RM) is leaking. Pardon the drunken post but there it zz. This Jeep with only 200K had a RM seal all dried up, worn and cracked, whereas my other at over 280K is fine.

Spray it clean. then watch right away, maybe before you leave the car wash. Once it blows around you are right back where you started.