i need to firgure out where its coming from because i need to fix it. im having to change my oil every 1500 miles or so due to low oil pressure. its kinda gotten so bad when im at a stop light the oil hitting my exhaust it steaming and it looks like some one is smoking s cigarette underneath. does any one have any suggestions?

 

It can be from a number of places. Your best bet is to clean everything off and take a short drive and see if you can see where it might be coming from. That way it would be easier to try to figure it out.

 

Common leaking spots. Start high and go down and back. Valve cover gasket. Oil pressure sending unit. Oil filter adapter. Oil pan gasket. Rear main seal.

We can't find the leak from here. Use your eyes a flashlight and a few rags. Clean things up and look.

 

　

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

 

Dumb question and I'm assuming its quite easy but.... how do you change the oil filter adapter gasket and distributor gasket? I've got a new fairly decent oil leak which I believe is coming from the oil filter adapter gasket.
But to be safe I'm doing valve cover gasket oil filter gasket and distributor.

 

Oil filter adapter gasket can be tricky. Getting the write tool on it may be difficult. Chances are it's going to take a T60 Torx bit to get it off. Get down there and look though.

Valve cover gasket is straight forward. There's a few write ups on the write up section. The very back bolt may be difficult to get to but with the right wrench, no problem. I'd suggest doing CCV elbows and grommets when you have the cover off. Don't overtighten bolts.

Distributor gasket is pretty easy. Just need to be able to find TDC when putting it back together. I wouldn't do that one unless you were absolutely positive it was leaking

 

Awesome thank you.
Just noticed the oil pressure unit is on there too, will have to do that as well since the current one doesn't work.

 

I just did my oil filter adapter gasket. Autozone sell a torx set for $15.00 with a T60 in it that was short enough to fit in the tight space. I broke it lose with a 3/8 ratchet with a home made ratchet handle extention. Once I broke it lose i had to put a 1/2 inch wrench on the torx bit to get it all the way off. There's not enough room to back it out with the ratchet on the torx bit. You will get it wedged in there and it's a PITA to get it out--trust me on that one.

 

Knock the bit out of the socket, and use the wrench. I just did this myself.

 

90 isn't Torx...............................No worries there. Easy job.

The o-rings are sold individually at the dealership for Renix, in a kit for HO both at dealer and parts houses. They are different.

 

Well that's some good and bad news. Glad it's an easy job, but sucks I have to go to the dealer.

 

About $10. Having done both HO and Renix, I'd rather pay $10 for o-rings and not have to deal with that T60 that was tightened too much at the factory.

 

Good point. How much oil will I lose by taking the adapter off?

 

You have to take the filter off anyway to make it easier. Just a wee bit stays in the adapter. No worries.

And if you have a Fram or other POS filter there won't be any oil in that anyway.

 

Yeah... Plus I hear they used red loctite on the adapter too so your life will be a lot easier without the T60. $10 is the least of your worries