1991Jeep_Man

I guess my '91 XJ is overdue for her occasional "Imma break something. FIX IT!" Hopefully ya'll can help me pinpoint this.


First off, I'm leaking Power steering fluid. I noticed it first a couple days ago as a small puddle directly below the pump, which frustrates me because the pump, resevior, AND pulley are all new or at most a year old. I looks as though the leak is coming from between the pump and resevior. Is there a seal here? Any possibility something just needs tightened? I had all the P/S work done at a shop, but the current resevior on it is a replacement I had installed a few months ago when I broke the previous one replacing my exhaust manifold.

Secondly, something else is leaking as well, but I am not for sure what exactly. It seems as though I have random brownish fluid on the very bottom of the tranny pan (AW4), and a little more on the bottom of the t-case skid/support. And I have oil coming from the notorious weep hole under the tranny bellhousing. Rear main, right? But from the looks of it, there was a good couple drips on the ground in various spots around both that weep hole and the t-case support. And when I checked the oil, it was basically at the same level as the last time I checked it. Tranny fluid seems good as well.

Lastly, I noticed on my way home last week the XJ did something odd. While pulling a hill, I let it fly at WOT and punched it. Looked in my rear view mirror, and it looked as though I was pushing black crap out the tail pipe, like when a diesel rolls coal, just not as bad. I've been noticing recently that if I punch it and my window is down, I can smell something similiar to rotten eggs. I also have a faulty thermostat in my rig that I think opens at 160* or so, because my rig barely makes it past the second white tick mark just before the 210 tick mark. And I have had a lack in mpg recently, where usually a 1/4 tank (5 gallons) will get me (with my mixed driving and habits) about 85ish miles, I had 4 gallons barely get me 50, if that. I have a 2.5" exhaust with high flow cat and muffler, everything clamped, but clamped tight with that sealer junk as I lack a welder. The downpipe is stock. I'm pretty sure the seal between the downpipe and header is solid and tight. Nothing has play in it. Header is fine, no cracks. Maybe the manifold bolts need torqueing again? I have #703 neon injectors. Maybe the 02 sensor is shot? I have a bored throttle body. No wierd idle issues. No stumbling. I can check spark plugs, which I'll do tomorrow for fouling.

Any help from ya'll is much appreciated. If I can offer any more info to help, don't hesitate to ask. I just need a collab of great XJ minds here lol.

JeepDeep

Can't help much with the PS situation because I just pour a bottle of stop leak in when it leaks. The black smoke like a locomotive is something I have experience with. To me it sounds like the trans is overheating. It slips due to old or incorrect fluid and burns it which just makes the slipping worse. Anyway it gets hot to the point where it boils out of a vent on top and pours down the sides of the bellhousing at speed and runs along the bottom of the trans pan and gets everywhere including on the exhaust which is why you have all the smoke.

Time for a trans fluid change. Drop it in 3rd on grades if you don't already. Keeps a lot of strain off the trans and keeps temps down.

1991Jeep_Man

Very interesting about the transmission. I will have to peak under there and see if it looks as though its been boiling over or anything. But the fluid didn't look too bad. I mean, it wasn't cherry red or anything, but it still had a slight red color to it. Not new fluid, but didn't look burnt or anything. But if it was overheating, wouldn't the tranny act funky? I had smooth shifts all day, and even the downshift during WOT was solid and firm, and then shift back into O/D was smooth. Hitting the city, same deal. Smooth downshifts and upshifts, no slipping.

JeepDeep

I had no side effects other than the smoke and fluid all over the underside of my jeep. Do you leave it in drive going up grades?

1991Jeep_Man

Yeah, because the grades here aren't too bad. I mean, it'll hold speed no problem in O/D. Let me ask this: if I took it for a drive today while it's light out after it warms up, would it likely be a reoccuring thing that I could see better in the light? Or is this a random "do it when I want" freak XJ thing?

1991Jeep_Man

Real quick update before I leave for the morning. This is def a rich running issue. Started her up, and I noticed a smoke coming out the tailpipe. It's only like 50-60* right now. Put my hand over it, and instantly black with excess fuel.

JeepDeep

Ya that is a completely diff issue then. No smoke from my tailpipe, but it still leaved me to wonder about the fluid all over the bottom of your jeep.

You have a 91 so OBI should give you a CEL with a rich condition like that right?

hankthetank

Lol...trans fluid burns white/grey...not black.

The rotten egg smell...I smelled the same thing on my 03 3.5 altima when I hammered on it...I always thought it was the cats getting really hot...dunno. sounds like you have a rich condition at wot...map sensor or o2.

1991Jeep_Man

Maybe the rotten egg thing is a new XJ preferred perfume I dont argue with the old lady lol.

No CEL or anything. The only thing I can recall that might relate is when my alternator was failing, I'd get a CEL for both the alternator field circuit as well as the O2 sensor. Replaced alt, no more codes for either.

SO, with that out of the way, I guess it is multimeter time? I'll also double check all vacuum lines, especially the MAP sensor one... but they're all new. I also gotta pull plugs and see if something is up with them. Damn, when it rains, it pours. I think the dripping issue is from the rear main going out. It's all within the general area of a straight shot back from the weep hole, so I am guessing hammering down allows the seal to distort slightly and toss oil, and then the weep hole is allowing it all to drip back. Idk...

1991Jeep_Man

Also, is it possible a simple computer reset might help this issue a little? Until I can get the funds for the bazillion repairs that will most likely follow these couple issues?

1991Jeep_Man

Good Lord... only a few hours pass and already on 4th page. Does anyone know if there is a seal between the pump and resevoir of the P/S assembly? Maybe it just got loose. Research is yielding zilch.

1991Jeep_Man

Bringing it back up again rather than starting another thread. Hopefully I'll get to be able to take care of that pesky rear main seal after this weekend. Pointers?

1991Jeep_Man

I'll give this thread one more shot at trying to figure out where this power steering fluid could be leaking from...

JeepDeep

I personally hate power steering leaks and I do not like messing with them unless I have to. I drain the reservoir and fill with the Lucas PS Stop Leak and 99% of the time it's solved. It helps with noisy PS pumps as well. I will not use stop leak on any other system btw. PS systems are simple and I have had no ill effects from the stop leak.

1991Jeep_Man

Right now that's what I am doing, minus the draining part. I just check occasionally and fill as needed. But I personally can't stand anything leaking on my rig, which is why I damn near had an OCD attack when 2/3 things started leaking at once. I think I'm just gonna go ahead and grab my receipts and get replacements. Thank you lifetime warranty! But I was hoping to avoid it because then you gotta deal with the mess and hassle. I was hoping for a simple loose bolt or line lol.