Oil leak
04-29-2013, 04:49 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Oil leak
Hey everyone,
I changed the oil pan, pump and gasket as well as the rear main seal and it's still leaking oil from what it looks to be around the rear main seal. Any suggestions? Changed it about 2 months ago.
I changed the oil pan, pump and gasket as well as the rear main seal and it's still leaking oil from what it looks to be around the rear main seal. Any suggestions? Changed it about 2 months ago.
04-29-2013, 05:07 PM
#2
CF Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Hamburg AR
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes
on
11 Posts
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 HO
If so common place the oil is coming from is the Oil Filter adapter O-rings
Valve cover leak could come down and appear to be the RMS.
If your 100% sure its the oil pan/rms the suggestion is to replace again.
04-29-2013, 05:11 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Not sure if its on the starter, didnt look. The pan doesn't look wet, it's more around the rear main seal. I'll have to check the head gasket later.
04-29-2013, 06:12 PM
#4
::CF Moderator::
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Prescott, Az
Posts: 43,875
Received 1,526 Likes
on
1,238 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
That's why I wrote this:
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. "$hit flows downhill".
Valve cover gasket, oil pressure sending unit, oil filter adapter seals and distributor gasket, in that order, have to be eliminated as possibilities first.
Revised 02-26-2013
I'd be looking up ABOVE first, and VERIFYING the source of the oil leak YOURSELF.
Everybody, who doesn't own or have to pay for or perform your vehicle repairs, loves to poke their noggin UNDER the Jeep and come out bearing the false bad news that your RMS is leaking.
Many mechanics, friends, people on Jeep forums who can’t see your Jeep from where they’re at, and good old Uncle Bob seem to enjoy telling you it’s the rear main seal. Has a catastrophic ring to it, doesn’t it?
A simple leak at the back of the valve cover or other source could produce the same symptoms. You don’t need to be a mechanic to figure this out. If you have good eyesight and a dim flashlight, you’re good to go on your own. Don't jump on the RMS/oil pan gasket bandwagon right off the bat.
Almost any oil leak on your 4.0 is gonna drip from the RMS area for two simple reasons.
First off, the engine sits nose-up and any oil will run back to the RMS area. Secondly, the RMS area is also the lowest point on the engine. Simple physics and the old plumber's adage apply here. "$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
04-29-2013, 06:49 PM
#5
CF Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Hamburg AR
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes
on
11 Posts
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 HO
That's why I wrote this:
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. "$hit flows downhill".
Valve cover gasket, oil pressure sending unit, oil filter adapter seals and distributor gasket, in that order, have to be eliminated as possibilities first.
Revised 02-26-2013
I'd be looking up ABOVE first, and VERIFYING the source of the oil leak YOURSELF.
Everybody, who doesn't own or have to pay for or perform your vehicle repairs, loves to poke their noggin UNDER the Jeep and come out bearing the false bad news that your RMS is leaking.
Many mechanics, friends, people on Jeep forums who can’t see your Jeep from where they’re at, and good old Uncle Bob seem to enjoy telling you it’s the rear main seal. Has a catastrophic ring to it, doesn’t it?
A simple leak at the back of the valve cover or other source could produce the same symptoms. You don’t need to be a mechanic to figure this out. If you have good eyesight and a dim flashlight, you’re good to go on your own. Don't jump on the RMS/oil pan gasket bandwagon right off the bat.
Almost any oil leak on your 4.0 is gonna drip from the RMS area for two simple reasons.
First off, the engine sits nose-up and any oil will run back to the RMS area. Secondly, the RMS area is also the lowest point on the engine. Simple physics and the old plumber's adage apply here. "$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
Could also be as simple as the drain plug. My jeep is sitting on the trailer and it has about 2 quarts sitting on the boards under it and that to me is obvious that its not the RMS. If it was running and driving and I saw the oil I would have thought RMS.
04-29-2013, 06:52 PM
#6
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 2,522
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: l6 HO
I once thought that my RMS/oil pan was bad on a zj i had a few years back. Put it on the lift and replaced both and cleaned it all up. It still leaked. Turns out all of the bolts on the valve cover were very loose and thats where the leak was coming from. Coukdnt believe it when i found that. I mean its always good to replace any gasket, its just two other things that were new and repaired, but it didnt solve my issue. so moral of the story is esp on the l6 when people see an oil leak everyone wants to point to the rms or the oil pan, sure they can develope a leak too.. but just like cruiser said "it" flows downhill. Check the valve cover, then the oil pressure sending unit, then the oil filter adapter housing. Once youve determined that they arent leaking then you can safely say that something down bottom is leaking. save yourself the $$!
Trending Topics
05-05-2013, 04:35 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: south bend indiana
Posts: 953
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
6 Posts
Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0 i six H.O.
a few years back i decided to check my oil pan bolts and just about every one needed almost 2 full turns to make tight. just saying.
05-05-2013, 05:25 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Tx
Posts: 999
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I-6
I did a rear main on my jeep 2 yrs ago. I did the valve cover a few months back, still had a drip then right after I did the VC it started leaking alittle more I just dealt with it until I came across the oil filter adp. threads that surfaced on this site. I had enough one friday took off work and swng by the dodge dealership and bought the O ring kit, went home figured out I needed a torx bit went bought that . I knocked the torx bit out of the socket used a box end wrench on it I ended up smacking the wrench with a 2x4 and a hammer to break it loose. All cleaned up now and no leaks I took the jeepon an 800 mile trip it is still dry as a bone.
05-06-2013, 07:54 AM
#11
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Hmm I'll have to look into that, I just came back from Indiana over the weekend and the Jeep sat in my driveway and I didn't see any oil spots anywhere! Thanks for the advice though ill be sure to check into that!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
MidwestNick
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
10
02-28-2016 02:05 AM
Blackxj51
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
22
09-13-2015 06:06 PM
15XJ
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
7
09-10-2015 11:17 PM
JamDeeper
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
0
09-08-2015 08:50 PM
Soilman
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
0
09-06-2015 07:51 AM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)