I know that the exhaust manifold is cracked but what's weird is that once I put it into gear it stops.

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

Thanks for the knowledge about the RMS leak. Don't worry I'm not on board yet. I think that it's transmission oil leaking. A lost probably a fourth of a court here. On the pavement. Does dex/merc mercon LV work for my transmission oil? I'm almost dry now, also should I empty out the old stuff first? How much do I put in?

Drain it. Purchase 4 quarts of Dex/Merc or just get a gallon.

Begin with 2 quarts in the trans and then follow the instructions on the dipstick til it's full.

Some O ring links below. You might as well put that one to bed. Oil from there blows back and mimics a leaking RM seal....Use black O rings, posters have had problems with the colored ones.

OIL FILTER ADAPRER O RINGS http://www.myjeepxj.com/cherokee-rep...filter-adapter And a link with torx.. https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/oi...o-ring-127359/

Funny Pete! "follow the instructions on the dipstick", but true. If it's on the mark and a gallon drains out...Idk, where is my calculator...

I've always put 3.75 quarts back in, but other folks have said they didn't take that much in the later years...Weird.

Redoubling my efforts to outsmart a dipstick! I guess I wouldn't drain it and try to run it on +2. We know that but, just being clear, you want to see it up on the COLD side of the stick before you try to go anywhere.

Speaking of which, I just ordered a Wix trans filter and it should be here Tuesday. Guess I need to go pick up a gallon of ATF.

i highly suggest going to the counter and requesting an oil filter adapter specific oring. I used an orange one out of the assorted bag and after a couple weeks it began leaking again. second time I bought a mr gasket specif oring and it is dry as a bone.

Don't pick the filter up and just get the gallon............

Don't go anywhere. There's no cold or hot mark on the trans dipstick anyway. Power steering there is.......

X2. I'd suggest you deal with the adapter O rings first if you are sure they are leaking. Stopping that before going into the trans is my .02. Actually there might be better ways to deal with the AW-4 trans. It just has a screen, and just upping fluid change intervals with the fresh, high detergent Mercon III might work fine without pulling the pan.

Cruiser, might have some links handy. DJB actually cut his dipstick tube. (works). Another trick to seperate a stuck tube is to put a hose clamp on it and somehow smack down on it. IDK........

Mine has a cold side, and a hot side. I don't trust or use the cold.

Edit/added. The "hot" side is about 1-1/4 inch higher than the Cold. I don't know what to say Pete. My buddy, (the PO) got panced for about $2,500 from a tranny shop (at around 85K), before I got it from him. Maybe they threw in a custom dipstick!

Forget the screen unless the gasket is leaking.

None of my dipsticks have a Cold and/or Hot reading mark on the dipstick.