Hey Forum Crew-

I just completed an oil change on a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee and have a major engine oil leak that only appears while engine is running. Oil appears to be leaking from the oil filter pickup.

Backround: This is a new vehicle to me that I picked up from a towyard for $300. Was driven about 50 miles before oil was changed. Did not drip a drop of fluid before I did the oil change.

The old oil filter was a PITA to remove and eventually got it out after drilling into the end of it and using a screwdriver for leverage. As soon as it was complete the car leaks oil like a siv from the oil pickup. I am also getting no oil pressure from the oil pressure gauge on the dash. Put the Jeep back in the drive way on ramps and throw a tarp under it.

This thing leaks only while running and it leaks a lot! I thought I might have blown a gasket by over filling but I did take my time while filling it and stopped between the add and full lines.

I did do some research and I did hear that it is possible to accidentally pull out an o-ring on the pickup while removing the old filter. Can anyone advise on how and where to check and what part to buy/order. Thank you!

 

Go look at the old oil filter. Is the O ring still on there? They can come off and by screwing a new filter on top of the old O ring, you get leaks.

 

If it's not a double gasket, check to see if the oil pressure sender is leaking. it's easy to hit it with a wrench and fracture it.

 

Thank you for the recommendation. I did check the old oil filter in the trash and the seal was present and not stuck on the oil adapter. Thank you.

 

Thank you for getting back to me. I did check the oil pressure sender. Oil leak does not apear to come from there but from the oil adapter. I did notice that cover on the OPS is cracked open. Is the gauge not reading because of the severe leak or because oil leaked in the cracked OPS is anyone guess.

 

I wiped down the suspected area and think the massive leak is coming from the oil adapter. I went down to the parts store to get a seal kit and a big ol T60 socket.

The T60 socket barley fit in the bolt and leaves zero clearance for a socket driver to fit. I looked online and appears that the T60 head can be knocked out the socket and use a #12 metric wrench to drive it. I will update you all as soon as its's wrapped tomorrow.

Thanks for the responses!

 

That was going to be my next guess. Because you had to reef on the filter to remove it, you probably broke the seal of the o-ring by flexing it. If you are interested, you can take that Torx-head bolt to an industrial supply house and get a hex socket replacement.

Contrary to popular belief, all you need is 1/4 turn on the filter after it contacts the gasket surface. If it leaks on startup, go just a little more. I've had to remove them when they've been tightened until they stop turning and have had to cut the can off, bending the base to unscrew it.

 

I did this job over the summer and can save you some time. Get a long t60 socketed driver, then cut it off and use a good ratcheting wrench to turn it with a 10" cheater pipe over it.
Believe me when I say I tried all the other ways I have receipts to prove it.
That bolt is on there with red locktite.

 

Fact Dave! I have had to take a three foot cheater pipe to big rig Cummins fuel filters to get them loose. The gasket SWELLS after it has been on there during it's service interval life and gets much tighter!

 

Great suggestion. From my research on the forum, this process was recommended. I originally was going to attempt to remove and rebuild the oil filter adapter with new seals ($6 seal kit) I got hung up on this when I could not find a T60 bit and killed a half hour trying to slam a T60 bit out it's socket base. I ended up reevaluating the issue and came to the conclusion that the cracked oil pressure sending unit was the low hanging fruit and did this replacement first. I figured I would have to replace it anyways. It's failure did explain why the pressure gauge in the cab failing.

 

Great, so did that fix it?

I too had to shop around for the T60 ended up buying a set at autozone just to get the one I needed. Have to cut it the right length too. a real pita.

 

-ISSUE FIXED- (NEW ISSUE STARTED)

As mentioned on my earlier post, I suspected the oil filter adapter to be the culprit off the oil leak. The removal of the adapter was such a PITA I decided to replace the oil pressure sending unit. After removal pf the opsu I found that this was the culprit off the severe oil leak the crack in the case caused the diaphragm to expand beyond spec and blow out all the oil that was flowing through. I replaced and tested, NO LEAK! OIL PRESSURE GAUGE IN DASH WORKS! So happy.

Bad news is that on the test drive I noticed ABS light was lit up on the dash, power windows do not work, turn signals do not work, hazard lights DO work. (Scratching my head)

Did I short some thing, loosen up a ground, make contact with the negative battery cable where it should not have when I was removing it to install the sensor, or a bad fuse. I will start a new thread to deal with issue.

THANK YOU ALL HOW CAME TO SUPPORT ME TROUBLE SHOOT THIS ISSUE!

 

You can say what you want about those quick oil change places, but when I needed a second job for some extra money, I started working the pit at Valvoline Instant Oil Change on Sunday. This is where I was first introduced to the Jeep 4.0! The things seemed to just keep on running no matter how they were treated or how many miles they had on them.

The point of this is I learned that the oil pressure sender is a ready target for a slipped wrench or one that were turned too far and made contact with it. We had so many problems with them that my manager used to keep a couple in the store. A new employee was allowed to break one, then had to pay for them after that! Quick learning plan! We were all instructed to be very careful with jeeps.

We had a regular customer who was a school principle who drove a Mercedes sedan in the summer, but had a 94 Cherokee for the winter! She'd let it sit all summer, then just started it up and drove it to us when the first snow came. Then it was the usual battery, belts, hoses, antifreeze, tires. etc. This was the one I broke! LOL!