94 oil Leak Problem ?

Ok I purchased my jeep back in febuary with a minor leak. But just recentyl it took a turn for the worst. Now its a the size of a hand oil leak on my driveway. I was certain that its from the oil pan but I'm not a 100% on that. Another thing that has me worrie is I m gueeing the oil is hitting something hot and cuasing it to smoke. And finally the last issue when I check the dipstick for oil. It seems to be above the line and appertnly oil is all over the distick. Hope to find some answers. Thanks and aprecciate the time for answering

One major problem on the 4.0 is the oil filter adapter o-ring. It is right above your oil pan on the passenger side so it is often mistaken for an oil pan leak. Simple job.

Ok with that being said how does it cause it to leak ? Could it have come looose somewhow. Tomorrow I plan on doing a oil change and was also going to drop the pan but I haven't really found a step by step on dropping the oil pan iv read that there isn't enough clearance to take it off. Iv also picked up 10-40 mobil 1 full synthitic oil I read a lot of people pick that oil. So I just need to pick up a oil filter. What's the best one to get ?and lastly any specific way to take off the oil filter ?
Thanks a lot in advance

joejeep92 said:

One major problem on the 4.0 is the oil filter adapter o-ring. It is right above your oil pan on the passenger side so it is often mistaken for an oil pan leak. Simple job.

Click to expand...

Ok with that being said how does it cause it to leak ? Could it have come looose somewhow. Tomorrow I plan on doing a oil change and was also going to drop the pan but I haven't really found a step by step on dropping the oil pan iv read that there isn't enough clearance to take it off. Iv also picked up 10-40 mobil 1 full synthitic oil I read a lot of people pick that oil. So I just need to pick up a oil filter. What's the best one to get ?and lastly any specific way to take off the oil filter ?
Thanks a lot in advance

My standard response and you can do this yourself easily:

I'd be looking up above first, and VERIFYING the source of the oil leak yourself. Many mechanics and friends love to tell 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 could produce the same symptoms. Don't jump on the RMS/oil pan gasket bandwagon just yet.

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 oil will run back to that 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 5-19-2012

Wash it off and do like cruiser54 said. It would really suck to do the pain in the a-- job of changing the pan gasket to find out you only needed a valve cover gasket.