If I was a rear main seal and I want to leak, what would I do?

Hey,
When I was trying to find the source of a oil leak on the front of my car I noticed there was a drop of oil about to drop off my tranmission. When I got home I finally got around and looked. I saw what looked be a trail going down my tranmission and starting where my transmission and oil pan meet. I assume it's engine oil as it's black and last time I check my tranny the fluid was fine. As well the oil in front kinda looked like it was coming from my my oil pan gasket. I can't really tell if it's coming from that or above where my crank pulley is as it's hard to see. Does it sound like my oil pan gasket is going out? Where it's going out in front, there's a think white thing which I assume is my oil pan gasket. As well there's a bunch of black crap where it's leaking on both sides. It's not leaking a ton, enough so drips gather but not enough that there's a constant streams or that I notice more than a drop or two if I park over night. Although It's not much my engine is pretty damn new

Thanks, sorry for the long post,
Kevin

make sure the oil filter adapter isnt leaking. when it does oil runs down the oil pan and it drips at the bottom of the bell housing seeming like a rear main seal leak, and it is a lot easier and less expensive to repair. and if so you wouldnt have to invest in something unnecessary. although the rear main could be leaking as well.

Of course there's always the possibility, especially on an XJ, that the sources are multiple. As far as I know the best way to check if a leak is actually from the rear seal is to take off the bottom flywheel cover, and see if you can see signs of oil radiating from the center of the flywheel. If it's a main seal leak,at least a little should hit the flywheel and be thrown off. First, though, I'd check the oil pan bolts for tightness, and while at it check the valve cover bolts, especially the rear ones, and the oil filter mount. Somehow it all gets together and ends up dripping at the same spot, so it's hard sometimes to pin it down.

i would replace the oil filter seals and then see what happens. that is the least invasive.

Is my oil filter adapter the part the connects the filter to the engine?

Thanks,
Kevin

yes there are 3 o-rings to replace. depending on the year, it comes in a kit with all 3 or you buy them separately, should be around $20 or less

When I look at my flywheel, is there a little inspection cover? I mentioned it to my dad and he gave me the dirty look he gives when something is really hard. As well, is the timing belt seal/gasket common for a leak? I looked in my Haynes and it shoes the left and right oil pan gasket, then a gasket/seal for front and rear. It seems that one of the places is the timing belt area.

Thanks,
Kevin

there really is no inspection cover. you would have to remove the starter to see inside, but thet wont do you mucc good. if you can clean the area around the oil filter and run it you can see if oil seeps from that area. if it happens to be the raer main, go to the dealer and buy the factory one piece pan gasket, it is much more dependable. and a job like that , you only want to do once

if you do a rear main make sure the upper half of the rear main faces the correct way, or it will leak also

dont rule out the valve cover gasket.. they get old, dry out and shrink over time.. and they will leak at the lowest spot which is the rear of the head... take a socket and try to tighten the bolts that secure it.. if they take more turns its probably time to replace it.. simply tightening an old gasket generally wont do much good.... clean out the CCV system while its all apart too....

mike

I got a bad pic of where it's comning from. You'll need to copy the link and drop it into the address bar:

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/verrive/leak.jpg

Unfortunetly I'm horrible at macro pics The top is my engine and the bottom is my tranny. The leak comes from the middle, flows down the side of what I believe is my tranny and collects on the circled bolt. Unfortunetly there's no oil on it for you, it almost dropped on me when I was taking the picture It's fairly slow but still there, should I just not worry about it?

- Kevin

did you replace the oil filter adapter seals?

jneary said:

there really is no inspection cover. you would have to remove the starter to see inside, but thet wont do you mucc good. if you can clean the area around the oil filter and run it you can see if oil seeps from that area. if it happens to be the raer main, go to the dealer and buy the factory one piece pan gasket, it is much more dependable. and a job like that , you only want to do once

Click to expand...

On an automatic 4.o, there is a flat tin cover on the bottom front of the bell housing, which is easy to remove. You can get a good look at the flywheel from there.

ditto on the on-pice gasket, though. The Fel-Pro 4-piece is very difficult to get on right.

I looked at the oil adapter seals and there wasn't any oil coming down from around there. Where exactly is this cover you speak of? I just started working on My Cherokee like 2 months ago :x

Thanks,
Kevin

verrive said:

I looked at the oil adapter seals and there wasn't any oil coming down from around there. Where exactly is this cover you speak of? I just started working on My Cherokee like 2 months ago :x

Thanks,
Kevin

Click to expand...

Crawl underneath, and note the position of engine, transmission, and the bell housing between them. On the bottom of the bell housing, facing the front of the vehicle, you should see what is pretty obviously a separate, flat piece of metal, held on by several bolts. This can be removed, and you will then see the flywheel, and be able to peek up and see if there is oil radiating from the point where the crankshaft exits the rear of the engine block and bolts to the flywheel. A leaky main seal will usually leak oil onto the flywheel, which then throws it off radially, causing oily streaks. While you're down there, you can check the oil pan bolts for tightness too. I about halved the leakage from my 95 when I found that the two rearmost bolts, for some reason, were practically falling out.