Smoke going up hills???

I've had a problem for a while that I would sometimes have smoke rolling out from under my jeep when going up longer climbs (anything classified as a "grade" here in SoCal). I assumed it was the tranny overheating, so I added a cooler and had it completely flushed. But the smoke keeps coming, and there is always oil all over the bottom of my Jeep when I get home.

I started noticing a lot of oil around the oil filter and assume that the filter housing o-ring is bad. It also looks like oil has been falling on the exhaust where it crosses to the passenger side, just before it turns to run the length of the jeep. Is the smoke coming from this leak? Why only on climbs? Tempurature doesn't matter, 100* or 50* it does the same thing.

Also, what is the part number for the o-ring, and can I get that at a parts store or only at Jeep? The guys in my local stores couldn't find anything about it.

thanks a ton
marcus

Sounds like you blew a rear main. I had the same problem for months then put in a new seal solving my problem.

Also, check your valve cover seals, distributor seal, and the rear seal on your intake manifold.

Hope this helps.

Also, any engine info will help others diagnose your problem.

ciao

I really doubt it is the rear main since it never drips a drop when it is sitting. The engine was replaced under warranty about 20,000 miles again, so it's a fresh factory 4.0 block. Only engine mod is a bored TB.

marcus

My 97 blows fliud going up a grade too. The tranny has to be pretty hot for it to do it.

To make sure it's that, pull over and check the rear dif. Mine is usually dripping with ATF. Mine leaks out of the bell housing where the shield bolts on. Check to make sure your torc converter bolts are tight. If there is any wobble in that; it can cause the seal to release a little fliud. The smoke usualy comes from the ATF dripping on the header pip going back to the cat. Wish I new why mine did it too...

Check the valve cover also. Mine would do that and it turned out the valve cover was loose. Tightened her down, mopped up the oil and no smoke. Needs to be replaced as I have to retighten every so often.

Sarge

when we bought our 95 XJ and hit the roads, I was following behind it on the highway and it suddenly started billowing out smoke like it was on fire. Did this several times-we couldn't locate a leak but it was a petroleum based smoke...we had radiator, hoses, airconditioner, oil pan, valve covers, everything checked. Radiator man said it was the transmission coolant lines-looked like they were cracked at the housing. Off to the 'tranny man' and he looked at it-said no cracks-that was gasket material. Called us the next day-problem solved. Said the 97 tranny fluid level MUST be checked IN GEAR and hot-someone had done it COLD and overfilled it. EVerytime we hit the road and put it under load (grades, kayaks on top, etc.) it was pushing excess fluid UP the dipstick tube, down the engine block, onto the exhaust-mimicking an oil leak. He drained all the fluid, refilled it with exact spec amount, and that was 2 years ago...not once has it smoked since.

An obvious question would be: is it tranny fluid or engine oil covering the underside?