Oil leak

I've done a search and haven't found any answers so...

My '99 4.0 Auto with the 242 has developed an oil leak over the past few days. The strange thing is though the drips seem to be coming out of the holes in the chassis box section on the left, just in front of the left rear wheel. The stuff coming out seems like oil but why from there?

The other possibility is that it's rust-proofing wax... but the right side is dry and there seems to be quite a lot of it for that.

Any ideas?

Rear axle vent tube. I know it is in that general area....???

Pictures?

CMars45000 said:

Rear axle vent tube. I know it is in that general area....???

Click to expand...

+1, Does it smell like sulfur?

Here's some pics. It doesn't smell of sulphur, just oil.

Wow. Definitely not from any of your axles. I'm stumped on this one. Is it motor oil or is it some other fluid?

It smells and feels like oil. I just can't work out what can leak into the frame

This is a big stretch, but, could it be the transmission cooling lines leaking up near the radiator, then down into the frame/unibody? It doesn't look pink but I figure it would probably be mixing enough dirt from inside the unibody that it wouldn't.

On a thread about frame siffeners, Wimhopper mentioned that those frame rail holes also act as a drain for the cowl vent (I think...can't find he thread right now). Any chance you've spilled something up higher, and it's running down?

Biggee Leaks:

Valve cover gasket.
OFA--oil filter adapter o-rings.
Distributor seal.
RMS--rear main seal.
Power steering pump lines and tank.
Transmission fluid cooling lines QDs (quick disconnects).
Transmission fluid lines rusting or damaged.
Transmission fluid filler tube--overheated fluid spews out of it.
Transmission pump front seal.

I hate to bump this old thread but this problem is getting worse. For the last year there has been the occasional drip through the frame rails as shown above but not much more. Yesterday after a long drive I was filling up with gas and noticed oil pouring out through these holes leaving a pool in the gas station. It seems like engine oil.

I've checked all the fluid levels which are fine so there's no obvious losses and the Jeep is running great.

The oil is coming through the holes in the frame on the left side only and as far forward as the LCA and as far back as the front leaf spring hanger. The inside of the frame rail as it runs through the engine compartment appears dry and the whole engine compartment appears dry.

Here's some new photos. If anyone has any ideas where this is coming from I'd be really grateful. Thanks.

Your rear axle vent goes directly into the driver side frame rail. Makes sense if the puddles are large when you stop for gas. Your axle was spinning and then stopped, pressure increased and it pukes out the vent. Take the sag out of your vent line just off the axle. If it has a bubble of gear oil trapped there it will spit it.

Thanks. It is from the axle. This thread was helpful:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=901556&highlight=axle+breather