Spewing oil under pressure

I live near a big mountain (Mt Hood, OR). When we drive around town, no issues. We drove up the mountain (20 minute drive at a decent incline) and I stayed pretty heavy on the throttle to keep it at 50mph. Smoke out the back and so I pulled over. Left side (intake side of the block) no issues. Right side there was oil all over the starter and dripping down on the exhaust causing the smoke. I let her sit and the oil stopped coming out. Checked the oil filter and the oil wasn't coming from there. Couldn't figure out if it was coming from the valve cover or rear main. I wasn't sure if it could be the rear main because I figured it would come out near the inspection plate on the tranny and so it wouldn't get up by the starter? So, I started looking at the valve cover thinking I should see a stream of oil running down it .. but I didn't.

Anyway, I checked the oil when it happened (within 60 seconds of turning it off) and then again after 10 minutes. The oil was showing up as WAY over full. Thought that was weird because when hot, shouldn't the oil still be throughout the motor (at least some)? If so, then couldn't it be too full of oil and so the pressure builds up and blows it out seals?

Anyway. I decided to risk it and just keep driving it for another .. 7 hours? We drove all over the mountain, in to Eastern Oregon, on a couple OHV trails, etc. After that incident, no more smoke. But, I didn't hammer on it for like 20 minutes straight either, I was more cautious.

Should I be worried? Anything you can recommend?

Thanks folks.

It came from somewhere... I would find out. Either the oil pressure sensor or the cam sensor probably.

Is your Oil Filter Adapter leaking? That will put a lot of oil on your starter. Oil pressure sending unit too.

After letting the Jeep cool down, is your oil still overfull? What color is the oil?

I've seen that here in CO. esp with high mileage XJs

The blowby overcomes the crankcase breather system and pukes oil out the rear main onto the exhaust and makes it smoke like a old coal train.

Always happens on the long uphill (about 8-9 miles) haul to the Eisenhower tunnel.

Also, the transmission breather is inside the bellhousing and can spew trans fluid out if it was hot and overfilled a little.

I think the key in this situation is the OVERFULL crankcase.

First, I recommend re-checking the oil level and posting up what you find. If it is overfull, then you have to determine WHY it is overfull--maybe you have an injector puking fuel--probably not coolant or you would have already found and reported a milkshake crankcase.

Second, as Digger87xj suggested, service your CCV system and check the intake for pooled oil. However, that still wouldn't account for the OVERFULL crankcase.

I'm not at home and will check levels since its cold and has been sitting for 3 days.

I know the CCV, PCV valves are almost new, intake has no oil in it.

I'll report back in a few hours. Thanks guys!!

Ok. Truck's been sitting for days so we know the oil has settled.

The oil is about 1/4" past the "full" dot. When the truck was hot, and up on the mountain, I'd say it was about the same.

Where should a healthy amount of oil register ... mid way between the dots or on the top dot itself?

FYI, I probably lost 1/2 a quart on the pavement on the mountain.

Chalk it up to overfull.

Oil should be right under the top hole, not over it.