Oil cap

i have a 90 XJ with I6 and it has one of those oil filler caps that you put in and then turn with like a fiber gasket. does anyone know if a screww cap with a rubber gasket works ok bc anyone with this type of cap knows that they suck and after awhile keep leaking.

Better than the 97+'s that have that darn ratchet design that won't come off when it's hot unless you pop the top off and grab it with a big set of channel locks...
Gotta be an aftermarket one in chrome or anodized aluminum... Check quadratec, I've seen them there...

There's no way you can use a screw on cap with the '90 valve cover, you'd have to use a '91+ valve cover and oil cap. All the '91+ are the horrible ratcheting type, I liked the one on my old '90 much better.

RichP said:

Better than the 97+'s that have that darn ratchet design that won't come off when it's hot unless you pop the top off and grab it with a big set of channel locks...
Gotta be an aftermarket one in chrome or anodized aluminum... Check quadratec, I've seen them there...

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What I thought was odd, is we see that a LOT in the shop. I wasn't even aware it was a problem b/c I hadn't seen many posts on it. It hasn't happened to either of my xj's by the way. But damn near every other xj that comes in, we have to do your method to do the iol.

I had the same4 problem with it leaking. When I changed my valve cover, I put a very thin layer of RTV on the valve cover where the oil cap made contact. It helped seal it up. It does not leak anymore. However, I could see having to re-do it after a couple of years.
BSD

imma honky said:

What I thought was odd, is we see that a LOT in the shop. I wasn't even aware it was a problem b/c I hadn't seen many posts on it. It hasn't happened to either of my xj's by the way. But damn near every other xj that comes in, we have to do your method to do the iol.

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I pulled my cap apart and filled the inside with expoy then reassembled it, no more ratcheting but it comes off now when the engine is hot. Thats when the problem is, when the cap itself is hot, the edges of the plastic slip. Hmmm, now that I think about it, mine is ratcheting again, bet it's on either my sons or daughters jeep....we had a maintenance day on sat...

ZmOz said:

There's no way you can use a screw on cap with the '90 valve cover, you'd have to use a '91+ valve cover and oil cap. All the '91+ are the horrible ratcheting type, I liked the one on my old '90 much better.

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Um, no, the ratcheting type is not on all '91+ models - my '92 has what I think used to be the norm: two ears, place cap on and turn approx 90 degrees to secure. Same as my '84 Omni.

I think the ratchet-type came out around '97 or so.

Rob

I have the non-ratchet type. It leaked until I added another layer of gasket material (any auto supplier), creating a tighter fit.

on my 92 it does not click when I turn it it looks "almost" the same as the one on my 89

Rob Mayercik said:

Um, no, the ratcheting type is not on all '91+ models - my '92 has what I think used to be the norm: two ears, place cap on and turn approx 90 degrees to secure. Same as my '84 Omni.

I think the ratchet-type came out around '97 or so.

Rob

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Here's a '91 with the screw on cap.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...item=4507998305&category=6281&sspagename=WDVW
If your '92 doesn't have that cap, then it doesn't have the original valve cover.

ZmOz said:

Here's a '91 with the screw on cap.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...item=4507998305&category=6281&sspagename=WDVW
If your '92 doesn't have that cap, then it doesn't have the original valve cover.

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Thats a damn clean XJ, not a bad price either.

ZmOz said:

Here's a '91 with the screw on cap.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4507998305&category=6281&sspagename=WDVW
If your '92 doesn't have that cap, then it doesn't have the original valve cover.

Click to expand...

Can't judge a book (or in this case an oil cap) by it's cover, ZmOz.

I can't tell what the fastening type is from those pictures. Mine looks exactly like that, but has two ears, and as I said, you insert and turn 90 degrees to put it on. No threads, and no ratchets. We'd have to go there and remove the cap to know how it fastens.

I have had my valve cover replaced (the gasket was leaking a couple years back, and the cover and gasket came together as a kit, so I figured, "why not - after ~160,000 miles or so, it's probably in need of cleaning anyway". However, the oil filler cap seems to be the same style that I had before that was replaced. Considering that my '84 Dodge and my mother's '91 Dodge both have oil caps that fasten the same way as my XJ, I'd be shocked if someone could conclusively prove that my '92 came from the factory with a threaded oil cap.

I will agree that that one you posted is very clean for the mileage, but 4.0LV6? Guess the guy who wrote up the ad didn't know how to count valve covers.

Rob

Rob

Just buy a new cap. The one Stant makes costs under $4. That gasket is dense foam when new but turns hard over time.