need confirmation on a leak

The bottom of the XJ back to the axle from the pan gets wet with oil. Cleaned it up good. All dry. Start it and I get a drip from INSIDE the bell housing behind the access cover. Motor oil.

Rear main seal? Any other possibilities? Smokes a lot at stops now, so need to fix it. If there's any other possibilities with this engine I'll investigate first, otherwise I'll just get a new one and install.

Thanks,
Skip

Check your valve cover first. It could be leaking down the back of the block into the belhousing. Its cheaper and easier to relpace than the rear main. When chasing down a leak, always start from the top and work down.

Hey :
I agree with lonestar, my valve cover was the problem on mine. if the drip is inside the bellhousing then a rear seal...
sixer

The outside stays dry, at least while idling after a cleaning. It's coming from inside the housing and drips out of the crack between the access cover and transmission. After the wind catches it on the highway, it's everywhere.

I had similar symptoms on my rig so I searched around here and found the RMS, back of the valve cover gasket (against fire wall), and sometimes the o-ring seals around the aluminum casting where the oil filter is attached, all can look like a RMS leak. I just replaced the valve cover gasket last weekend (4 of the bolts were completely loose when I took it off) and will replace the o-rings on the oil filter mount this weeked and cross my fingers that the under side of the Jeep stays oil free so I don't have to mess with the RMS. Most of the oil I saw leaking (although it was on everything) seemed to be leaking from off of the flex plate on the bottom of the bell housing.

I pressure washed all the oil off the rig as best as I could then drove it a little on the road then checked the possible leak locations for fresh oil with a clean paper towell. Your mileage may vary.