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Oil leak

Ackattack

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Poulsbo WA
OK, I got this MJ and the darn thing leaks oil pretty bad. I have changed to rear main seal and oil pan gasket 3 times to no avail (1 piece oil pan gasket).

the last time I did it, I started it up and watched it. After a little while it starts dripping from the back of the motor. Obviously with everything put together I can't tell where its coming from, but it drips from the back edge of the oil pan. So I don't know if its the oil pan, the rear main seal, or somewhere else.

I'm a pretty good mechanic and I've done a lot more things than a stupid rear main seal and oil pan, but this is kicking my butt. Could it be a leaky oil gally plug or something else above the rear main seal that is leaking? I just can't believe that after doing this job 3 times that I didn't get this part right. I read the "how to" on here using oil to lubricate the seal as I put it in. I also used soap on the outside of it as described in the Haynes manual I have at home. I used felpro rear main seal and a factory one.

What the heck?
 
i know this seems painfully obvious but... i have read on here many times about the valve cover gasket leaking in the rear that can be misdiagnosed as rear main leaking i hope its not that simple after all the crap you have gone thru but just thought id mention it
 
yeah wow 3 times geez, you da man.

I had a little oil spray from around the oil filter adapter, but my prob was the main seal which i paid someone to do.
 
X2 on oil filter adapter. when those o-rings dry out and rot, it can leak pretty bad from there, and the oil can get all over the side and back of the oil pan....
 
kennzz05 said:
i know this seems painfully obvious but... i have read on here many times about the valve cover gasket leaking in the rear that can be misdiagnosed as rear main leaking i hope its not that simple after all the crap you have gone thru but just thought id mention it

ya know, I don't think it is the valve cover gasket, but I will check again. If it is, then great! Its an easy fix. Thanks for the suggestion.

I was thinking that maybe using some of that flouescent additive that you can see with a black light may help too. I know I tracked down a coolant leak using that method in my old truck (turned out to be really small leaks in each radiator tube that would evaporate rather than pool up cause they were so small :) )
 
floppy said:
yeah wow 3 times geez, you da man.

I had a little oil spray from around the oil filter adapter, but my prob was the main seal which i paid someone to do.

initially it was leaking around the oil filter adapter. I removed it and cleaned up the seals and put it back in and checked there and it wasn't leaking at the time, but it may have decided to leak again anyways. I'll probably just replace those seals and the distributor seal for good measure.
 
Ackattack said:
initially it was leaking around the oil filter adapter. I removed it and cleaned up the seals and put it back in and checked there and it wasn't leaking at the time, but it may have decided to leak again anyways. I'll probably just replace those seals and the distributor seal for good measure.

The o-ring set from the dealer is about $3-4....easy fix. Make sure you get the SET, as they do sell just the main seal by itself.
 
Well I got the florescent oil dye earlier tonight and did a little driving around. Upon inspection once it got dark I believe I have found the culprit. The rear valve cover breather/pcv (whatever the rear one is) is leaking all over. The plastic line that did run to the intake is all brittle and broke off. Also, the previous owner put a regular old breather on the front opening. So tommorrow it looks like I get to replace that little system. Hopefully that will take care of it!

Oh, I looked around the oil filter, and no signs of leaks there. The back of the valve cover had oil on it, but I don't think its the gasket leaking.

Thanks for all the advice guys!
 
I feel your pain. Ive got the same problem and did the same as you ...still have a leak. Its not the valve cover gasket or the oil filter.... I dont know what Im going to do
 
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