Leak

I'm sure you guys have summed up this issue somewhere along here. Tried searching but I'm not entirely sure what this is. I know Jeeps are notorious to having leak issues. Here's thing I park in the street and basically have a huge greese spot under my vehicle. Prob covers about half the length of the vehicle. Honestly if I were to park it in my driveway at night by the next morning I'd have a spot the size of my fist. I check all my fluids constantly and never have to add anything. I mean I check oil, power steering, brake, transmission, coolant, everything! Besides having to change oil every 3k and add the other stuff probably once a year or so. But as much as it leaks to the ratio of fluid lost in any of those areas its like nothing is lost in any of those areas yet something is leaking. Of course this also produces a burning smell sometimes. Heard something like if I change out the oil pan and such but I mean the stuff on the ground isn't even any of those fluids its like greese or grime almost. But yeah don't understand why. It's a '99 I mean and I got it in '04 and it was doing this back then. My neighbor has an XJ and honestly his doesnt leak at all or maybe once in a while u see a quarter sized drop and its oil. It's still liquid and not all greesy based or grime based. Had everything inspected and cleaned numerous times. Honestly if it was the oil 5 quarts wouldn't last 3k miles being driven every day if it was leaking about 1 cup a day. So its really weird. Any takers?

I mean I've driven 3k miles in a month or in 6 months and the dip stick is always fine and all levers are fine. I've noticed my oil pressure drop before but thats typically due to extreme hot or cold weather usually on startup. Course it'll idle at 1k on startup and after a few minutes go down to 667 which is normal. It does that in the winter when its like 20 degrees. Basically though when I got it I had to put some work into it. Engine had its oil burned up seriously like the guy before never got an oil change, had to run dextron and all the stuff through the tranny, fuel lines and such had to have cleaner ran through. But with that said everything was fixed, replaced, and even sealer to be on the safe side. But for what it leaks, whatever it leaks, it doesn't appear to lower any levels of anything. And for that it's honestly leaking about a cup a day of grime or greese it's weird. What is it?

Heard too that it could be a bolt too tight or loose on the pan but I don't see how it could be oil. All the oil just like any other fluid would honestly be leaked out over the course of a month I'd say. And being that all the levels are constantly fine w/o having to add stuff but the regular say year or two route minus oil every 3k. I use maxlife 75k+ semi or full synth anyway can't remember if its a blend or not.

Right now though I actually just have some reg 10w30. Last time I went cheap for some reason. Think it was cause I was out of town and had to get one and the place didn't have that kind. I need to start doing my own again. But with not having a lot of time it seems easier to have a shop do it.

You might try having someone else inspect it. If someone is cleaning if off, they should be able to tell what it is. Who is inspecting it? You didn't mention the transfercase but it would be dry by now.

It's 2wd but yeah I'd think something would've happened to it if it was bad. Since all the fluids and levels are fine. Most ppl just shrug it off like "Eh it's a Jeep what do you expect". Some say it's normal, etc. I haven't cared only cause all the critical fluids are always fine. But its just a bitch to have to powerwash it off the street or put kitty litter down to help absorb it. Big greese stains and such.

One thing you did not mention checking was your rear axle, which probably has most viscous oil of all. Any weapage by the drain plug or breather?

Had the very same problem!! Turned out to be the oil filter adapter. Replaced the o-ring and wallaa no more leak!!

Hmmm interesting. Yeah it seems to be oil but what I don't get is that the level never lowers yet it leaks to a small extent. You'd think 5 quarts wouldn't last 3k miles then w/o having to add more oil in the process.

Oh oops forgot to say its not the rear axle or differential, the leak is in the frontal area of the vehicle. Mainly around the front tire area I believe. Though that's where I noticed it when I was parked on a hill (I was parked in a driveway uphill facing the garage door). On the street the leak is pretty much from the front of the vehicle to under the front doors. Pretty much just keeps adding to it and thickening.

Oil filter adapter leaking classic jeep oil leak spot.

Yep. jeep ride and ColoradoRaptor are right, sounds like oil filter adapter o-ring. Lucky for you, you shouldn't have the torx head bolt like the newer ones. But if you are losing that much oil and your fluid levels are fine, then you have much bigger problems. Does your oil look and smell OK?

Yeah it's clean, not gritty. So what does it all mean though besides replacing this o-ring?

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=FEL&MfrPartNumber=70301

Would that be it "Oil Filter Mounting Gasket Fel Pro O-Ring"?

Just a question.Have you ever got under the jeep and tried to track down where it is coming from?

cjd_1986 said:

Hmmm interesting. Yeah it seems to be oil but what I don't get is that the level never lowers yet it leaks to a small extent. You'd think 5 quarts wouldn't last 3k miles then w/o having to add more oil in the process.

Click to expand...

If you've got the 4.0L, it holds 6 quarts...not 5.

Best thing to do, get under it with a bottle of your favorite degreaser/cleaner and your power washer, and clean up everything underneath the Jeep. Then drive it, and check regularly to see where the leak is coming from. I'm betting it's one of the 3 classic oil leaks, but the problem is they all mock a rear main leak (when it could be a rear main, or a valve cover gasket, or as mentioned the oil filter adapter o-ring).

Sorry, I was looking at the year in your user name. If it is a 99 it uses a torx bolt to hold the assembly on that has a hole in it that oil goes thru to the filter. If memory serves, I think I had to remove the starter, but that is something you will be able to tell right away if you need to do it. The biggest problem you are going to run into is the space between the bolt and the frame rail. I had first tried a vice grip around the socket, but the socket was too smooth. I ended up grinding down the socket a decent amount so it would fit on the ratchet and into the given space. Once it is off, the old squashed o-ring is easy to see. Even if that's not the leak, it is definitely worth doing anyway.

You shouldn't have to remove the starter to do the oil filter adapter.

That clearance is a problem, though. I ended up welding a box wrench to the torx socket.

As for the fact that you don't have to add oil, it's surprising how little oil it takes. A tablespoon of oil will make quite a mess.

Yeah its the 4.0L my bad yeah 6 quarts. Hmm I figured this. Just replaced my starter too could've got there but you said I don't need to move it to get to the adapter. Yeah I know about the clearance problem heh the starter was in a tight spot. Anyway the leak is in the front around that starter area hmm makes sense cause when I took off my old starter a few months ago to replace it with a new one, the old one was covered in oil greese. Cause the leak is like front mid to right tire area, sometimes mid to left tire area too. So most likely it sounds like I just need to put a new O-ring on it. Good thing cause a mechanic was trying to tell me it was my oil pan. Either replace or the bolt was tightened too little or too much. Cause when that little bit of oil leaks during drive u get a burning smell from under the car when it touches the hot metal.

T-60 Torx socket and a real good set of vice grips is what I used on mine. Did the oil filter conversion to use the larger oil filter and also to turn it 90 degrees to horizontal. I now lose less oil on the ground at each oil change.

Where is this conversion? Didn't know you could do such a thing. I'd like to know more about it and how to go about it. I was thinking about using a better oil filter next time instead of the generic going with the K&N.