A couple of things

First, I'm not sure but I don't think this fan is supposed to make a noise like this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lY4HI_JfHUo

Also, I spent a few minutes this morning "documenting" everything under the hood, I'm curious as to what everyone things about my engine's current condition:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjcfromct/UnderTheHood

A couple of things I noticed:

1) Incredibly filthy, especially around the oil filter.

2) Not a large amount of oil in the air filter. I was happy about this, as I was expecting there to be a ton. This air filter has been in for ~1.5-2 years. Back when this air filter was put in, the old one looked pretty bad, a lot of oil in it. But who knows how long that old one was in there for.

3) Should this be plugged into anything? http://picasaweb.google.com/mjcfromct/UnderTheHood/photo#5165030835054494786

Pull the valve cover and clean the top of the engine, replace the breather hoses, that should solve any oil being sucked into the air box. Use a shop vac and a plastic scraper when clening the valve train area, work them together so the vac sucks up the pieces as soon as you scrape them loose. As far as the oil around the oil filter area, thats pretty normal and thats why your starter wires never ever hardly rust, they are too well lubricated

RichP said:

Pull the valve cover and clean the top of the engine, replace the breather hoses, that should solve any oil being sucked into the air box. Use a shop vac and a plastic scraper when clening the valve train area, work them together so the vac sucks up the pieces as soon as you scrape them loose.

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Do you think it is an issue, judging by the amount of oil that you can see on that air filter, which has been in for ~1.5-2 years? I'm new to this, so I'm not sure if one drop of oil on there means there is a problem, or only if the filter is dripping with oil should you be concerned.

MJCfromCT said:

Do you think it is an issue, judging by the amount of oil that you can see on that air filter, which has been in for ~1.5-2 years? I'm new to this, so I'm not sure if one drop of oil on there means there is a problem, or only if the filter is dripping with oil should you be concerned.

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Hallo. Nice looking engine! No worry about the oil. Needs only frequent cleaning. I do have the same oilspill on my 92. Mayby a high pressure in the crankroom ?. Greetings:wave:

The amount of oil on that air filter is trivial. But make sure anyway that the small vacuum tube that goes from back of valve cover to manifold is entirely clean inside, and that no connectors are cracked. It can cake up and compromise venting, causing crankcase pressure and blowby.

I think the unused plug is probably for fog lights, but wouldn't worry about it if everything that's actually there is working.

For the oil around the oil filter area, I'd clean it up and then keep an eye on it. It often will come from leaky o-rings on the filter adapter. You can live with this for a long time, but eventually it can get bad enough really to waste oil and make a mess. Technically easy to fix, and very cheap, but physically difficult owing to a very very tight T-60 bolt on the adapter, that may need home-made tool adaptation (a search here will tell you more than you need to know).

You need a new electric fan, or if you're handy and cheap, you need to try to get inside that one and lubricate its bearings if there is anything left of them. I don't know if that's even possible. If replacing with non-Jeep item, make sure it goes right direction. Some such fans are pushers, wrong way around for your "puller."

Thanks for all the information, Matthew. I'm glad to hear that the blowby seems under control. I'll be making sure those hoses are clean and crack-free nonetheless.

The oil filter adapter sounds like a fun job. I might have to attempt that after a thorough cleaning and the purchasing of some torx bolts.

I might have to take a look into re-lubricating that fan, and if all else fails, getting a new one.

MJCfromCT said:

Thanks for all the information, Matthew. I'm glad to hear that the blowby seems under control. I'll be making sure those hoses are clean and crack-free nonetheless.

The oil filter adapter sounds like a fun job. I might have to attempt that after a thorough cleaning and the purchasing of some torx bolts.

I might have to take a look into re-lubricating that fan, and if all else fails, getting a new one.

Click to expand...

For the filter adapter you don't need a new torx bolt, perhaps I wasn't clear. It is held on by one single, big torx bolt which is hard to get loose. What you do need is a set of O-rings, which are only a few bucks. If you can get the bolt loose, the rest of the job is simple.

While you're at it though, make sure the valve cover bolts are not coming loose. They shouldn't be torqued down too tight, but often the rear ones come loose by themselves.

D'oh, that was my fault, I meant to say a torx set of screwdrivers, but it was very late

I will check the valve cover bolts too, I have a Haynes manual, and I believe it says how much to torque them down.