Pretty bad oil leak

[Prospect62]

Hey guys, I've been noticing a small oil leak under my Jeep for the last week or so. Well, today I got home and noticed alot more of it dripping.

Crawled under and saw motor oil EVERYWHERE. It was dripping from the crossmember, the transmission, the t-case and it had spread all the way to the back of the Jeep, my muffler and rear diff were saturated in oil too!

Once the Jeep is off, it stops leaking. It looks like it's coming from the driver side of the engine or somewhere near where the engine and ****** bolt up.

Could it be the rear main let loose? Because the oil pan has a little oil on it but not nearly as much as the ******, t-case and rear parts of the undercarriage. I'm not noticing any clutch slippage or chatter as would be the case with a blown rear main (oil all over the disc)...but I'm still curious how that much oil got everywhere in one 30 minute trip.

I haven't changed the oil in about 9 months so I know it's not a loose filter or anything like that. I haven't really investigated too much yet but I was wondering if you guys had any ideas based on my symptoms...thanks for any input.

 

[Powerslave]

To find exactly where it is coming from, you need to degrease the whole areas that have oil on it, clean. Then start it up, and look around... This is how I find oil leaks, works all the time. Yeah, it costs to buy the engine degrease stuff, but, it works. See, when in motion, with oil leaking, man, it just goes everywhere, so you can't tell exactly where it is coming from. So, when not moving, you can see where it is leaking at. Mine have always been valve cover gaskets.

 

[desertkj]

To find exactly where it is coming from, you need to degrease the whole areas that have oil on it, clean. Then start it up, and look around... This is how I find oil leaks, works all the time. Yeah, it costs to buy the engine degrease stuff, but, it works. See, when in motion, with oil leaking, man, it just goes everywhere, so you can't tell exactly where it is coming from. So, when not moving, you can see where it is leaking at. Mine have always been valve cover gaskets.

Simple Green Max works great. I think it was about $5, it's strong, and it's biodegradable. However, Powerslave is most definitely right. It goes back to the "measure twice, cut once" thing of making sure what you are fixing is actually the problem.

 

[Dave]

Yea, you're going to need to clean it all off first as was said.

I hope it is something simple and cheap...

Dave

 

[Powerslave]

Changing the valve cover gaskets looks pretty easy... The studs make it so you can't misalign the gasket, and everything goes down nice. Maybe the A/C lines are in the way, but you gotta like the front facing engine... I hated working on front wheel drive cars.

Anyhow, yep, I got a leak too, out the passenger side output shaft... I hope this is covered under the powertrain warranty. Doesn't leak all the time though, for some reason. I got some royal purple gear oil, will add some, to be sure, since it will come out purple if the diff is leaking through the axle shaft seal.

 

[Dave]

Anyhow, yep, I got a leak too, out the passenger side output shaft... I hope this is covered under the powertrain warranty. Doesn't leak all the time though, for some reason. I got some royal purple gear oil, will add some, to be sure, since it will come out purple if the diff is leaking through the axle shaft seal.

I had that same exact leak and had to have it fixed because it was during the coldest weather we had. If you are in your 3/36 warranty will cover it. If not, like me then no.

Dave

 

[2003KJ]

I haven't changed the oil in about 9 months so I know it's not a loose filter or anything like that. I haven't really investigated too much yet but I was wondering if you guys had any ideas based on my symptoms...thanks for any input.

Haven't changed the oil in 9 months??? I hope you're running a good synthetic oil!

Make sure you check the oil level before you start it up after degreasing everything!

 

[Prospect62]

Haven't changed the oil in 9 months??? I hope you're running a good synthetic oil!

Make sure you check the oil level before you start it up after degreasing everything!

Nope, just Castrol 10w30 dino. I'm stopping at NAPA on the way home from work today and I'll change the oil this evening. Maybe I can get a better look at what's leaking once I'm really under there. Thanks for the tips so far guys! I really just can't imagine what could be leaking so much oil. The only thing I've ever seen drip so much motor oil was a bad oil pressure sender in an old GMC pickup I used to have...but the KJ doesn't have one of those.

I'm really stumped as to what it could be...I guess that's what my main question in this thread was.

 

[JeepJeepster]

It has an oil pressure sender. Its right above the oil filter. Seems some have problems with it going bad and lighting up the idiot light.

Have you noticed a drop in the oil level? The rear main on our zj has been leaking for years but its not been a problem. Keeps the entire under body coated in oil so rust isnt a problem. Not noticed a drop in the oil level.

 

[Prospect62]

Neither the oil light nor the Check Engine light have been on. Oil level seems ok. Engine runs smooth as silk and no tick or other noises. I wonder if my oil pressure sender went bad...

Hmmmm....

 

[Powerslave]

I had that same exact leak and had to have it fixed because it was during the coldest weather we had. If you are in your 3/36 warranty will cover it. If not, like me then no.

Dave

I have the recertified 8/80 Powertrain warranty, so would that cover the leak? I added a LOT of Royal Purple diff oil today, a regular 3/8" ratchet opens 'er up. I put in a good bit before it started dripping out of the fill hole. Is there a fill hole for the rear diff too? I will have to call the Chrysler dealer and ask what is call covered in the powertrain warranty.

 

[Prospect62]

Problem solved, loose oil filter...


And I'm a *******. Gave me an excuse to finally change the oil though...it had been 11,000 miles.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Good gosh dude, why did you wait 11,000 miles to change the oil?

I change my oil religiously.

 

[Dave]

Problem solved, loose oil filter...


And I'm a *******. Gave me an excuse to finally change the oil though...it had been 11,000 miles.

Glad it was something too simple, but 11,000 miles oil change??? You need to rethink your change interval.

Just my opinion.

 

[SDLiberty]

Good gosh dude, why did you wait 11,000 miles to change the oil?

I change my oil religiously.

X2

 

[tjkj2002]

Good gosh dude, why did you wait 11,000 miles to change the oil?

I change my oil religiously.

X3


I freak out at 3001 miles.I've done my oil change at a interstate rest area before.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

X3


I freak out at 3001 miles.I've done my oil change at a interstate rest area before.

Man I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes nuts after 3000.

I'm due for another change at 15068. Man that 68 miles dang near killed me. But I had no choice.

 

[tjkj2002]

Man I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes nuts after 3000.

I'm due for another change at 15068. Man that 68 miles dang near killed me. But I had no choice.

I'm due for mine in 248miles at 67,000miles.

 

[2003KJ]

Problem solved, loose oil filter...


And I'm a *******. Gave me an excuse to finally change the oil though...it had been 11,000 miles.

Interesting, I was going to suggest look at the filter. I had mine back out on me a bit a couple of months ago. Noticed a few drops of oil on the garage floor one morning when I left. Checked it when I got home that night and was doing an oil change anyways...went to take the old filter off and it had somehow worked itself loose. Lucky I caught it when I did...no need in that falling off while driving down the road one day!

Been checking my filter every 1000 miles or so to double check it's still tight.

Oh, and I used to change it every 3K....taking it up to 5K intervals now. The way I drive, I hit 5K in what a normal person does 3K in. Plus with Mobil 1, i'm not worried about it too much.

 

[J-Thompson]

ya'll are a little up tight on the oil change thing
I change my oil every June need it or not
Thats right only once a year
then again I may drive the Jeep 5K in that year if I do a lot of wheeling
all I use is Royal Purple and a Wix filter
and after a year the oil level is unchanged