Oil Filter Adapter Gasket

Well, as the title says, you guessed it, I seem to have developed another common problem with the 4.0 in the filter adapter o-ring is leaking. Scared the poo out of me with the amount of oil collecting from such a small leak.

Anyway, before the neighbors call the Obama Administration on me for leaking more oil than BP seems to know what to do with, I'm gonna have to get a wrap on this.

Few questions:

1 - I know this sounds dumb but, it just doesnt look right: Is the oil filter seriously supposed to be pointed straight up on this? (94 4.0L)

2 - When I ran my search of the forums for similar threads, a couple of poster advised to make sure to purchase an entire kit (3 rings). My current search of parts stores is only yielding the large o-ring that appears to be the core culpret.

3 - I seem to only have 1 large bolt with a T-60(?) head, but it doesn't look like a bolt from the view I could get, does the whole adapter just spin off? Actually now that I think about it that might make some sense, threaded on to what would have been the oil filter mounting post?

And lastly, I assume this would be a good time to replace the pressure sending unit?

Tanks.

[tap][tap][tap]
Check 1,2 check 1,2

Is this thing on? :lol:

Don't you hate crickets? Plenty of lookers but no comments.....

On every filter adapter I've seen, the filter is mounted threads up, to keep the oil in the filter between starts. That may be your only problem.

I'm curious why there's even an adapter on yours; it's too easy to use the stock mount position.

Nah, it's leaking from the gasket. I wiped everything down and monitored, it's seeping from inbewtween the adapater and block at the 12 and 6 positions, mainly the 6 pretty good, so I'm assuming the gastket might even be cracked in half based on that observation.

It's pretty tight in there so I could see why they'd think the adapter is "neccessary".

So you're saying the filter is supossoed to be mounted 'normaly' and mine is in fact upside down?

Well, this is getting interesting. Some scavenging through the web indicate that adapter is supposed to have the filter laying sideways facing the firewall. It was the Wranglers that had the filters pointed straight up. The short block came from a 94 Cherokee, but now I think I'm gonna end up decoding the engine number to find out if this is it's 3 vehicle (at least :uhoh: ) it's resided in.

Funny, the Wrangler guys are all eager to get their hands on the Cherokee adapter because of "messy oil changes". Even with mine pointing straight up, I had no problem keeping it SLOWLY spewing into a catch.

The direction depends on the year. Renix years (like mine) are vertical. Later years are horizontal. Don't know when they made the switch.

There are 3 o-rings and if one is hard and leaking, you *should* replace them all.

The "bolt" is hollow for the oil passage. Once you loosen it up, the adapter will come loose.

If it's never been off before, it may be a struggle to break it loose. Clearance for the T-60 is tight too. There are plenty of threads about getting it loose.

Yeah, I've noted that if it hasn't been removed before, the factory used red thread locker on it. :rolleyes:

Check your motor mount while you're in there. Replacing is easier with the OFA out.

Check your motor mount while you're in there. Replacing is easier with the OFA out.

Absolutley a great idea for anyone reading in the future. :iceslolan

I've also seen that removing the center bolt from the mount is an option to manipulate gettting a ratchet on the torx bolt as well. (allowing the motor to be raised a bit)

In this case, the mount is but 8 months old when the motor was put in. Just wish we would have read the memo about the pesky adapter gasket when the motor was out. :banghead:

I have the same problem with mine. I was told by a friend that had done several of these to goop the snot out of it with Black Max , Hi Temp silicone when you reinstall it. Of course, don't block off any holes. He said for some reason these are a constant problem with these cars. He hasn't seen one that has yet not leaked there. Of all places. The several he has done, been leak free for years.

Alright, so within days of posting this, I went home and gave it a wril and the damn thing wouldn't budge for nothing, wrenches flying all over the place, I lazied up and left it be.

So, after it getting progressively worse and worse, staining up the curb side, causing people to roll up their windows at stoplights, toll booth and drive through attendents throwing change and food at me (lots of smoke), and 2 quarts of oil a week, I decided this weekend it needed to get done.

Had some running around to do Saturday morning and got the idea, hey why not let this running around warm the thing up and that might help? :dunno:

Anyway, get home from my errands, give the missess her garage sale money and send her on her way so I can work. Of course with the instruction by her "no drinking beer all morning'. yeeeeahhh right! Head out back, 3 beers and a pack of smokes in hand on a nice crisp 40 something degree morning for some knuckle busting.

Anywho, this time I opted to hit it from the bottom. Had my T-60 bit that I punched out of the socket adapter to slip a 12mm combo wrench on and a 16" chunk of pipe to slip over the wrench for leverage. was under there for about 5 minutes, pushing, grunting, cussing and freezing my nads every time the wind blew. (in a t-shirt) :(

Pause for a break of the high life then go back at it.

This time, I tweaked it to the tight side, then bounced back counterclockwise. Nada, nothing, zip, zilch. Rinse and repeat getting frustrated.......the most horrific metallic crunch/grinding noise, chunk of pipe flying out the front of the truck, 12mm wrench pegging in me in the forehead like a rogue SCUD missle and no sign of my altered Torx bit (made in Taiwan) MIA.

Judging by the sound of it, I assumed either the bit snapped or the bolt cracked and now I was gonna have to explain a trip to the dealer and why I smelled like beer to the misses. either way I'm screwed :eek2:

So, I gather up the pipe, threaten the wrench for physical assault and ponder if my potential biggest kick me in the nuts of all time made me worthy of "the high life"?

But where's the Torx bit? I figured and was right, it dropped into the lower control arm as it did many of times the last time I tried this little task. But, IT WAS INTACT. :confused: So what the hell was that noise???? You guessed it, booyah, the damn thing brok free and spun off by hand. Mission accomplished. :cheers:

Now, a few things to anyone going to this job...............

First off, there is pressure relief tube at the 12'clock position inside the adapter housing (I researched this prior to doing it, thank god). You need to be certain you DO NOT let the adpater spin like crazy with the bolt, because initially it will. In my application my adapter uses the 3 ring set, the large ring for the adapter to block (and mine was a brittle as Kripsy Kreme that one of my now teenagers might have thrown under the frontseat when they used to ride in car seats, and cracked at the 12 and 6 positions as I figured), a small o-ring at the base ot the bolt and a medium gasket at the head of the bolt to the adapter. It's this gasket that siezes the bolt to the adapter. So Once you can begin to slowly walk the bolt with the torx bit and 12mm wrench, YOU NEED to hold the adapter as straight as possible to not bend the relief tube inside it! (I could see this being very easy to do). Once I walked the bolt about 2 or 3 full turns, I pushed on the adapter toward the block, and this popped that medium gasket free and thus allowing me to walk the bolt out by hand while held the adapter (left the filter on for this purpose).

From there, it was a cake walk. It took me longer to clean up al the oil that leaked all over in the previous months than it did to actually do the labor on this (I'd say in all 20 minutes).

Took pictures on my phone so if I feel crafty enough later I try and add them.

i wil also add again on the mid-size gasket....I initially installed the bolt on the adapter housing all the way. Found this to make re-alligning the bolt back into the threads of the block a PITA. So, I popped the bolt back out of the housing and spun it back on by hand as much as possible than pulled the adapter away from the engine over the bolt/gasket, "pop", viola. Tightened her up and enjoy the rest of my beers.

Boy I also sure went thru hell getting it loosened too. I took the advice of someone and made a custom tool. No clearance to fit the standard socket torx bit and a ratchet. And using a box or open end wrench was really going to be a problem. Took a #60torx socket bit, pushed it out of the socket and welded it to a flat bar with a hole in it. I want to thank the instructors at Mt SAC in Walnut Ca for doing the welding for me. A beautiful welding job. A nice looking tool. Basically, flat bar with a hole in it. Then slip the torx bit in and weld it. They ground it and it worked really nice.
I'll post a picture of it later.
Anyway. Now using it was funny. I pushed the bit into the bolt on the adapter tight. Then I tried pulling on it, pushing, tapping etc. Would not budge. I ended up playing Hercules. I positioned myself under the Jeep with my head pointing towards the rear. Then found a good grip and with my foot pushed. I actually lifted myself off the ground getting it loose. It came loose. Then a matter of slipping a wrench over the 2nd Torx bit and unscrewing it. Buy 2 bits. Use the second for removing and then putting it back in.
Once had the Adapter off, I saw why it leaked. That larger outer oring was so flat and hard. No way was it going to seal anymore. I was leaking about a quart or more every 60 miles !!! Then had to do the orings. 2+ quarts a day is messy, not good for the motor, as well as expensive. Was like the old Russian fighters cooling system that was basically a pour thru lube and cooling.
With the adapter off, the center bolt has to be popped off to replace the inner 2 orings on the bolt. I was afraid to do it because it was pretty solid and was paranoid afraid to break the casting. Used a small ultrasonic cleaning tank with a degreasing soap solution. After about 20 mins, it popped out so easy. I could have just rapped on it with a rubber mallet but I didn't know at the time. Those orings weren't so bad but they are as old as the the large oring. Besides, they come in $5 oring kit from Jeep dealer. Put some oil on the new orings, put in on the center bolt and pop it back in the adapter assembly. Then oil the outer oring. Put it in the groove and go thru the slow screwing in the center bolt.
Tighten it to the recommended torque specs? How? No torque wrench fit in. So Tightened it as best as I thought it should be. Done. Simple, clean- Not. But no more leak!!