OIL LEAK search HELP!

[thndrstrm1]

Hey y'all -
Seems I have at least 1 oil leak - possibly more. I drive a 1993 Cherokee Sport, 4.0L A/T w/ 156k miles on it.
Here's the big mystery - does anyone know if there is a gasket or seal somewhere in the oil filter attachment housing that can or does go bad? I've been trying to zero-out my oil leaking that developed the first stiff cold we had back in January here in Sicily, where I'm currently stationed in USN.
Anyway - i believe I have a rear seal leak, possibly a front seal leak - which both of those while time consuming, not all that difficult. However, it seems I have another leak around the oil filter housing. Has anyone hweard of this? Or could it just be my valve cover or oil pan seal?
Any suggestions would be of great assistance, since time to work on vehicle is limited and assistance is here - but it speaks a different language and is often difficult to get over the language barrier.
Thanks

[Dale Aeppli]

Originally Posted by thndrstrm1

Hey y'all -
Seems I have at least 1 oil leak - possibly more. I drive a 1993 Cherokee Sport, 4.0L A/T w/ 156k miles on it.
Here's the big mystery - does anyone know if there is a gasket or seal somewhere in the oil filter attachment housing that can or does go bad? I've been trying to zero-out my oil leaking that developed the first stiff cold we had back in January here in Sicily, where I'm currently stationed in USN.
Anyway - i believe I have a rear seal leak, possibly a front seal leak - which both of those while time consuming, not all that difficult. However, it seems I have another leak around the oil filter housing. Has anyone hweard of this? Or could it just be my valve cover or oil pan seal?
Any suggestions would be of great assistance, since time to work on vehicle is limited and assistance is here - but it speaks a different language and is often difficult to get over the language barrier.
Thanks

HI I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP SERVICEMEN EMAIL ME AT [email protected] FOR FREE INFORMATION ON OIL FILTER LEAKS DALE

[b1gfella]

From watching posts and experience with my 94 sport, first thing to do is change the valve covers and then check everything again. The gaskets from the factory amount to some insta gasket stuff that eventually blows out from under the covers and leaks down the engine making it seem like your leaking from various places. I changed mine and my big leak from the rear went away...the oil filter assembly will leak too but mine had not done so yet.

anyway, start with the valve covers...they are quick and easy and best of all cheap!

[thndrstrm1]

Dale & John -
Thanks for the replies. And I had forgotten earlier, but I had replaced the valve cover gasket just last year, and after having checked that first - it seems to be OK.
I think I'll now go with the O-ring fix, and see what that does. Hopefully that'll get it done. If not - it's on to the rear main and oil pan gasket...then...who knows.
Thanks again gentlemen.
Dale - any ordering info ono those O-rings you could send would be of great help. I'll be ordering them soon as I know where to get 'em.
Thanks
& God Bless America
(especially the Sailors...LoL)

[Dale Aeppli]

Originally Posted by thndrstrm1

Dale & John -
Thanks for the replies. And I had forgotten earlier, but I had replaced the valve cover gasket just last year, and after having checked that first - it seems to be OK.
I think I'll now go with the O-ring fix, and see what that does. Hopefully that'll get it done. If not - it's on to the rear main and oil pan gasket...then...who knows.
Thanks again gentlemen.
Dale - any ordering info ono those O-rings you could send would be of great help. I'll be ordering them soon as I know where to get 'em.
Thanks
& God Bless America
(especially the Sailors...LoL)

HI THERE IS A COMPLETE ARTICLE ON THE OIL FILTER INCLUDING PART NUMBERS THE ARTICLE COVERS IT ALL DALE [email protected] GLAD TO HELP YOU OUT JUST HOLLER

[Blackjeep]

My 90 4.0 started leaking like crazy from the part that the filter screws onto called the oil filter adaptor. Very common problem. Your "friendly" Jeep dealer can sell you a kit with the necessary o-rings to fix the leak. It's not much fun to fix, but certainly not a big deal (as Jeep fixes go) but you don't want to ignore it. Happy wrenching!!

[thndrstrm1]

Thanks Blackjeep -
Just got finished oprdering the part from a local Jeep Dealer here in Sicily (believe it or not!). The part is supposed to be in Thursday - and then I start "wrenching."
Hey - when you say leaking like crazy - did it seem to you that when it was leaking, it looked as if you had more than one leak. IE: I had my whole engine cleaned (top to bottom) in an effort to locate the where it was leaking from. I then spent the next week or so pulling it up on ramps in my driveway trying to find where it was coming from. But it l;ooked like it was coming from my rear main, my front seal, and everything in between. Not a lot of oil leaking in terms of quantity - but it was splattered all over the oil pan (nice drip coming right off the oil drain plug) and from the lower passenger side of the engine, etc and leaving more than acceptable large spots of oil leak stains in the driveway.
But when you replaced the O-rings on the oil filter adapter - your leak problems were solved? That's what I'm hoping. We'll see.
Thanks for the help.

[Blackjeep]

Well Thndrstrm1, I wish that the oil filter adapter were the only problem. It wasn't. (I was leaving a 2 -3 inch puddle of oil when I stopped for gas on a long trip! So the fix WAS a good thing!) The valve cover gasket was leaking (and it was only a year old) it was the cork type that I got at NAPA. I replaced it with Permatex "Sensor Safe Blue Silicone RTV Gasket". This stopped that leak. BUT, there's still one more... like you I've got a drop of oil on the drain plug, and it looks to me like it's from the oil pan gasket, at the very back end where it's rounded.

Needless to say, I've had a few oil leaks. When the valve cover gasket leaked, the oil would fly back to the exhaust pipe where it would burn and smoke... very stinky and embarrasing! The leak from the oil pan gasket isn't a major deal, as far as volume of oil lost. When I do get around to fixing it, I'm considering changing out the rear main seal. I've read on a recent post that the rear main seal is a two piece unit that can be changed from inside the motor, without yanking out the transmission. Might as well kill two birds with one stone. Changing out the rear main is a bit scary (haven't done it before) and if I mess up the nearest help is 50 miles away. (I live in the middle of nowhere)

Let everyone know how it goes on your quest to eliminate your leaks!!

[thndrstrm1]

Blackjeep - I feel your pain. It looks like I'm just starting the long trek to oil-leak-stoppage. 1st stop - oil filter adapter O-rings. Next stop - who knows...maybe valve cover gasket, matbe oil pan gasket (and while I'm at that - might as well do the rear main - although I've never done that either).
But I'll keep all posted as this journey unfolds. Thanks for the advice and help.

[spooleffect]

Front and Rear main seals are also well know for leaking just like the Filter mount O-Ring.