88 XJ Smoking Under the Hood

[greenjeep4]

My 88 XJ has just started smoking from the engine area. When the hood is shut, the smoke comes out from both sides through the cracks. When the hood is open, I can see the smoke coming from one specific area - the rear of the engine compartment towards the middle of the windshield.

It is the original 4.0 inline 6 with 190,000 miles. It has had an ongoing oil leak from the rear main seal and valve cover gasket, but it has only recently begun to smoke and I don't know why.

Elle

[gtmud]

If you have had a leak at the rear main and the valve cover, then I would have to say that it just got worse. In need of immediate attention. I would replace the valve cover gasket first, and DON't use the cheap cork gasket, spend a little and do the job once with the $50 valve caver gasket from Napa. Its a guaranteed seal, as long as you clean the block and cover good.I too have an 89 4.0. This seal has worked very good. Also your smoke is because your dumping oil straight on the exhaust that runs right between the engine and tranny. After you replace the valve cover, than see how bad the rear main is leaking. Also you could try this, change your oil and add a quart of LUCAS OIL STABILIZER to the crankcase. This does a good job of slowing or stopping leaks altogether by softening the seals.