No more oil leak?

[tblack]

Just got the 2000 Sport 4.0L out of the shop. $913 to replace the oil pan gasket, the valve cover gasket and the oil filter assembly "O" ring to fix a slight oil drip. It has 69,500 on it and I replaced the main seal at 41,500. Usually, Jeep dealer doesn't fix the leak the first time so I drove it all over town and on the freeway about 50 miles in stop and go traffic running the air conditioner, ect. Now it's bone dry under there. I am planning a long desert trip and am wondering if it was going to leak again, would it have already after my test? Do not want to be stranded among the cactus. My '94 leaked until I changed every gasket and seal on it too. What is it with these great old straight sixes and their need to leak oil?
tb

[xj31]

$913 sounds a little high.What is the labor rate at the shop?I work at a dealer and that job would have probably been around $600-$650.

[AlmostStock]

Even if it were to start leaking again I doubt that it would be enough to leave you stranded. I also doubt that either of your Jeeps were leaking from every seal / gasket that you had changed. It's just a matter of correctly finding the leak and then fixing only that. My 94 only leaked from the oil filter mounting O-ring and it has 170,XXX miles on it, so I wouldn't say their all leakers.
I've read about an oil additive that contains black light dye to help locate leaks. Does anyone know if this is available to home mechanics?

[tblack]

Originally Posted by xj31

$913 sounds a little high.What is the labor rate at the shop?I work at a dealer and that job would have probably been around $600-$650.

I am pretty sure it's $85 an hour. I always get reamed at Jeep, but here in Orange County California I guess we are all supposed to be loaded with cash. At least that's what the dealers and repair shops think. I am trying to find a really good honest general maintenance mechanic that only works on Cherokees and Wranglers. I went to one highly recommended and it took all day for an oil change and a tune up and he wasn't much cheaper. This area just sucks. I'm really getting tired of it.

tb

[dycksonjl]

I had my 92 XJ at Brakes Plus and they told me they would replace my rear main seal and valve cover gasket for $345. I'd give them a call.

[Saudade]

Crimeny!! Did you take it over on Harbor Blvd?

[dycksonjl]

No. I took it to the store on Woodman. I live in Colorado Springs.

[Saudade]

lol... sorry, I was directing that to tblack. We both live in OC.

Although I used to live on Woodman. It was in Dayton,OH though.

[tblack]

[quote=Saudade]lol... sorry, I was directing that to tblack. We both live in OC.

Yeah, Orange Coast Jeep ain't cheap. I only keep going back there because I've been a customer for over seven years and they have all my history. Plus they are close by for me. Sometimes I think they are ripping me off. They usually fix the problem the first time though and I don't know of anyone else who works on late model Jeep Cherokees any better. Old Wranglers and CJs yes, but not the newer XJs. Do you know of a good source? I'm pouring a lot of dough into this thing lately because I like to keep it up. It's got to be safe, reliable and a relatively cool ride for my fashion-conscious daughter when she gets her license in a couple of years or she'll be part of the used Honda crowd (oh no!).

tb

[Saudade]

In the 3+ years I've had my '88, I've been able to fix everything that's gone wrong so far. I do buy parts from them and often price shop it over on Beach Blvd as well. Since I live in between HB Jeep and OC Jeep, it's a tie getting to either one.

However, when I was at OC Jeep last summer, getting some parts, I was looking at their Hawaiian style shirts. I asked the guy how much they were. He said if I liked it and could find one to fit, I could have it. I did.

[tblack]

Hawaiian style shirts. I asked the guy how much they were. He said if I liked it and could fid one to fit, I could have it. I did.[/quote]

The guys at OC Jeep are really cool nowdays. A lot better than they were a few years ago. I will get a Hawaiian style shirt from them. I will bring my ukelele and go out to the sales gazebo and play some music off the "Blue Hawaii" sound track Elvis style and see if I can get enough tips in my Kona coffee can to pay my repair bills there. At least maybe they will give me money to say Aloha and go home.

I think you are right, I need to start fixing the thing myself. It's just I don't really have the time and my back is in bad shape. I really like the work they do and Dino and most of the others are good mechanics. I know all the guys there and they know me pretty well. I guess they have families to feed just like me. I just need a cheaper way to maintain the Cherokee and doing minor things myself is the way to do it. Thanks for the advice. I used to be a very good mechanic before everything went electronic. Now days you don't need a mechanic you need a plumber or a computer technician.

tb