“Mystery” leak in my Jeep TJ

[TJ4Jim]

At minimum I would grab a ratchet and extension and try the valve cover and oil pan bolts for tension. Careful with the frontmost oil pan bolts as they are threaded into the aluminum timing cover and not the CI block. If I recall the valve cover bolts are an 11 mm deep well and you will have to remove the wiring harness mounts off of the studs so they can be checked.

Ultimately I would prepare a gasket and fluid party and just have at it.

 

[Rubicon88]

The front spot..or your leak toward the front ...
Are you certain its not water?

I seen a puddle under mine the jther day abd thought what the hell is that...it was water draining from the body air vent

 

[AndyG]

There are only so many fluids. Cracked coolant recovery jug is possible...I'd pull it and check it and the hose.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

If that frontmost puddle is actually clean light weight oil there's another problem that's working on creating worst problems but I agree with redjin about it being coolant. Where exactly it's coming from, I don't know but there are a couple of ideas already in this thread. Maybe we'll even get some more.

The darker puddle looks like transmission fluid to me, not much different that what I see getting ready to drip again from some of the transmission pan bolt heads in those pictures. Three likely causes of that would be: 1) bad gasket 2) loose bolts 3) overtightened bolts that bent the pan. A few other things could cause it but I'd look at those first.

 

[olbluejeep_tn]

Where was the moisture at when you had the leak?

Same exact area as in your pictures. My leak was on the back side of the valve cover close to the firewall. Replaced the seal and haven't had any issue since.