98 TJ spewed oil under hood, WTF?

Sasha Jevtich

Sasha Jevtich

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Joined
Sep 15, 2018
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Location
Pahrump, NV
OK, first time post since picking up this new to me TJ. Background:

I got this Jeep as my wife’s car. It will not be a rock crawler.
It’s a 1998 Wrangler TJ Sahara Edition with 167,000 miles

Dana 44 rear axle, Dana 30 up front
3 speed automatic transmission
OEM Engine was replaced. New Engine has around 100k on it
new aluminum radiator
new catalytic converter
new o2 sensor

Remainder of past owner service unknown

In the last month since I got it:

- Replaced rear main seal
- Replaced oil pan gasket
- Replaced oil pump and screen
- Tranny service with new filter and gasket
- new air filter
- Differential service front and back
- dropped the fuel tank and installed a new fuel pump/sender
- new rotors and pads up front
- new drums and shoes in back

OK, it's been running great. Took it off road first time for us today. After 35 miles of graveled washboard in Death Valley I notice what sure seems like engine oil on the passenger front fender. Pop the hood and oil was slung all underneath the hood, on the compressor and alternator. I cannot identify the leak! We get back on pavement and run 60 miles home, with no further leaks. WTF???

Looks like it slings oil when on rough roads but not on pavement. Any ideas? Looks like something needs to be tightened or sealed but I have no idea what.
1 oli.jpg
 
Have you considered putting some UV dye in it and then using a UV light to figure out exactly where it’s leaking from? That’s what I always do when I have an oil leak that I can pinpoint with 100% accuracy.
 
I bought a vehicle where the PCV valve was so plugged that it allowed enough pressure to build that it blew oil out the dipstick tube. While that could possibly be what's happening with your TJ, why it would do that when off road and not at any other time is beyond me. Still, it wouldn't hurt to replace the PCV valve, or at the very least, check to see that it's clear and functioning.
 
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Here's another totally off the wall possibility. You said the OEM engine was replaced. Well, if it was replaced with an engine that was out of an XJ (Jeep Cherokee,not Grand Cherokee), then the oil filter is attached to an adapter (elbow, of sorts) that allows the filter to run more parallel to the engine for clearance with the frame rails of the XJ. Those adapters have an O-ring gasket (sort of between the adapter and the block) that becomes brittle over time, and allows leakage. I suppose it could allow the oil to spray if the leakage were bad enough. Anyway, check to see if your oil filter runs parallel to the block via an adapter (XJ motor), or perpendicular to the block (Wrangler motor). Just a thought...
 
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Let me offer a different way of attacking this. The only way oil can spray is if it getting on the belt. The oil filter is back too far on the block for this to realistically happen. How far back on the block has oil on it and where is it concentrated?
 
Could possibly be the crank seal on the timing cover, or maybe even the front of the oil pan gasket. I had a similar issue, though not as bad from the sound of it, and both of those were leaking and allowing oil to be flung all over by the harmonic balancer and fan.
 
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+1 on Junkyard's advice. Clean it well and watch it carefully. You may have to take it out for a good flogging to coax it into spitting. Possibly the mild off roading was wanted foreplay and your Jeep got prematurely excited. It can happen to anyone.
 
If it's flung all over the hood, something spinning is throwing it. Pretty much narrows it down to the harmonic balancer area. I would be looking at the front crank seal or the front of the pan gasket where it contacts the timing cover.
 
Sasha Jevtich said:
Thanks to the responders. I my panic was for nothing.....the spewing substance was anti-freeze! There was a pinhole leak on the underside of the top radiator hose. I feel pretty stupid......live and learn and always followup!
Click to expand...
Definitely the lesser of two evils. ;) Thanks for the follow-up!
 
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