Oil drip after oil change

Joeinnewjersey

Joeinnewjersey

TJ Enthusiast
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New Jersey
See attached pictures. Recently changed the oil myself for the first time ever. Noticed a little drip (blue circle) every so often. Full disclosure I did spill a small amount of oil on top when filling it. I also used what Autozone advertised as conventional motor oil but as I was filling the engine I read the back of the bottle and it didnt seem to be dino oil. Oil pressure gauge also seems to be a little higher by a hair than what it was before (perfectly in the middle)

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Might need a new oil plug bolt.

Or

Could be a leak from elsewhere above.... and that is where the oil travels to and drips from. Not necessarily the oil drainage plug.
 
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Your 2006 oil pressure gauge doesn't show the actual/real oil pressure like early TJs did, it only shows a mid-scale indication no matter what the real oil pressure is. That is so long as the real oil pressure is where it should be.
 
Joeinnewjersey said:
See attached pictures. Recently changed the oil myself for the first time ever. Noticed a little drip (blue circle) every so often. Full disclosure I did spill a small amount of oil on top when filling it. I also used what Autozone advertised as conventional motor oil but as I was filling the engine I read the back of the bottle and it didnt seem to be dino oil. Oil pressure gauge also seems to be a little higher by a hair than what it was before (perfectly in the middle)

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Good on you for tackling general maintenance on your own. Did you spray everything down when you were done changing the oil & filter? I always douse everything with brake cleaner when I'm done from the oil filter area down. Makes it nice, clean & easy to identify any issues
 
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qslim said:
Good on you for tackling general maintenance on your own. Did you spray everything down when you were done changing the oil & filter? I always douse everything with brake cleaner when I'm done from the oil filter area down. Makes it nice, clean & easy to identify any issues
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I did not. Will this remove any oil I may have spilled?
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
It's fine for now. If it proves to be a synthetic you can change to a conventional at your next change. Maybe post a good photo of the back label that makes you believe it might be a synthetic. But no rush to change it if it is.
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Posted the back of the bottle. Also posted a picture of where the leaking is occurring. I had NO leaks before this oil change.

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Jerry Bransford said:
Your 2006 oil pressure gauge doesn't show the actual/real oil pressure like early TJs did, it only shows a mid-scale indication no matter what the real oil pressure is. That is so long as the real oil pressure is where it should be.
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So what would account for it being slightly to the right of midway now?
 
Joeinnewjersey said:
So what would account for it being slightly to the right of midway now?
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Nothing, the computer just positions the pointer somewhere around the mid-point of the scale so long as the underlying oil pressure is ok.

The factory changed it from indicating the actual oil pressure to always being mid-scale sometime in the early 2000's. The TJ attracted a whole bunch of new owners who had never owned a vehicle with a real oil pressure gauge before. They saw the pressure going up and down and barraged the dealers complaining that something was wrong and the dealers couldn't convince them it was normal. The dealers complained long and hard to the factory who finally reprogrammed them to do as they do now.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
Nothing, the computer just positions the pointer somewhere around the mid-point of the scale so long as the underlying oil pressure is ok.

The factory changed it from indicating the actual oil pressure to always being mid-scale sometime in the early 2000's. The TJ attracted a whole bunch of new owners who had never owned a vehicle with a real oil pressure gauge before. They saw the pressure going up and down and barraged the dealers complaining that something was wrong and the dealers couldn't convince them it was normal. The dealers complained long and hard to the factory who finally reprogrammed them to do as they do now.
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Okay.
 
cliffish said:
That last pic looks to be the rear main seal or possible a valve cover leak. I would keep cardboard under it and see how much it leaks. Most TJ have a slight RMS seal and is generally so little it is not worth doing the job.
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Okay. Why would it start immediately after a oil change though?
 
Joeinnewjersey said:
Posted the back of the bottle. Also posted a picture of where the leaking is occurring. I had NO leaks before this oil change.

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I'm no petroleum expert but I'm not seeing the usual expected verbiage that indicates that particular brand of "High Mileage" engine oil has the extra additives/seal restorers that help with seals like the rear main seal that I look for. Very odd, maybe not all "high mileage" engine oils have them?
 
IDK, maybe being a synthetic blend oil? Also you did mention you spilled some oil refilling, I would start with cleaning the engine with a de-greaser and hit all the spots underneath and see what happens from there.
 
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