RMS Replaced, Then Leaked, Then Stopped

Ericshere03

Ericshere03

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So I performed an RMS the best way I know how. Drove the Jeep a couple days and dry as a bone.

I took a road trip after a few days putting around town and on the way back home 350+ miles the Jeep puked oil, left a spot about 6” in diameter, oil was splattered all along the bottom of the tranny and dripping from the back of the skid plate even… 😡

Well, I needed to use the Jeep for work, so I checked the oil and the level seems right where I left it after refilling but the leak stopped! Been driving for 4 days so far this week and no more leak! The bottom is still a mess but no more leak 🤔…

I bought a new RMS but wondering if this thing fixed itself or what ?!?! Never seen this before. I’ve never failed to do an RMS, but I’ve only done 3 or 4.

To answer the inevitable questions;

The Jeep is a 2005, so the RMS without tabs

I used a anerobic sealant on the main seal

Clocked the RMS and put a little dab of sealant on the ends of the RMS halves.

So change or not to change, THAT is the question.
 
I’d leave it and consider it a success.
 
Ericshere03 said:
Well it stopped then started massively 😡.

Replaced it with a Mopar RMS, let it all cure overnight before filling with oil…

Leaks 😡 🤬 … slightly
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Im not looking forward to checking my RMS that I just replaced... Im finding other things to work on before I fill her up with oil and see what happens.... Do you have to drop you exhaust system to get your oil pan off?
 
Capt'n said:
Im not looking forward to checking my RMS that I just replaced... Im finding other things to work on before I fill her up with oil and see what happens.... Do you have to drop you exhaust system to get your oil pan off?
Click to expand...

… yes. Unfortunately. The most annoying 4 bolts in history at the manifolds (if you have the cast iron manifolds.

I’m hoping it magically seals, this is bonkers. Never had an issue with Chevy 2 piece seals.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
Are you running a synthetic engine oil?
Click to expand...

Yes, Rotella T6 5-40. I been running that oil forever. I am not convinced that synthetic “causes” leaks. I been running synthetic in all my 5 TJ/LJs. In fact none of these jeeps had a leak! Except for the 4 year old LJR I bought with 16k miles, but I swapped it out and was leak free for years …
 
Ericshere03 said:
Yes, Rotella T6 5-40. I been running that oil forever. I am not convinced that synthetic “causes” leaks. I been running synthetic in all my 5 TJ/LJs. In fact none of these jeeps had a leak! Except for the 4 year old LJR I bought with 16k miles, but I swapped it out and was leak free for years …
Click to expand...
Some synthetics are more prone to drying out seals. You might try switching to a conventional High Mileage, it'd likely stop your leak.

A former daily driver BMW I bought used had run on nothing but Castrol synthetic engine oils and it soon developed a major RMS leak, about a quart a week. After getting a $2k estimate to replace its RMS I started reading through the BMW forums where RMS leaks were common due to most running synthetics. Most recommended switching to a High Mileage conventional so with nothing to lose I tried it. My RMS leak stopped in 7-8 days of driving. And no, High Mileage engine oils don't just plug leaks like a radiator stop leak does, they have additional products added to them that can actually help to restore the seals.
 
Ericshere03 said:
So I performed an RMS the best way I know how. Drove the Jeep a couple days and dry as a bone.

I took a road trip after a few days putting around town and on the way back home 350+ miles the Jeep puked oil, left a spot about 6” in diameter, oil was splattered all along the bottom of the tranny and dripping from the back of the skid plate even… 😡

Well, I needed to use the Jeep for work, so I checked the oil and the level seems right where I left it after refilling but the leak stopped! Been driving for 4 days so far this week and no more leak! The bottom is still a mess but no more leak 🤔…

I bought a new RMS but wondering if this thing fixed itself or what ?!?! Never seen this before. I’ve never failed to do an RMS, but I’ve only done 3 or 4.

To answer the inevitable questions;

The Jeep is a 2005, so the RMS without tabs

I used a anerobic sealant on the main seal

Clocked the RMS and put a little dab of sealant on the ends of the RMS halves.

So change or not to change, THAT is the question.
Click to expand...

I recently have done 2 RMS's within 300 miles. First was with trans out while doing a bunch of work, did this one with Fel-pro, as I damaged the Mopar one I had. It dripped from day one and then got way worse in a couple of weeks. I ordered another Mopar and replaced it about 3 weeks ago, got this deal down to a 2 hour repair, but I do have a lift ;) .

The one thing I think is you need to do is, use enough anerobic sealer. the first time I used just a little and placed it as another forum member had shown on here that he was successful with, not sure if this was my initial problem or the Fel-Pro...? When I did the Mopar, I used what I found online for the patterns of sealer, this was the "T" pattern that runs from the seal to the outer edge of the cap and then down and around the bolt hole.
 
Capt'n said:
I know those 4 bolts intimately.... Ha!
Click to expand...

These clever jerks at jeep undersized the 15 mm to allow a little wobble room to get around the cats, well, I replaced the clips and bolts and without that little wiggle room its absolute hell. hate these things.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
Some synthetics are more prone to drying out seals. You might try switching to a conventional High Mileage, it'd likely stop your leak.

A former daily driver BMW I bought used had run on nothing but Castrol synthetic engine oils and it soon developed a major RMS leak, about a quart a week. After getting a $2k estimate to replace its RMS I started reading through the BMW forums where RMS leaks were common due to most running synthetics. Most recommended switching to a High Mileage conventional so with nothing to lose I tried it. My RMS leak stopped in 7-8 days of driving. And no, High Mileage engine oils don't just plug leaks like a radiator stop leak does, they have additional products added to them that can actually help to restore the seals.
Click to expand...

I have read this story a few times, remember, I have a NEW seal... or seals :mad:. I have never had an issue before. I might try T5 or T4 next time (one of these are conventional oil) ill let you know... but I am not holding my breath. In my experience with 2pc SBC seals, they do not require anything special, just throw it in and run whatever oil you like (though I also use T6)
 
DUB said:
I recently have done 2 RMS's within 300 miles. First was with trans out while doing a bunch of work, did this one with Fel-pro, as I damaged the Mopar one I had. It dripped from day one and then got way worse in a couple of weeks. I ordered another Mopar and replaced it about 3 weeks ago, got this deal down to a 2 hour repair, but I do have a lift ;) .

The one thing I think is you need to do is, use enough anerobic sealer. the first time I used just a little and placed it as another forum member had shown on here that he was successful with, not sure if this was my initial problem or the Fel-Pro...? When I did the Mopar, I used what I found online for the patterns of sealer, this was the "T" pattern that runs from the seal to the outer edge of the cap and then down and around the bolt hole.
Click to expand...

I never understood the slash pattern the manual suggests. What I do/did is apply it over the entire surface needing to be sealed, not a thick coat but enough to build off of the surface a little bit, basically how you apply RTV, I also applied from the bolt hole all the way to the end of the cap. when I torqued the cap, I had just a little spill over all around the applied area. I don't think you can put too much, you'll just make a mess. but I feel i put just enough. I did this last time too and when I removed the RMS, there was good coverage I needed to scrub off and no oil between the flange, just that SOB FelPro rms.
 
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