APOD Firearms

Does this make sense? Oil pressure

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Texas

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • sobi1998

    Well-Known
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 18, 2016
    1,134
    66
    I replaced the valve cover gaskets on my Jeep last week. So far it looks to have fixed the problem. No oil smoke from the engine...until today. I did some poking around and maybe the oil pan gasket is leaking now but not sure.
    My question is: on an older engine, since I replaced the valve cover gaskets, could that new seal raise the oil pressure, thus causing other bad gaskets to leak?

    b1eef0d49cb76e2d5d298eb788ff178a.jpg

    Picture shows the oil pan and drain plug. The red circles show oil on the (I think) fly wheel cover. The front of the car is left side of picture


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Target Sports
     

    TexMex247

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    May 11, 2009
    3,369
    96
    Leander(NW Austin)
    Well most shops repair leaks from the top down unless it's very obvious because in the end they all wind up looking like a pan or rear main seal leaks. It's highly unlikely that your valve cover reseal increased crankcase pressure. The only way that would be possible is if you had somehow plugged or capped breather hoses and tubes or the pcv system.

    Older gen 4.0 Jeep motors had redundant breathers and newer ones run pcv valves. I'd always recommend replacing a pcv valve when doing a valve cover because you're right there anyways. I'd aggressively clean it with brake parts cleaner to ensure its not residual from the valve cover/s. Only on a cold engine and given time for it to evaporate off. Then drive it a day or two and check again.

    Last thing, check the oil to make sure it's not overfilled. You should see excessive blue smoke out the tailpipe if it were that overfilled but worth checking anyways. At first glance it does look like a typical rear main seal leak which depending on engine requires oil pan and or transmission removal.
     

    BeatTheTunaUp

    Fux with the best, Die like the rest
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Oct 17, 2012
    2,103
    96
    Temple TX
    It's leaking out around the left circle. Notice how the area is clean but everywhere else has grime. The leak prevents build up and gives it away. That being said, it's probably the rear main leaking and it's finding it's way out at the bell housing.
     

    Texas45

    Well-Known
    BANNED!!!
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Dec 10, 2020
    1,496
    96
    Not where you are
    First. CLEAN it all off.
    Then locate the leak.
    Many leaks are on top and oil finds a way down.

    Could be intake gasket
    Oil sending unit (depends onits location)

    So clean it and look for the source.

    Then fix it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    studenygreg

    TGT Addict
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 7, 2015
    3,635
    96
    Looks like the rear main seal. Jeep 4.0 is notorious for this. You can do it yourself but its not the easiest job

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
     

    Brains

    One of the idiots
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Apr 9, 2013
    6,904
    96
    Spring
    Yep, the others are probably spot on. That looks suspiciously like a rear main seal leak.

    Also to answer the question in the first post, changing the valve cover gaskets will do nothing to your oil pressure. The crankcase isn't under pressure, other than from the pumping motion of the pistons and whatever blows past the rings. That's why we have PCV systems. Oil in the crankcase/oil pan isn't under pressure.
     

    G O B

    School of Hard Knocks and Sharp blows
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 9, 2017
    1,101
    96
    Hays Co.
    YOU HAVE AN O RING ON THE OIL PUMP HOUSING THAT IS LEAKING. Rear main seals do go out, but most likely it is the O ring, and is a 1/2 hour home repair. Go to the Jeep forum for your vehicle this gets a lot of discussion.
     

    sobi1998

    Well-Known
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 18, 2016
    1,134
    66
    To be more specific, it’s a 2004 Jeep Liberty. 3.7L V6 230k miles 2WD

    56c9ba05f990f39c80adea44f280b6b7.jpg

    ^ exhaust coming off driver side header. That blue gasket is the rear bottom corner of the drivers-side valve cover. I circled what looked like a wet spot maybe

    dbc6a417cea116711b93f6758a914782.jpg

    ^ oil pan on the right.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    sobi1998

    Well-Known
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 18, 2016
    1,134
    66
    I’ll get a couple cans of “Gunk” and spray everything underneath. That’ll be next week though


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Brains

    One of the idiots
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Apr 9, 2013
    6,904
    96
    Spring
    YOU HAVE AN O RING ON THE OIL PUMP HOUSING THAT IS LEAKING. Rear main seals do go out, but most likely it is the O ring, and is a 1/2 hour home repair. Go to the Jeep forum for your vehicle this gets a lot of discussion.
    Isn't the oil pump on those sitting on the crank snout, inside the cover at the front of the motor?
     

    msharley

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 28, 2021
    24,701
    96
    Central Pennsylvania
    YOU HAVE AN O RING ON THE OIL PUMP HOUSING THAT IS LEAKING. Rear main seals do go out, but most likely it is the O ring, and is a 1/2 hour home repair. Go to the Jeep forum for your vehicle this gets a lot of discussion.
    Always hit the "cheap/easy" button first!

    Good call!
     

    sobi1998

    Well-Known
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 18, 2016
    1,134
    66
    I really hope it’s not the rear main seal. My buddy’s Chevy has that problem and he leaves puddles of oil where he parks.
    It doesn’t leak enough to make a puddle of oil on mine luckily

    I probably won’t know what’s leaking until I clean it off and find the fresh leak


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Texas45

    Well-Known
    BANNED!!!
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Dec 10, 2020
    1,496
    96
    Not where you are
    I probably won’t know what’s leaking until I clean it off and find the fresh leak


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    We have a winner.

    Also you replaced vc cvr gaskets.
    Steel covers?
    Were they level.
    Bolt holes not indented.
    Did you seal gasket to vc cvr side only?
    Seen many a vc cvr leak with new gaskets due to overtightened bolts and out of true covers.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]
     

    sobi1998

    Well-Known
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 18, 2016
    1,134
    66
    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    At this rate, it’s looking like I’ll have to remove the drivers side cover and reattach it. It’s possible I over tightened it.

    Thankfully (knock on wood) the passenger side has held up. Both sides leaked before I replaced them


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 15, 2019
    47,021
    96
    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    Cleaning the engine really good can help you locate oil leaks, but even with a very clean engine, sometimes finding an oil leak can still be very difficult, especially on many of the newer cars because of how tightly confined everything is in the engine compartment.

    What can help is a UV dye kit that can be found at most well stocked auto parts stores. Simply add some dye to the oil, and run it a while, and the dye mixes with the oil, allowing you to see the leak detected with a UV light source. They also offer dye kits for ATF, and coolant as well.
     

    G O B

    School of Hard Knocks and Sharp blows
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 9, 2017
    1,101
    96
    Hays Co.
    I thought you had a 4.0, the older ones a notorious for the O ring leak. Over tightening valve covers will cause a leak. If so take the cover off, turn it upside down if screw holes are deformed, put a flat head screw in the hole from the bottom and whack it. The metal should be slightly dimpled up when done. This acts like a belview washer and distributes the clamping force over a wider area. The entire valve cover must be perfectly straight on the outside edge where the metal is turned up. I have a 99 K2500 Suburban with a 7.2 I gotta do that one is no fun at all!
     

    F350-6

    TGT Addict
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 25, 2009
    4,237
    96
    If the leak started after replacing the valve cover gaskets, I'd start by checking the torque on the bolts on the valve covers. A couple of loose bolts will cause the new gasket to leak. If you didn't tighten them all down again after you got some miles on them, it's worth checking them now.
     
    Top Bottom