Do the oil pan gaskets leak on 2002 4.0, or will front main seal fix the oilyness

[bcolins]

2002 4.0 is leaving smallish (pencil eraser sized) oil drips on the driveway. I'm going to replace a seeping front main seal and valve cover gaskets. I was going to replace the oil pan gaskets also, but I was just reading in the Haynes manual, and they say to remove the engine to change the gaskets.

Wondering if driveway drips willl likely be solved with the front main seal and VC gaskets and/or if the the pan gaskets tend to seep and if so, if they can be changed without removing the engine.

 

[amdmaddness]

There are two oil pan gaskets... one lower and one upper. The lower can be replaced with the engine still in the car. The oil leaks on my 2002 4.0 are from the Oil Filter adapter (small O-ring, have to remove the exhaust manifold to replace) the lower oil pan gasket and the valve cover gaskets. I replaced the front seal on mine when I replaced the harmonic balancer, it wasn't leaking. The engine tilts back so most of the leaks are towards the back of the engine. The usual spots for oil leaks on these are the lower oil pan gasket, the valve covers, and the Oil filter adapter O-rings. The O-ring leak can show up away from the oil filter as it has a tendency to crawl across the ladder traces on the oil pan and make the engine look like the rear seal is leaking or if you park down hill the front seal.

 

[bcolins]

There are two oil pan gaskets... one lower and one upper. The lower can be replaced with the engine still in the car. The oil leaks on my 2002 4.0 are from the Oil Filter adapter (small O-ring, have to remove the exhaust manifold to replace) the lower oil pan gasket and the valve cover gaskets. I replaced the front seal on mine when I replaced the harmonic balancer, it wasn't leaking. The engine tilts back so most of the leaks are towards the back of the engine. The usual spots for oil leaks on these are the lower oil pan gasket, the valve covers, and the Oil filter adapter O-rings. The O-ring leak can show up away from the oil filter as it has a tendency to crawl across the ladder traces on the oil pan and make the engine look like the rear seal is leaking or if you park down hill the front seal.

Thanks amdmaddness!