dripping... pouring oil

[DrunkenWhippet]

I have just got an explorer from my parents, their old daily driver, sat years with broken hood latch cable...

so i put a battery in it and was crankin on it, it wasnt firing caus it wasnt getting gas, rusted line or somethin, visibly pouring out in the back by the drivers side.

then notice that in just the cranking i was doing till i noticed the gas smell and found the pouring, there was a good sized pool of oil under it, and i could see it dripping a few drips a second... i havnt looked further where it was comin from as it was gettin dark and startin to sprinkle.

does anyone have any suggestions of where i should first look for the source of dripping? if the motor isnt horribly destroyed, i'll go to the trouble of replacing the fuel line. if i replace it, is there any reason i couldnt use a bigger line? i figure it'd be less strain on the fuel pump that way.

explorer is a 94, 4.0 auto 4wd 4 doors. if theres anything else that'll help the troubleshooting let me know, ill be able to look at it more when the suns up today, long as i dont pass out before then. thanks everyone.

edited for poor typing

 

[NHale623]

Start by looking at the fuel filter. As far as replacing the fuel lines, you'll probably have less problems if you use the stock lines.

 

[DrunkenWhippet]

i mean where hsould i look for the oil dripping? theres 2 seperate drippings, the gas and the oil. the gas is dripping just in front of the back driver side wheel, and the oil from up under the motor.

 

[gijoecam]

i mean where hsould i look for the oil dripping? ...snip....

Uuuuh, from directly above the center of the puddle.

Kidding... kidding....

Seriously though, the leak could be coming from almost anything..... head, valve cover, oil pan, just to name a few.... without crawling under there, there's absolutely no way to wager an accurate guess.

-Joe

 

[DrunkenWhippet]

i was hoping there was some infamous leak on these motors that i havnt seen mention of yet. its just been rainy and unpleasant to be workin in, especially if im gonna have to be gettin on the ground lol. it seems almost like its being lost higher up in the motor and running its way down, caus the dripping was spread out a bit.

 

[410Fortune]

4.0L engine oil leaks:

drain plug
oil filter
oil filter elbow (very common)

rear main seal
valve covers
oil pan gasket


I have $$$ on the drain plug or oil filter elbow.

Most likely the drain plug was not replaced properly, it could be stripped, or it could just need a good cleaning and a copper washer.

Pouring out is not a good sign

 

[DrunkenWhippet]

next time i get out there in sunlight, i'll check the filter and maybe try to get up under it for a look. i wouldnt think the drain plug, nothing's been touched on that in a few years (although the explorer has been sitting the whole time, not running) but i'd be scared if the plug or pan got rusted / corroded whatever metal it is enough to be leakin oil like that.

how much pressure does the oil pump make while crankin over? and is there any problem with wiring a remote started switch to the selenoid under the hood to try to crank it while watching it? if i do that, just leave the key in the on position? and i'll probably pull the fuel pump's fuse so it dont just drain itself through the holy line.

 

[Billy177]

id say either the oil filter or oil filter elbow. if it was a leak in the pan it would have leaked all the time not just when building up oil pressure

 

[cbwrs]

A few months ago I noticed a leak coming from the center of my engine compartment dripping oil that was running down from inside the engine...turned out to be the rear main seal

 

[alphabets13]

i also have a leak that is coming from the area of the oil filter. it drips right off of the oil drain plug. but i don't think its the plug, and i don't think its the filter, or oil pan. it very well could be this oil filter elbow. is that where the filter screws on to? where does it leak from the elbow?


it is very similar to the tile of this thread. usually a few drips on the ground, but once in a while a decent size puddle. and it is parked level, so i doubt it is coming from the area of the engine itself.

hopefully its this elbow or maybe the pan.

 

[410Fortune]

the oil filter elbow on the 4.0L has an o ring in it and they have been known to leak

Not fun to replace you have to drop the exhaust so be damn sure its not the valve covers, rear main, or the filter itself first

 

[EMG7895]

Does it smoke from under the hood when its running? If so its the valve cover gaskets.

 

[alphabets13]

the oil filter elbow on the 4.0L has an o ring in it and they have been known to leak

Not fun to replace you have to drop the exhaust so be damn sure its not the valve covers, rear main, or the filter itself first

ok, thank you.

 

[alphabets13]

Does it smoke from under the hood when its running? If so its the valve cover gaskets.

no, not at all, thank god.

 

[DrunkenWhippet]

well, its up into the 30s today so i was planning on goin out and tryin to get the gas tank dropped to replace the leaking line, then ill be able to actually run it and look for the source... so hopefully ill be back later with more.

 

[410Fortune]

make sure it has oil in it when you start it!

 

[DrunkenWhippet]

so i got the skid plate nd shield assembly off today, at least 6 eye-fulls of rust, that was a nightmare. im ashamed to say i cant find a single pair of safety glasses here, but got 3 pairs in my toolbox at school.

hopefully tomorrow i'll be able to drop the tank and at least get to the line thats leaking or find out where it is. while under it today i noticed 3 lines along the driver side, with a sticker reading caution fuel around them. the bottom 2 looked brand new, and the top one looked like it was likely rusted through... is it possible they were at one point replaced, and not the top one? they just look so much different... i need to find the digicam, could probably get some fun shots while under there.

off topic a little, anyone know hoe body lifts work? i was just lookin around under it and noticed what looks to be where the body sits on the frame. do they just put something in to raise that? if so it seems i could easily turn some spacers to go on there and get longer bolts, or is it more complicated than that? if i decide to raise it i plan on makin a set of shackles for the back, but i think i'd get more lift with some new springs in the back, as it sits they're pretty much straight... and for the front, would it work to put some sort of spacer in the spring? i'm thinking of just doing a mild body lift with a mild suspension lift, to get like 4 maybe 5 inches, if i can make the parts myself (a full machine shop at my disposal) and do it for pretty much free, i'll be set. aside from buyin new rims and tires... and replace the a4ld.

 

[EMG7895]

I think the bottom 2 are the feed and return and are stainless and the top one is a vent that is plain old steel tubing, mine look exactly the same way.