first time 4.6 owner need help please.

[DickyDanger]

2002 mountaineer 4.6. Im trying to figure out common places for oil leaks. I am getting oil on the bottom of the crossmember. Not the radiator support the cross member underneath the rack. I am positive it is oil and i have traces of oil and staining on the engine front of the motor from where the pan is bolted to about the height of the crank pulley. I read the oil filter housing is prone to leaking but was looking for input on other places to look. Im going to have to degrease the motor to get a better idea i was just hoping to hear of some common leak points thank you

 

[DickyDanger]

Also would like to add that i had just done an oil change exactly 48 hours ago and its down about a quart to quart and a half after driving 50 miles. I had wiped the c rossmember off during the oil change and it is again soaked with oil. The truck has been sitting for about half an hour and there is only one single drop that has hit the ground about the size of a pinky nail

 

[drdoom]

Did you refill with six quarts?

 

[DickyDanger]

Yes i refilled with six quarts of 5w-20 after draining oil and replacing filter. It is def leaking oil if i can see it building up on the bottom of the cross member just slightly in front of the rack after i had just wiped it clean weds night prior to letting the mountaineer back down to the ground. Like i mentioned the front of the motor from the oil pan to the top of the crank pulley is wet yet the bottom of the oil pan is dry yet i have what i would call about to fall to the ground drops building up on the bottom of the cross member and was wondering if this motor has any other common leaks besides oil filter housing.

 

[Tyleryac]

I just needed to have my oil pan gasket replaced. Could it be leaking from there?

 

[DickyDanger]

I wouldent rule it out i would just expect it to be all over the panif that were the case and its all dry on the bottom and near the drain plug

 

[fordysenior]

Just a thought, when you pulled the old oil filter, did you make sure the gasket for it came off too.

 

[DickyDanger]

Yes. The old gasket stayed with the oil filter. I just went outside to look at the ground and ive got about a golf ball sized stained now im going to start with checking the oil pan bolts in the morning and probably do the filter housing tuesday night if there is no change.

 

[FordFool2]

I would replace the oil filter adapter gasket. It is common to leak on the 4.6. This point is above the pan and only pressurized with engine running. That may be why no puddle when sitting and only leaking when running.

 

[fordysenior]

While you're there, check for this: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287097

Better to catch if before any problems occur.

 

[DickyDanger]

O wow. Thanks for sharing that. My a.c. does work knock on wood haha but i have had to repair half the wires between the driver door and body already so im not surprised. The gasket for the housing is cheap enough. Im going to have to wait until after work on tuesday night and just keep an eye on the level for now. Im still going to check the pan bolt torque specs while i have it up in the air. I love the truck and it only has 135,500 miles and just got 18 mpg on a two hour high way trip i made last weekend and i just put a brand new clarion in dash navigation unit in so i want to adress this oil problem before it gets worse. And it is def just leaking under pressure like mentioned here already so i have my fingers crossed.

 

[DickyDanger]

I did the oil filter hosuing gasket today. Cost me 13.68 plus tax from ford. Took me a little under an hour to do. Man is hard to find a comfortable position to keep your hands in there. Oil was def leaking from the gasket i could see the signs once i had it off. Is my problem c omepletely fixed? Probably not im know oil seeps from other places but i drove 15 mins from home to work and the oil level was still full. I will keep you all updated.

 

[pet575]

You probably have it licked. Happened to me once after a simple oil change and after the repair I never had another problem.

 

[DickyDanger]

Yea thats when i noticed the problem happened right after the oil change and the filter was stuck so hoping for the best. Now if i could take the rest of my list i could go back to fixing my jeep haha

 

[DickyDanger]

so I have put about a hundred miles on the mountaineer since changing the gasket for the filter housing in my oil has not moved once or at all on the dipstick thank you for all your help