My son's 1997 Aerostar with a 4.0L is leaking oil.

[hokiejoe1]

I found this site searching for information on oil leaks in my son's Aerostar.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! What year is your son's Aerostar? Which engine does it have?

 

[hokiejoe1]

Aerostar engine

I believe it's a 4.0L six.
He left it here and went to his mom's house. the door is locked.

 

[hokiejoe1]

1997

 

[BrooklynBay]

I've renamed your thread, and moved it into the Aerostar section. How often do you add oil?

 

[hokiejoe1]

He drove to West Virginia from Nashville on Wednesday and put a quart in every sixty miles. The oil was covering the back window.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I assume that it was engine oil, and not transmission fluid? It's possible that the oil filter might have a pin hole leak or the drain plug might have a bad gasket. If it's transmission fluid, it could be the front seal, cooler or the lines. Could you write 1997 4.0L Aerostar in your profile where it says vehicle's description?

 

[corkey]

i would say it could be the rear seal , or a pan leak, as it seems to be coming out at a good pace,, if it is getting on the back window, that would be from the airflow under the Van, and what they call the station wagon effect,, basically a backdraft that follows the van,,

 

[BrooklynBay]

This happened to my 89 on the highway when the front seal of the transmission blew out.

 

[hokiejoe1]

It's definitely engine oil. How can I isolate it as rear seal or not?
Is there an additive that may temporarily seal it up?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Do you have ramps? Drive the van up on ramps, clean everything up, and place a piece of cardboard under the rear area of the engine. Check it over night while the van is tilted back with oil against the rear main seal. You will be able to see if the problem is coming from the rear main seal or another area.

 

[hokiejoe1]

Brooklin,
I can not find profile.
"your profile where it says vehicle's description?

 

[BrooklynBay]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/profile.php?do=editprofile

 

[hokiejoe1]

I got the van up a lift Saturday with an oil soaked old timer looking under it. He said, "well lookey here, your oil pan gasket has come out in the front. Typical problem on these babies." There is a curved section of the pan at the front end that does not have a bolt in it. I was able to beg them to loosen the pan enough to push the rubber gasket back in and he coated it with a 3M super adhesise to seal it back up. In the fifteen miles back home it did not lose a drop. Charged me $25.00 for two quarts of oil because they are not allowed to work on oil pans but the owner was not there.

 

[turboranger91]

glad to hear you got it fixed and that it was something simple.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I hope that it wasn't a rubber gasket which is normally used. This gasket will leak if you add silicone sealer to it.

 

[hokiejoe1]

Did you notice I said the gasket is rubber?
We used;"3M™ Super Weatherstrip Adhesive
Yellow formula for adhering all types of rubber weatherstripping to car doors and trunks. An excellent adhesive for bonding engine gaskets."
Thanks! I've been getting updates from my son. He is 30 miles out of Nashville. He has checked the oil level 3 times and has not lost a drop. Thanks a million. I found this same problem on this site under "oil pan gaskets" with photos.