Where the hell is my oil leak???

[Bmwz389]

Ok. So for about 5 months now I've had a nasty oil leak and I'm gonna kill myself if I don't solve the leak.

I've been searching up and down these forums and I have found a few areas were it could be leaking:

Head Gasket
Oil Pan Plug
Valve Cover Gaskets
Rear Main Seal

So I have no idea where to begin. All I know is this;

I was under my Explorer the other week when I was rerouting my new starter cable when I noticed fresh oil build up right at the "seal?" between the transmission and the block I believe. Now I don't want to believe it is the rear main seal because I just replaced the transmission right after July 4, 2006.

But it could be running from someplace I have no idea about.

Right now I go through a 4-5 quarts of oil every 2 weeks or sooner.

As of right now my Check Oil light is on right now and I'm about to pull the damn bulb out so I don't see it anymore. I spend so much money on oil right now I think that if I fix it, I'd save myself 500 on oil per year.

Even the guys changing my oil on my truck swere underneath it in the lower room underneath my truck that I had "a nasty oil leak."

So, can anyone give me a list of where a 1992 Explorer XLT 2wd 4.0 can leak from? (Keep in mind I suck with motors, but I'm willing to learn because engines are interesting lol).

Also, any common trouble spots?

Please give me some advice because I'm seriously considering selling the whole truck right now =(

Thanks everyone!

- Brandon

 

[Tbars4]

heres a problem i run into whenever i get an oil change, and i don't care wheere i get it...it's 2 things...first they don't run oil on the oil filter to get it installed properly, they just put it on...when it heats up, it starts backing out because its not snug...second, it's the cheap filters they put on too...they have a chep rubber on them and it is also thin,,the reason i tell you this is because you will not simply see this leak, the fan and aerodynamics blow it all over the place and it won't show up until it sits and drips...i found telling the yahhoos doing the change the problem and giving them a fram filter to install..they'll deduct it from the price...after your oil change, take your vehicle to a pressure car wash, do it your self, and bring 2 cans engine degreaser...degrease only the main engine and areas that have oil on them,,,then drive home and get uder the truck to see if their is new oil anywhere... let it sit for a couple of hours and just check it again...now, if you start this the oil change say saturday morning and do all of the above, each time you drive your truck and park it, check it, and a couple hours later, check it...odds are by sunday afternoon you will know the location, could be the oil filter which is common and cheap,if you have an oil cooler, they have a ring gasket which is usually off an oil filter, above the oil filter connection and it has dried and cracked and most mechanics won't catch, or it could be a valve cover gasket at the rear, both are common and cheap.. the fix...this is all simple and basic to keep an eye on, and worth saving...if you start here, the rest will only be answers with fixes...

 

[Bmwz389]

Wow thank you so much. I have been meaning to pressure wash it all down and do the underside lightly if I'm ballsy enough to risk shorting my starter lol. I'll go buy another bottle of simple green and give it a shot soon. I'm going to change my oil probably tomorrow or so because spring break just started. I do have a Fram filter for my truck but i don't have any more oil lol. Used the last of the cheap **** (when you burn through that much oil all the time, you really don't car how good the oil is, its better than no oil hehe)

So what kind of oil would everyone recommend?

 

[EMG7895]

the rear main is probably leaking as well as the valve cover gaskets. The valve covers commonly leak down the back of the motor as well as onto the exhaust manifolds , which creates a lot of smoke.

 

[Bmwz389]

I've never seen it smoke but then again it doesn't always run in the same spot. I had the rear main seal replaced so it should be fine, at least that's what I'm hoping...I'm gonna go look for a thread about replacing valve cover gasket. Unless someone wants to quick post a link