Oil pan gasket or rear main seal?
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Rock Crawling
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 398
Likes: 4
From: Hillsboro, VA.
Oil pan gasket or rear main seal?
Getting around to chasing a few oil leaks and there’s one I can’t 100% identify. After degreasing and pressure washing the entire undercarriage, I’m getting a drip right off the front of the bell housing. It’s not much, maybe a 1.5” spot on the driveway after sitting overnight. Every bolt on the oil pan was loose, took 1/4 turn (a few a bit more) to snug each back up. I’ve got 163,000 miles and that’s the only leak I’m currently chasing. Had a few leaking hoses and a leaking valley pan, all of which have been fixed. Should I go ahead and replace the oil pan gasket and see what happens? Or would a can of Blue Devil be a better option to start with?
Mudding
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 139
Likes: 13
From: Sierra Nevada, CA
I had a leak just like that and it was the oil pan gasket. The oil pan and gasket is pretty easy to change so I would start there. My rear main seal wasn't leaking even after 190K hard miles. I would always start with the easiest solution first. You can also pull off that inspection plate that is held on by the 6 or so 8mm bolts and 2 11mm bolts that it's dripping from and you should be able to see trails if its coming from the main. You will want to take that plate off any way to refit and remove the pan.
TReK
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,514
Likes: 656
When the excess breaks away from the oil pan, the RTV makes its way into the oil pickup and blocks the screen =
Mudding
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 139
Likes: 13
From: Sierra Nevada, CA
I see this come up all the time but if you have a GEMS were the pick up tube is halfway down the block you won't have an o-ring to replace. The pick up tube has to come from the timing cover in order to have an o-ring.