Driving my 2000 Disco II while towing an empty landscaping trailer on the highway. After 50 miles at 60-65mph, I noticed a slight haze of smoke accumulating behind me which became progressively worse...to a point where people were making obscene gestures at me while passing in the fast lane. Pulled off the next exit and noticed engine oil sprayed all over the trailer. Got under the car and noticed oil all over everything definitely engine oil, not ATF or gear oil. Could not really tell where the leak is coming from, looked like where the engine and tranny meet. Checked the engine oil level, almost bone dry. Added a quart which got me to the next gas station, added 2 more quarts which got me home in one piece. Checked the oil level when I got home, it is the same as when I added oil at the gas station....so I now I'm not losing oil.
Car has 130k on it, head gaskets done at 120k, car never overheated during the trip.
I am stumped here and hoping its just a high pressure oil line and not a bad seal, bearing, etc. Any ideas on the problem and how difficult the fix might be? Just bought new lifted suspension, bumper, winch, brakes and I'm waiting for them to be shipped. If this is a major problem it will really bum me out.

 

If it is coming out at the back of the engine it could be your rear seal and the crucifixes. They will weep a little at first and get worse - they can quickly turn into gushers. The problem is getting to them - you have to drop the tranny or pull the engine. It will come out below the valve cover gasket in a small valley at where the bell housing meets the engine - it drops from there onto the front driveshaft which spins it onto the catalytic. That's where you get your smoke. Or it could be something else. If this is it, the good news is the parts will cost you less than $50.00. The labor however..... Check the front of the engine too - could have run to the back as you were hurtling down the highway.

 

Is there any way to reproduce the leak, i.e. will a pressure test at a RR dealer cause it to leak again? I haven't found any posts on this topic and only want to drop the tranny as a last resort. Are there any hidden oil lines that could have failed or would that have caused the newly refilled oil to drain off during my trip back?

 

You need to go power scrub your truck and then search for a leak, don't wait for us to gues all the possibilities. Once you find the leak, get back to us and then we can help.

 

The bad part is it probabaly wont leak again until it is under high heat/stress again.

 

Speaking of Hurtling down the highway...Wind can make oil appear to come from places it is not....

Check all your fluids underneath the vehicle, Diff's, Tranny, Transfer, check em all. I have seen this happen with blown pinion seals and yet the drive shaft remained dry (the smoke was caused by it also getting on the exhaust)! If one of these is leaking it would also indicate your engine oil was low through attrition and lack of maintenance (sorry). This of course is based on, if the engine oil remains at the full level for a reasonable amount of time after its topped off.

Laugh when you think of the people that were behind you and trying to give you suggestions about it at 60mph....reason - have you ever tried to get oil off your windshield (glass) at 60mph (rubber wipers and water). If you think about it - its a hoot!

 

Spike555 got it right. I power sprayed under the car, drove it 10 miles then went underneath and wiped everything so it was nice and clean. Added orange dye to the crankcase to see if I could locate the leak. 75 degrees here today, drove another 25 miles on the highway at 65mph. When I got home, got under the car and found a tiny spec of oil between the tranny bellhousing and the motor, no dye showed up anywhere. Leak is gone which is unbelieveable considering it was a gusher yesterday.
I suspect the area of the original leak is between the bellhousing and engine.
I checked fluid in the diffs, tranny and Trans case, all ok. Leak was 100% motor oil.
I think it may be the rear main seal which leaked due to the hot weather and towing a trailer. Does it make sense for me to spend the money on a second opinion at a LR dealer to be sure? My fear is that they will tell me the must drop the tranny to see if the seal is bad. Not sure if its worth having the seal replaced. Anyone know what this would cost? I may just have to resort to BARS Rear Main Seal Additive and a heavyweight oil, then just never tow my trailer. Also means I may have to buy another 04 Disco used or an LR3 since my wife will never drive long distances knowing about this potential issue.
Where are the pinion seals located?

 

I woudlnt worry about it.
How often do you pull this trailer?
Where do you live?

 

I will be using the trailer quite a bit since I'm building a new house in VT and sold my F250 last winter. I have all sorts of materials and appliances in storage that will need to be moved in stages. I had planned on buying another Rover and using this one for 4wheeling. Just ordered everything from RTM and AtlBrit but now im wondering if I'm using this truck offroad... which is more stressful on the car then pulling a trailer... I could have a major problem out in the middle of the woods. I suppose I'll take it into the dealer just to be sure and hope for the best. If it is the rear main seal, I'll try the BARS and see what it does.
I was also told, the PCV could be clogged casing pressure to build up and leak through the seal. Any validity to this?

 

Yes a clogged PCV system can cause excessive pressure inside the crankcase.
Remove the PCV hose, clean the inside of it, clean the port it attaches to on the intake plenum and remove the oil seperator that is inside the valve cover and clean it too.
Use carb cleaner to clean everything.
Put it all back together and go from there.
Since you will be pulling the trailer alot you should be using 10w-40 motor oil.
Check the oil level before you leave and again when you get gas.