Rear Main Seal

Leaking rear main on the 4.0L is VERY common. Replacing requires pulling the transmission. 🤮

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"norcalray" wrote: What's up crew. I noticed a small oil leak( 3-4 drops) and it looks like it might be the rear main. Anyone have any issues with this in the past?
Is it a quick fix? Any info would be awesome.
BTW 4.0 TJ, MT.

😀
Ray

2000TJ that I owned for 12 years didn't have any oil leak problems, so I'm no help.

Problems with the crank position sensor - that I have had... :x

I've had the 4.0L in both my YJ and XJ. The YJ had about 145K miles when I bought it and the XJ about 150K.



Both had the "dribbles" you describe. Wish they didn't.

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"TomD" wrote: I've had the 4.0L in both my YJ and XJ. The YJ had about 145K miles when I bought it and the XJ about 150K.

Both had the "dribbles" you describe. Wish they didn't.
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My jeep had under 40K when I sold it, so I didn't have higher miles.

My Y2K TJ leaks too. It has been for a while but has gotten a little worse lately. Only 68k miles on it too.



I recall Kevin replaced his rear main seal on his YJ shortly before selling it. Maybe he'll see this and add some details.

The project seems like some work (labor) but cheap parts. You'd need to drop the t-case and tranny plus remove the drivelines. At least lifted jeeps are easy to work on...

i would check into this a little more

my cj was a 2piece kit didnt need to seperate bell housing etc..

other wise your in for a days labor

my bronco had to pull transmission etc.. to get to it

if you do by urself get a tranny jack

and on my tj i have 0 leaks after upgrading the steering box (that leaked since day 1)

if it is the 2 piece set up you just remove the oil pan

Thanks for all the info. My TJ has around 136k, and just leaves a few drips here and there. Looking on YouTube, there is a method that doesn't require

to drop the trany. The main seal is in 2 pieces so I may try what I saw on YouTube.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft4LhJWOgtk



Check it out... Gotta love youtube.



Thanks again for all your input.

"Rayzor" wrote: i would check into this a little more
my cj was a 2piece kit didnt need to seperate bell housing etc..
other wise your in for a days labor
my bronco had to pull transmission etc.. to get to it
if you do by urself get a tranny jack
and on my tj i have 0 leaks after upgrading the steering box (that leaked since day 1)
if it is the 2 piece set up you just remove the oil pan

Yeah looking at the YouTube video, it's a 2 piece, and he just removes the oil pan and works it around.

Guess I better get it done before Jeep Safari lol..



Thanks for the input.

I'll need to take a look at that as well ... HATE leaks.

I changed the rear main seal on my old YJ. About half way down in this thread.



You don't have to remove the tranny. I followed this thread when I did mine. I still have some of the mopar gasket maker that I don't foresee using again. I can bring it to the meeting if you plan on being there.

For what it's worth I did some work at my friends dad's shop today...I can't tell you how nice it was to have a lift and all the right tools.



viewtopic.php?f=18&t=5623

I changed mine out on my 06 tj,pretty easy. As Kevin said you do not have to touch the tranny. Type in Replace(tj,yj,xj,zj) rear main seal and you'll find a hole slew of info. Myself I always pick the ones with pictures. Order up a rear main seal,pan gasket,oil,oil filter,two mountain dews and you'll be good to go.

Sounds like a plan when things warm up.

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"TomD" wrote: I'll need to take a look at that as well ... HATE leaks.

Tom sounds like we need to have a repair day lol...

"rick-rock" wrote: I changed mine out on my 06 tj,pretty easy. As Kevin said you do not have to touch the tranny. Type in Replace(tj,yj,xj,zj) rear main seal and you'll find a hole slew of info. Myself I always pick the ones with pictures. Order up a rear main seal,pan gasket,oil,oil filter,two mountain dews and you'll be good to go.

We're men we like pictures.... Sounds like it should be a quick fix for the most part..

"kevheb" wrote: I changed the rear main seal on my old YJ. About half way down in this thread.

You don't have to remove the tranny. I followed this thread when I did mine. I still have some of the mopar gasket maker that I don't foresee using again. I can bring it to the meeting if you plan on being there.

Great pics... Thanks for the visual !!