Main Seal Leaking?

[Mike Pierson]

While under the Jeep taking off the rear driveshaft for the third time, I noticed this… am I fooked?

 

[wayoflife]

Have you smelled it? If so, smell like oil or kind of sweet like transmission fluid? Either way, far from fucked, just annoying.

 

[Mike Pierson]

Have you smelled it? If so, smell like oil or kind of sweet like transmission fluid? Either way, far from fucked, just annoying.

No, I haven’t done that. I’ll check it out tomorrow. Thanks man.

 

[DirtHeadDavis]

At first glance I was gonna say oil cooler from up top but, zoomed in I can see it’s starting there… That’s a bummer but I hope you can sort it out quick.

 

[jeeeep]

pull the rubber plugs, have a paper towel ready to catch what drains out and see what color it is and how much.

it's very much an annoyance on these newer sealed transmissions, no dip stick to easily check the level but you can check it from the fill plug.

edit: the transmission pan is an easy job to replace filter and seal. there is a specific refill process to get the level correct

 

[Mike Pierson]

pull the rubber plugs, have a paper towel ready to catch what drains out and see what color it is and how much.

it's very much an annoyance on these newer sealed transmissions, no dip stick to easily check the level but you can check it from the fill plug.

edit: the transmission pan is an easy job to replace filter and seal. there is a specific refill process to get the level correct

Thanks, Joel, I can try that tomorrow when I try Eddie’s sniff test.

 

[jesse3638]

Thanks, Joel, I can try that tomorrow when I try Eddie’s sniff test.

Just top off all your fluids, bring extras and send it. That's what i do. Figure its the new self changing fluid system

 

[jesse3638]

I like popcorn

 

[benatc1]

pull the rubber plugs, have a paper towel ready to catch what drains out and see what color it is and how much.

it's very much an annoyance on these newer sealed transmissions, no dip stick to easily check the level but you can check it from the fill plug.

edit: the transmission pan is an easy job to replace filter and seal. there is a specific refill process to get the level correct

We just did it on my dads gladiator, “lifetime” fluid looked like total garbage on the way out but it’s normal again lol.

 

[Mike Pierson]

We just did it on my dads gladiator, “lifetime” fluid looked like total garbage on the way out but it’s normal again lol.

You replaced all the fluid in there?

 

[benatc1]

You replaced all the fluid in there?

Yea full drop and filter change, they say you don’t need to do it, but my dad being “old school” mechanic, ect, it wasn’t leaking but had a random hard time shifting at high rpm, back to flawless and the oil looked like dog shit. But to Joel’s point there is a very specific fill procedure.

 

[Mike Pierson]

Yea full drop and filter change, they say you don’t need to do it, but my dad being “old school” mechanic, ect, it wasn’t leaking but had a random hard time shifting at high rpm, back to flawless and the oil looked like dog shit. But to Joel’s point there is a very specific fill procedure.

Nice. Maybe I’ll wait to do all of this until after the NYKO run.

 

[jeeeep]

Yea full drop and filter change, they say you don’t need to do it, but my dad being “old school” mechanic, ect, it wasn’t leaking but had a random hard time shifting at high rpm, back to flawless and the oil looked like dog shit. But to Joel’s point there is a very specific fill procedure.

that's the same reason I did mine, the shifting changed.
It was far from lifetime looking, looked more like it had several lifetime deaths

 

[Mike Pierson]

that's the same reason I did mine, the shifting changed.
It was far from lifetime looking, looked more like it had several lifetime deaths

I’m at 88k and change and given the amount of wheeling we do, makes sense that it’s bad I guess.

 

[jeeeep]

I’m at 88k and change and given the amount of wheeling we do, makes sense that it’s bad I guess.

changed mine at 81258, I captured as much as possible to compare what went in but I think it came low from the factory, I put more in than came out.
edit: I did install a larger capacity transmission pan but that should have only added one quart, put more than that back in.

 

[Mike Pierson]

changed mine at 81258, I captured as much as possible to compare what went in but I think it came low from the factory, I put more in than came out.

Interesting, wonder if it “burned” enough to lower the level.

 

[benatc1]

that's the same reason I did mine, the shifting changed.
It was far from lifetime looking, looked more like it had several lifetime deaths

Yea he’s around 60k but we were like damn! lol

 

[jeeeep]

Interesting, wonder if it “burned” enough to lower the level.

I don't think so, it didn't smell burnt or odd just a really dark, dark blood color (almost black), not the normal dark red I was expecting

 

[Andy5160]

It does not look fresh to me so I would clean everything up with some degreaser and have a few test drives to try and locate fresh fluid if it appears.
Indeed smell it as Eddie mentioned. Check around transmutation pan gasket and oil filter housing. I would start there.

 

[cozdude]

Pull the rubber plugs and if nothing comes out I would do as Andy said and clean everything real good then go on a test drive or two. See if you can locate where it’s coming from better. Doesn’t look like a rear main to me from the pics. Looks like it’s coming from higher.

I would recommend a trans service tho. I’m about to do one at 42k miles on my jeep.