Hey guys i havent posted on here in a little bit but i got another question for you.

I have Jeep with the 5.9 magnum first of all most of you know but just wanna get that outa the way.

Anyway, i have noticed the last 2 oil changes that my oil level seems to be dropping slowely. I checked it today when the engine was cold and the oil level is about quarter of an inch away from the low line. I specificly remember filling it up to about the middle of the Ok line. I have put on maybe 1700 Miles on it not sure exactly. Im unsure how much the line from low to the top of the ok mark is. Im guessing 1 quart, so i have lost maybe a 1/4 of a quart of oil. I noticed the same thing last oil change as well.

I know my engine leaks oil outside. It doesnt drip when parked, but when i look around both valve covers seem to be leaking slightly. I also see a oil stains on the plug on the valve cover which goes to the air intake on the driver side engine. Inspecting my spark plugs, they all look good cet number 6 and 8 have oil on the threads of the plugs, and oil on the ceramic part where the wires plug into.. I think thats where the valve cover is leaking, down into number 6-8 spark plugs.

I also can wipe oil off my transmission bellhousing by the oil pan so i think maybe the rear main seal might be slightly bad. It doesnt drip on the pavement tho.


I checked my plenum through the throttle body, i can only see most of the middle to the very back of the pan, I cant see the front. I'll have to get my dental mirror out to see the front.. But the pan looks pretty clean. I dont see any oil on it. I also removed the PCV hose from the intake manifold, and the hose going to the air intake tube and put my thumb over it and then released and i had low pressure blow air out. I was told if it does that the plenum is good.

What do you guys think ? Is it the external leaks i found even tho they dont seem to be enough to actually drip when parked ? I guess they leak when im driving. Or could it be the plenum ? Here are a few pics i took a little while ago my plugs and the plenum inside, the plenum picture is what it looks like from the middle to the rear.. I havent checked the front yet as i said.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMAG0163.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMAG0164.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...HPIM1749-1.jpg

 

Now that's a clean plenum and plugs. Don't think there is a problem there! Only way to tell for sure if it is the engine leaks is to clean engine real good then watch it closely. I cleaned mine with the Gunk Engine Brite Gel before I did plenum and timing set to see if I had leaks as well and to make sure I didn;t have excess dirt and crap fall into top end. Still watching to make sure there are not any leaks, including valve covers. No more oil than you are losing, your guesses are probably correct. Ream main, etc. Valve covers seem to be a possibity. If it was plenum or valve seals, plugs would not be so clean.

 

Well those plugs are the dirty ones, the 2nd pic you can see the oil all over the metal washer/gasket on the plug. Thats from the valve cover.

This is what the rest of the plugs look like.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMAG0070.jpg

I know the timing cover is fine, i recently replaced the timing chain because the timing cover gasket went bad and i was leaking coolant. The oil pan im position isnt leaking. Only spots i see oil is the valve cover which is very obvious because the outside of the 2 spark plugs in the back are coverd in oil. That and the transmission bellhousing where the inspection plate is by the oil pan is coverd in oil. The Vehicle doesnt drip tho when its parked.. So im guessing its leaking only when im driving ? Could a valve cover leak cause you to lose that much oil in 1500 miles ?

I'll get my dental mirror out tomorrow and check the front of the plenum pan to be sure, the pic as i sad is of the rear/middle.

 

It's frequently a sign of a stuck or plugged PCV valve when you see oil around or in that particular hose. One of the things a stuck PCV valve will do for ya is to make it easier for a wee bit of oil to sneak past the piston rings on the intake stroke -- and it won't show up on the spark plugs because it's not in the intake air.

It might not be that at all, but for five bucks it's a cheap roll of the dice.

 

candymancan's description seems similar to me with respect to visual of my engine. Is this picture depict similar oil on the valve covers and the breather that you guys are speaking of?



My plan to address this was when I was going to replace my plenum. I have the kit, just haven't been able to schedule the time yet.

 

well that picture is on the pcv valve which is on the left hand side. My leaky one is on the right or driver side i forgot what that plug is called. The one of the passenger side is ok i think. How do you pull those outa of the valve covers ? I tried to remove them once by pulling on em but i didnt want to break them so i just forgot about it. Btw the one on this side sucks air IN from the air intake i think thats the crankcase vent tube right ?, the passenger side the air goes from the valve cover to the intake manifold.

This side... Btw your engine is FILTHY lol..


http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMAG0194.jpg

http://www.jeepzj.com/faq/pingtsb.html

The 2nd link i found says


"
If the intake manifold plenum pan gasket is leaking, a vacuum source will be created in the engine. Any engine blow-by and
outside filtered air will be drawn past the leaking pan gasket and into the intake manifold. In most cases, an engine at idle will
create the highest vacuum and lowest amount of engine blow-by.
1 . Remove the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve at the cylinder head valve cover. Clean the PCV valve grommet in
the valve cover of any oil residue.
2. Remove the breather hose from the air cleaner assembly and seal off the breather hose going to the cylinder head valve
cover.
3. Attach a gauge that reads both pressure and vacuum (+/- 10 in. Hg.).
4. Start the engine and observe gauge readings. If the intake manifold pan gasket is leaking, then a vacuum reading greater
than -2 in. Hg. will be observed. If no internal leaks are present, then the gauge will read near zero to slightly positive pressure.
If a the pan gasket is leaking then perform the Repair Procedure
"

I did that cept i didnt use a gauge the crankcase breather hose had positive pressure which according to this means the plenum gasket is good such an easy test.. if anyone is wondering how to check

 

The bit I was referring to would be that hose that goes from the rear of your air hat to a valve cover -- the one that provides filtered air to the crankcase. If your PCV system is functioning as it should, oil would have to travel upwind and uphill to get into that hose, so oil in there usually indicates a failed PCV valve or a broken hose preventing the intake manifold from drawing air (in through that hose in the air hat and) out of the crankcase.

The crud on your snorkel behind the filter and the condition of the filter itself makes me wonder if the rubber air dam that's supposed to be beside your radiator is missing.

 

Ok, here is my driver side. Is the amount of leakage comparable? I'm just trying to gauge any similarity of this condition, then determine what to do about it, if anything.

Apologies if my condition ends up being completely unrelated to yours, but thanks for indulging.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

As to the crud on the snorkel. That is actually from when I over did the re-oil of the filter. That is a picture now 3 months old. I had the tube replaced recently due to cracking up on top of the TB. There is no repeat of "crud" on that tube/snorkel now. However, the same dirty filter exists...as you've noticed previously.

 

Keep the valve cover bolts properly torqued, replace gaskets if necessary.

Thanks for setting me straight about the air filter oil being the source of the cruds in your other photo.