OT - Ford Explorer Oil Leak

[f-x-d-w-g]

My wife's car is a 2000 Explorer with an OHC V-6.  A couple of days ago it started smelling really badly of burning oil.  When she comes home from work and parks in the garage, it smells just like pouring oil on an exhaust manifold.  I suspect a rocker box gasket and will give it a look tomorrow when she takes my car to work.  I figure I'll take it to the car wash and hose the engine down really well then take a 20 mile highway drive before looking for the leak.

Anythig difficult about replacing the rocker box gaskets on this car?  Anything to watch out for?

[03deuce]

I'm no auto mechanic, but I would check the bolt torque first, using the proper sequence.  You might get lucky with just a loose bolt. 

[kik]

f-x-d-w-g, I assume you're talking about the valve cover gaskets. Being it's a 2000 explorer, you may have to remove the plenum and varoius other parts of the fuel injection system and the air filter system. Retourqing the cover usually doesn't work, the gasket has probably failed.

Kik 

[f-x-d-w-g]

Thanks, Guys.  I planned to check the bolt torque first but, if I have to remove everything to access them, it's probably better to just spring for the gaskets.  I'd hate to take it apart twice in this 12 degree weather...

[f-x-d-w-g]

Well, I looked with a flashlight in a darkened garage and could find no evidence of leaking so I drove to the car wash and hosed it really well.  Drove home and, when I opened the hood, there was a lot of oil smoke.  Still couldn't find any evidence of leaking.  I noticed some fresh oil drips under the car so I'm now wondering if it's the real seal leaking.  The car has 115,000 miles on it.  I'm not equipped to do this level of work and I don't think I want to pay a garage.  It's my wife's car so I'll let her decide.

BTW, would there be any use in adding some seal leak stop to the engine oil?

[03deuce]

With a bright light and some wheel ramps, or a floor jack with jack stands, you should be able to see if the oil is coming from the rear main seal area.  The cost of one can of rear main seal would probably be worth a try, may or may not work.  I believe the dealerships, if they can't find the leak, will put a dye in the oil and then use a special light source to track the leak to its source.

[Richard Till]

just exactly where is the smoke and oil drip showing up? left side, right side or middle of motor.  its almost got to be a valve cover or intake gasket, front or rear main seal or maybe the oil sending unit.

[f-x-d-w-g]

When I raised the hood in the garage the smoke rose right at the front of the engine which only tells me it's coming from below.

Believe me, I looked long and hard with a flashlight and could find no evidence of rocker cover gaskets leaking.  There's no oil on the top of the engine, the heads, or the exhaust manifolds.  I'm thinking rear seal or oil pan gasket.  I have a set of ramps and will probably look at it this weekend or have my wife take my car to work.

I have about 3/4 bottle of leak sealer that I tried on my bike's tranny when the shifter shaft seal started leaking.  It didn't work there.  Come to think of it, the bottle of stuff cost more than the new seal though it didn't take as long to install...

[96FLSTF]

Not really comparing apples to apples but this is what happend to both of my GMCs Sonoma & Jimmy 4x4. I always smelt oil but couldn't find it. Then suddenly widfe sayz her jimmy won't move. I checked and there is no tranny fluid. But no leak seen. To make a long story short. The seal between tranny & 4 wheel transfer case failed filling the transfer case with tranny fluid. The transfer case vent is directly over the exhaust manifold. Finally after adding many quarts of tranny fluid it puked so much onto the manifold I get a panic cell phone call. "I am sitting at a light and people around me are blowing their horns and pointing to the front of my car". "Oh, now I see smoke rolling out, but I can't drive away cause the smoke is too thick". " gotta go so I can call 911"........................dumb bitc.........

$400 repair to replace a $5 seal.

Gene