I have a 91 wrangler (6 cyc, manual trans.) and it has a leak at the
front bearing seal. (~$700 to replace the seal) The mechanic suggested
I use 15W40 diesel oil (since it is thicker) together with some
sealant additive to minimize/eliminate the leak. However the guy at
PepBoys says it is not such a good idea to put diesel oil in the jeep,
plus it will have problems with cranking/starting in cold Jersey
winters.

What do you guys suggest?

Ozzy...

 

obirer wrote:
> I have a 91 wrangler (6 cyc, manual trans.) and it has a leak at the
> front bearing seal. (~$700 to replace the seal) The mechanic suggested
> I use 15W40 diesel oil (since it is thicker) together with some
> sealant additive to minimize/eliminate the leak. However the guy at
> PepBoys says it is not such a good idea to put diesel oil in the jeep,
> plus it will have problems with cranking/starting in cold Jersey
> winters.
>
> What do you guys suggest?

Replace the seal.

If your reasonably competant with tools it's not that much of a job.
Just takes a while to break everyhing down. But before you do that
make darn sure it's not your valve cover that's dripping down.
(more common for the rear to leak, but who knows)

--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.***.net/wilsond
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors

 

Diesel rated oil won't hurt anything, but probably won't help either. Best
just to replace the seal.

If you do use "diesel oil," try Chevron Delo 400 or Shell Rotella, two of the
best. Both available cheap at Walmart.

Robert Bills
KG6LMV
Orange County CA

http://www.outdoorwire.com/4x4/jeep/...p-l/billsr.htm
http://www.RobertBills.com

 

My theory is that thicker oil will not flow through the relatively smaller
oil passages as well as oil intended for your engine. You may get
insufficient oiling of bearings and especially pistons and rings if you use
it. Do yourself a favor and fix the leak instead. I am guessing two hours
labor tops for the job. No way does this add up to $700.

Earle

"obirer" <obirer@princeton.edu> wrote in message
news:d8d971b.0307030850.7ba80858@posting.google.co m...
> I have a 91 wrangler (6 cyc, manual trans.) and it has a leak at the
> front bearing seal. (~$700 to replace the seal) The mechanic suggested
> I use 15W40 diesel oil (since it is thicker) together with some
> sealant additive to minimize/eliminate the leak. However the guy at
> PepBoys says it is not such a good idea to put diesel oil in the jeep,
> plus it will have problems with cranking/starting in cold Jersey
> winters.
>
> What do you guys suggest?
>
> Ozzy...

 

Well, here is what says in the estimate;

Crankshaft main bearing seal replace (B) 7 hours x $ 80.00/h
rear main oil seal $10.00
oil pan gasket $40.00
oil and filter: $25.00

I think I was wrong in the first post, this is rear main oil bearing
seal, is it not?

Is $700 still too high?

Ozzy





"Earle Horton" <enfermero_diabolico@registerednurses.com> wrote in message news:<be1pih$ca11$1@ID-147790.news.dfncis.de>...
> My theory is that thicker oil will not flow through the relatively smaller
> oil passages as well as oil intended for your engine. You may get
> insufficient oiling of bearings and especially pistons and rings if you use
> it. Do yourself a favor and fix the leak instead. I am guessing two hours
> labor tops for the job. No way does this add up to $700.
>
> Earle
>
> "obirer" <obirer@princeton.edu> wrote in message
> news:d8d971b.0307030850.7ba80858@posting.google.co m...
> > I have a 91 wrangler (6 cyc, manual trans.) and it has a leak at the
> > front bearing seal. (~$700 to replace the seal) The mechanic suggested
> > I use 15W40 diesel oil (since it is thicker) together with some
> > sealant additive to minimize/eliminate the leak. However the guy at
> > PepBoys says it is not such a good idea to put diesel oil in the jeep,
> > plus it will have problems with cranking/starting in cold Jersey
> > winters.
> >
> > What do you guys suggest?
> >
> > Ozzy...

 

"obirer" <obirer@princeton.edu> wrote in message
news:d8d971b.0307031855.6ca83ea4@posting.google.co m...
> Well, here is what says in the estimate;
>
> Crankshaft main bearing seal replace (B) 7 hours x $ 80.00/h
> rear main oil seal $10.00
> oil pan gasket $40.00
> oil and filter: $25.00
>
> I think I was wrong in the first post, this is rear main oil bearing
> seal, is it not?
>
> Is $700 still too high?
>
> Ozzy
>

You're paying based on a flat rate manual. Many of those jobs can be done in
less than half the time, but they still charge the full 7 hours. Also, you
may want to shop around. I don't know about your area, but here $80 per hour
is high even for the dealers. Our dealers are about $60-65, but the
independent mechanics are even less, usually in the $45 range.

Chris

 

Rear main makes more sense for that kind of price. Is this one of the model
years where they have to remove and replace the transmission to get at the
seal? If it is, consider replacing the clutch at the same time.

Earle

"obirer" <obirer@princeton.edu> wrote in message
news:d8d971b.0307031855.6ca83ea4@posting.google.co m...
> Well, here is what says in the estimate;
>
> Crankshaft main bearing seal replace (B) 7 hours x $ 80.00/h
> rear main oil seal $10.00
> oil pan gasket $40.00
> oil and filter: $25.00
>
> I think I was wrong in the first post, this is rear main oil bearing
> seal, is it not?
>
> Is $700 still too high?
>
> Ozzy
>
>
>
>
>
> "Earle Horton" <enfermero_diabolico@registerednurses.com> wrote in message
news:<be1pih$ca11$1@ID-147790.news.dfncis.de>...
> > My theory is that thicker oil will not flow through the relatively
smaller
> > oil passages as well as oil intended for your engine. You may get
> > insufficient oiling of bearings and especially pistons and rings if you
use
> > it. Do yourself a favor and fix the leak instead. I am guessing two
hours
> > labor tops for the job. No way does this add up to $700.
> >
> > Earle
> >
> > "obirer" <obirer@princeton.edu> wrote in message
> > news:d8d971b.0307030850.7ba80858@posting.google.co m...
> > > I have a 91 wrangler (6 cyc, manual trans.) and it has a leak at the
> > > front bearing seal. (~$700 to replace the seal) The mechanic suggested
> > > I use 15W40 diesel oil (since it is thicker) together with some
> > > sealant additive to minimize/eliminate the leak. However the guy at
> > > PepBoys says it is not such a good idea to put diesel oil in the jeep,
> > > plus it will have problems with cranking/starting in cold Jersey
> > > winters.
> > >
> > > What do you guys suggest?
> > >
> > > Ozzy...

 

obirer wrote:
> Well, here is what says in the estimate;
>
> Crankshaft main bearing seal replace (B) 7 hours x $ 80.00/h
> rear main oil seal $10.00
> oil pan gasket $40.00
> oil and filter: $25.00
>
> I think I was wrong in the first post, this is rear main oil bearing
> seal, is it not?

Rear main seal on the crankshaft.

> Is $700 still too high?

Yes.

If it's a split rear seal that's about a 2 beer job

basically you just empty the oil, have a beer, drop the pan,
loosen the back two carrier bolts, and remove the seal. Then scrape
off any old oil pan gasket, put the new seals in, torque
the carrier bolts to spec, a little sealant, gasket, and the pan.
Add oil, and have a beer.

While your in there may as well clean the oil pickup screen. Just
remember to put it back....

Best to have a service book though.

 

Do you have the plastic valve cover? If so, it is almost certainly
where your leak is coming from.
Check very carefully, no matter which valve cover you have,
for leaks. They almost always look like a main bearing leak.
Wipe it down good, or take it to the car wash and spray it off,
or just replace the gasket, (it's cheap) and wait a few days to
see what happens.
Good luck, happy holiday

Tookie

 

On Fri, 4 Jul 2003 03:34:41 UTC "DougW" <post.replies@invalid.address>
wrote:

> obirer wrote:
> > Well, here is what says in the estimate;
> >
> > Crankshaft main bearing seal replace (B) 7 hours x $ 80.00/h
> > rear main oil seal $10.00
> > oil pan gasket $40.00
> > oil and filter: $25.00
> >
> > I think I was wrong in the first post, this is rear main oil bearing
> > seal, is it not?
>
> Rear main seal on the crankshaft.
>
> > Is $700 still too high?
>
> Yes.
>
> If it's a split rear seal that's about a 2 beer job
>
> basically you just empty the oil, have a beer, drop the pan,
> loosen the back two carrier bolts, and remove the seal. Then scrape
> off any old oil pan gasket, put the new seals in, torque
> the carrier bolts to spec, a little sealant, gasket, and the pan.
> Add oil, and have a beer.
>
> While your in there may as well clean the oil pickup screen. Just
> remember to put it back....
>
> Best to have a service book though.

Yup, and cleaning the off the old pan gasket will probably take more
time than any other part of the job. Even on an 88 that, to all
appearances, never had the pan off in it's 150,000 miles I spent under
3 hours including scraping off the hardest, nastiest gasket I've ever
seen and pounding til my arm was tired before the upper seal half
finally gave. Of course, I was smart enough to pull the starter and
tranny mount (so that I could jack it up) to get enough clearance to
get the pan out...

--
Will Honea <whonea@codenet.net>