Where the BLEEP did nearly 3 qts of oil go?
02-01-2021, 08:40 AM
#1
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Where the BLEEP did nearly 3 qts of oil go?
99 XJ, 4.0, AW4
107k
I've worked around and on vehicles for many years... And knowing my jeep quite well... I am absolutely baffled at what has caused this with my XJ.....
I recently changed the oil in it not too long ago... maybe a month ago... Topped it off just like I always do. Now is the bottom side absolutely new type of clean?...no...but she never left ANY oil on the ground... not a drop.
The only thing I can see is that there was a small amount of oil at the base of the oil filter when I stuck my fingers under it trying to find a cause for this massive loss.
She runs strong, and up to this point, have NEVER seen her use/burn even the slightest amount of oil. When I checked on the stick... it was a tick below the half way mark in the "safe" zone. I checked again and sure enough same thing.
For losing that much oil in a short period of time.... I just can't imagine it's coming from the oil filter....as I would expect things like the starter on back to be covered thick in oil from it blowing down & back onto it while driving. But at this point I can't rule anything out since I don't know what could've caused this.
There is NO smoke of any kind from the exhaust.
I've seen a lot of crazy things with cars in my time, but this is a first b/c of no obvious root cause. Thoughts/ suggestions?
107k
I've worked around and on vehicles for many years... And knowing my jeep quite well... I am absolutely baffled at what has caused this with my XJ.....
I recently changed the oil in it not too long ago... maybe a month ago... Topped it off just like I always do. Now is the bottom side absolutely new type of clean?...no...but she never left ANY oil on the ground... not a drop.
The only thing I can see is that there was a small amount of oil at the base of the oil filter when I stuck my fingers under it trying to find a cause for this massive loss.
She runs strong, and up to this point, have NEVER seen her use/burn even the slightest amount of oil. When I checked on the stick... it was a tick below the half way mark in the "safe" zone. I checked again and sure enough same thing.
For losing that much oil in a short period of time.... I just can't imagine it's coming from the oil filter....as I would expect things like the starter on back to be covered thick in oil from it blowing down & back onto it while driving. But at this point I can't rule anything out since I don't know what could've caused this.
There is NO smoke of any kind from the exhaust.
I've seen a lot of crazy things with cars in my time, but this is a first b/c of no obvious root cause. Thoughts/ suggestions?
Last edited by RocketMouse; 02-01-2021 at 08:46 AM.
02-01-2021, 09:57 AM
#2
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Does your 4.0 have the original "CCV" system? If so, might be time to clean and rebuild/replace all parts of it. Take a quick check inside your air cleaner box and see if there is any evidence of oil inside of it.
A compression test is a good "snapshot in time" of the internal condition of the engine. Easy to perform on the 4.0 liter engine. If any cylinders test low, perform both a dry and then a wet test. The compression spec for the 4.0 is 120-150 psi with no more than a 30 psi variation between cylinders.
A compression test is a good "snapshot in time" of the internal condition of the engine. Easy to perform on the 4.0 liter engine. If any cylinders test low, perform both a dry and then a wet test. The compression spec for the 4.0 is 120-150 psi with no more than a 30 psi variation between cylinders.
Last edited by tjwalker; 02-01-2021 at 12:48 PM.
02-01-2021, 01:19 PM
#3
CF Veteran
99 XJ, 4.0, AW4
107k
I've worked around and on vehicles for many years... And knowing my jeep quite well... I am absolutely baffled at what has caused this with my XJ.....
I recently changed the oil in it not too long ago... maybe a month ago... Topped it off just like I always do. Now is the bottom side absolutely new type of clean?...no...but she never left ANY oil on the ground... not a drop.
The only thing I can see is that there was a small amount of oil at the base of the oil filter when I stuck my fingers under it trying to find a cause for this massive loss.
She runs strong, and up to this point, have NEVER seen her use/burn even the slightest amount of oil. When I checked on the stick... it was a tick below the half way mark in the "safe" zone. I checked again and sure enough same thing.
For losing that much oil in a short period of time.... I just can't imagine it's coming from the oil filter....as I would expect things like the starter on back to be covered thick in oil from it blowing down & back onto it while driving. But at this point I can't rule anything out since I don't know what could've caused this.
There is NO smoke of any kind from the exhaust.
I've seen a lot of crazy things with cars in my time, but this is a first b/c of no obvious root cause. Thoughts/ suggestions?
107k
I've worked around and on vehicles for many years... And knowing my jeep quite well... I am absolutely baffled at what has caused this with my XJ.....
I recently changed the oil in it not too long ago... maybe a month ago... Topped it off just like I always do. Now is the bottom side absolutely new type of clean?...no...but she never left ANY oil on the ground... not a drop.
The only thing I can see is that there was a small amount of oil at the base of the oil filter when I stuck my fingers under it trying to find a cause for this massive loss.
She runs strong, and up to this point, have NEVER seen her use/burn even the slightest amount of oil. When I checked on the stick... it was a tick below the half way mark in the "safe" zone. I checked again and sure enough same thing.
For losing that much oil in a short period of time.... I just can't imagine it's coming from the oil filter....as I would expect things like the starter on back to be covered thick in oil from it blowing down & back onto it while driving. But at this point I can't rule anything out since I don't know what could've caused this.
There is NO smoke of any kind from the exhaust.
I've seen a lot of crazy things with cars in my time, but this is a first b/c of no obvious root cause. Thoughts/ suggestions?
02-01-2021, 02:40 PM
#4
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
When I checked it before posting this thread... which I checked like 4 times. Vehicle had been sitting in the garage overnight flat grade surface (no incline)... it showed a couple hairs below the half way mark in the full/safe range on the stick.
And my xj is a pretty low mileage one and has never used any oil under my ownership in the last 4 years. Well, I've never seen the level change on the stick. And I'm one that checks my vehicles pretty regularly for any changes on consumption, and operating in general.
I take pretty meticulous care of them... and that helps them to last a long time.
We know that ALL vehicles break... but by keeping an eagle-eye on things... it helps me catch issues when they are small and easier/cheaper to fix, then going down the path of ignorance and they turn into a big expensive, or unsafe problem.
Last edited by RocketMouse; 02-01-2021 at 02:44 PM.
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Oldsrip (02-02-2021)
02-01-2021, 04:49 PM
#6
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Right Spencer....I guess my main point is what the heck caused it with an xj that doesn't use a single bit of oil (burn)... and never leaves drops on the ground (marking its territory)...
Ive worked on my own vehicles for nearly 30 years and never seen one do that before... you know, without a leak, go from none to so much blow by you could drive a Mac truck between the cyl wall and rings
Ive worked on my own vehicles for nearly 30 years and never seen one do that before... you know, without a leak, go from none to so much blow by you could drive a Mac truck between the cyl wall and rings
02-01-2021, 04:58 PM
#7
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Is there any way that something could keep the true level from showing on the stick?
I don't think I would have any unusual build up like sludge... I always keep it clean, change the oil right when it should be done. No real harsh conditions that would require shorter intervals. And always use T6 and new filter each time.
I don't think I would have any unusual build up like sludge... I always keep it clean, change the oil right when it should be done. No real harsh conditions that would require shorter intervals. And always use T6 and new filter each time.
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02-01-2021, 08:00 PM
#10
CF Veteran
3 qrts it almost 3 liters, which would be almost half the total...
Typically you will have about 1 liter between Add and Full on a dipstick
4 main reasons of oil loss in your XJ (random order)
Burning it, blowing it (see TJWalker's post above), loosing outwards (on the ground) or leaking inwards, meaning: check its not mixed with your coolant...
Typically you will have about 1 liter between Add and Full on a dipstick
4 main reasons of oil loss in your XJ (random order)
Burning it, blowing it (see TJWalker's post above), loosing outwards (on the ground) or leaking inwards, meaning: check its not mixed with your coolant...
Last edited by Roler; 02-01-2021 at 08:22 PM.
02-02-2021, 08:49 AM
#11
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
3 qrts it almost 3 liters, which would be almost half the total...
Typically you will have about 1 liter between Add and Full on a dipstick
4 main reasons of oil loss in your XJ (random order)
Burning it, blowing it (see TJWalker's post above), loosing outwards (on the ground) or leaking inwards, meaning: check its not mixed with your coolant...
Typically you will have about 1 liter between Add and Full on a dipstick
4 main reasons of oil loss in your XJ (random order)
Burning it, blowing it (see TJWalker's post above), loosing outwards (on the ground) or leaking inwards, meaning: check its not mixed with your coolant...
I also know the conversion quite well too as I moved to the US from SA a couple years ago.
No oily residue from the exhaust pipe, none on the ground, no cracked head (no milkshake).... so that's why I was baffled as to what the heck could have happened. The only bit of oil that is where it shouldn't be was at the base of the oil filter.
It was just a little bit, and if I had indeed lost a nearly a full L of oil from that point while it was running, I would fully expect to at least see evidence of it all over the wiring and the starter to be fully caked with oil. It's not. Nor does any drip to the ground.
So it could just be a bad seal but that doesn't explain the loss. I've just had to fill it back to the full mark and I'll keep an eagle-eye on it to see if it fluctuates again. Hopefully not. There has to be an unknown, but only the Lord knows what that could be.
02-02-2021, 09:06 PM
#12
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Year: 1990
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Top it off and drive it.
02-03-2021, 09:27 AM
#13
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
yeah I intentionally filled it back right to the full mark on the stick. We'll see what happens.
With no drips on the ground, no milkshake, no oily residue around/at the end of the exhaust pipe.... only God knows what happened...because I don't.
With no drips on the ground, no milkshake, no oily residue around/at the end of the exhaust pipe.... only God knows what happened...because I don't.
02-03-2021, 06:38 PM
#14
CF Veteran
I have owned cars that do burn oil, but never did I see a cloud of oil smoke. No piston ring nor valve guide will always be 100% zero leakage. You maybe burning oil within a range that causes no visible smoke. On some car you see no smoke, unless you do a full throotle acceleration, then you may see blue smoke, but otherwise the exhaust is clear
I dont know what the jeep owners manual says, but some manuals do list an acceptable oil consumption limits, basically a wear limit like maybe a maximum of 1/2 pint per 1000 miies or such.
Also consider different oil filters may or may not have an anti drain back valve (or a defective valve) that will change the dip stick reading. a drainback valve that slowly leaks will give a low dip stick reading shortly after shutdown, and a higher dip stick reading later in some cases. Thus consider how long after shut down it is before the dip stick is read, be consistant when you make the reading, until you determine if that is the case or not. Of course if the filter is not prefilled prior to dip stick reading after an oil change, you will see a drop in oil level after the filter is filled.
I dont know what the jeep owners manual says, but some manuals do list an acceptable oil consumption limits, basically a wear limit like maybe a maximum of 1/2 pint per 1000 miies or such.
Also consider different oil filters may or may not have an anti drain back valve (or a defective valve) that will change the dip stick reading. a drainback valve that slowly leaks will give a low dip stick reading shortly after shutdown, and a higher dip stick reading later in some cases. Thus consider how long after shut down it is before the dip stick is read, be consistant when you make the reading, until you determine if that is the case or not. Of course if the filter is not prefilled prior to dip stick reading after an oil change, you will see a drop in oil level after the filter is filled.
