Hi Everyone. I recently had my car MOT’d which it passed with no problem so I asked the garage to change the oil and filter.
Since then it has had a small oil drip from the area of the sump pan. It drips only two or three drops after the car has been run but nothing while the car is standing and cold. I presume it must be leaking while the car is being driven. The dip stick is not registering any loss so it is minimal but annoying as it makes a mess on the garage floor.
The mechanic said it was the sump plug which was tight but not oil tight so he replaced it along with the metal/rubber washer.
The leak is still there but not seemingly from the sump plug area. They checked the oil filter and found it ok.
There was no leak before the oil change and any possible spillage from it would long since have dried up.
I am going to go back to to the garage to show them the problem is still there but I wonder if anyone has any suggestions as to what could have caused it as it seems too much of a coincidence that it was about to start anyway when the oil was changed.
Cheers. Richard.
It might just be because you had a higher oil level after the change than before. Still shouldn’t leak, though.
Waaaay back in the day I changed a filter on a Honda and ended up with a deluge. Turns out the cheap-a$$ filters I was using had a rubber seal that was just glued to the base. When I unscrewed the old filter, the rubber seal broke loose from the filter and stayed on the car. When I screwed on the new filter, it came down on top of the extra seal and got all discombobulated. Fortunately, I haven’t seen any filters made that way in years. Nowadays they all seem to have the rubber seal crimped onto the bottom.
There’s an assortment of sealing washers available for drain plugs. Aluminum washers are single-use, gotta throw them away each oil change. Copper can be reused if annealed, but that’s a PITA. Plastic washers are available, but you gotta be careful not to overtighten or you’ll squeeze them right out. Stat-O-Seals are excellent; they are a steel washer with a rubber bead around the ID. They can be reused sometimes, but eventually the rubber stays flat when removed. Then the washer needs to be replaced.
My favorite is the homemade Stat-O-Seal idea: One metal washer with an ID that is 1/8" larger than the plug, and a 1/16" thick O-ring that’s the same ID as the plug. Screw the plug in until the O-ring contacts, then continue to tighten until it tightens down on the metal washer. The metal washer prevents overcompressing the O-ring and keeps the O-ring from blowing out. When the O-ring looks worn, get a new O-ring. The metal washer lasts forever.
Not sure if the AJ16 has the oil cooler the same as the AJ6, if it has then a leak is possible from the ‘O’ rings where the oil cooler pipes connect to the filter housing.
Hi Kirbert.
You are such a mine of information!
Thank you for your suggestions.
Im not sure that it is the plug or washer that is at fault and the filter is supposed to have been checked, however I will take the car back to the garage/shop and get them to check thoroughly at what level the leak is evident.
By the way just a trumpet blower my car won first prize in its category at a big show last Sunday. It will never look new after 144,000 plus miles and I wouldnt want it to but it looks fantastic inside and out, everything works and it drives so well that it really does put a smile on my face. Thanks again for your help and I will keep you informed. Cheers. Richard.
[Kirbert - author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.](https://forums.jag-lovers.com/u/kirbert1)
July 9
It might just be because you had a higher oil level after the change than before. Still shouldn’t leak, though.
Waaaay back in the day I changed a filter on a Honda and ended up with a deluge. Turns out the cheap-a$$ filters I was using had a rubber seal that was just glued to the base. When I unscrewed the old filter, the rubber seal broke loose from the filter and stayed on the car. When I screwed on the new filter, it came down on top of the extra seal and got all discombobulated. Fortunately, I haven’t seen any filters made that way in years. Nowadays they all seem to have the rubber seal crimped onto the bottom.
There’s an assortment of sealing washers available for drain plugs. Aluminum washers are single-use, gotta throw them away each oil change. Copper can be reused if annealed, but that’s a PITA. Plastic washers are available, but you gotta be careful not to overtighten or you’ll squeeze them right out. Stat-O-Seals are excellent; they are a steel washer with a rubber bead around the ID. They can be reused sometimes, but eventually the rubber stays flat when removed. Then the washer needs to be replaced.
My favorite is the homemade Stat-O-Seal idea: One metal washer with an ID that is 1/8" larger than the plug, and a 1/16" thick O-ring that’s the same ID as the plug. Screw the plug in until the O-ring contacts, then continue to tighten until it tightens down on the metal washer. The metal washer prevents overcompressing the O-ring and keeps the O-ring from blowing out. When the O-ring looks worn, get a new O-ring. The metal washer lasts forever.
Those motors were and are tight as a drum…It is 25 years old.
The most common are………CAM COVER GASKET.
Go around with a rag or towel, run all along the seam, I bet you find it.
P.S. As others have said, 8.5 quarts AMERICAN , , if you go above 9 ,itsover filled.
gtjoey1314
Hi. And thanks for the help. I will check that cover gasket but it still leaves the mistery of why it started leaking straight after an oil and filter change. Could be coincidence I suppose.
Re the possible over fill I have dipped it several times and it seems to be fine.
Many thanks for your help. Richard.
July 9
Those motors were and are tight as a drum…It is 25 years old.
The most common are………CAM COVER GASKET.
Go around with a rag or towel, run all along the seam, I bet you find it.
P.S. As others have said, 8.5 quarts AMERICAN , , if you go above 9 ,itsover filled.
gtjoey1314
Wait you added after soil chNge it could be old oil on the crossmember
It is very easy for an over-zealous technician to over-tighten the drain plug and crack the sump (slightly) at the threads, creating a dripper. Quite common issue on AJ6 aluminum sumps and I’m guessing the the AJ16 uses the same/similar part?
Hope this is not the case as not the easiest job to change the sump.
curious, what oil was in there, and what is the new oil? A thinner and/or synthetic oil could suddenly start leaking.
Hi Larry. Thank you for your reply. I hope that is not the case. The area around the plug seems dry so with any luck the leak is coming from elsewhere.
Cheers. Richard.
[ Larry ](https://forums.jag-lovers.com/u/abercanadian)
July 9
It is very easy for an over-zealous technician to over-tighten the drain plug and crack the sump (slightly) at the threads, creating a dripper. Quite common issue on AJ6 aluminum sumps and I’m guessing the the AJ16 uses the same/similar part?
Hope this is not the case as not the easiest job to change the sump.
Hi Greg. The oil is changed every year which is probably about 2000 miles worth of driving. The oil is a Motoquip product and the one recommended in the car care booklet that came with the car. It is either a 10w-40 or a 5w-30. The engine has done about 144,000 and runs smooth and quiet.
Cheers. Richard.
July 9
curious, what oil was in there, and what is the new oil? A thinner and/or synthetic oil could suddenly start leaking.
Most common leaks on the AJ16:
-
Oil cooler connection, just under the oil filter. Either remove it entirely, or undo the connections and replace the two o-rings. Not sure if the size, but do a search and use Viton o-rings. If this hasn’t been addressed in the past, it’s your culprit. It’s not a question of if it’s leaning, just when. I removed mine altogether.
-
Oil pressure sender. On the same side as the oil filter, but closer to the firewall.
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Oil pressure sensor. Same plane as the sender but closer to the front of the car.
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Camcover gasket. Use OEM only for the camcover gasket. No aftermarket gasket will fit correctly. The spark plug gaskets should be changed at this time. OEM or aftermarket brand URO works fine here. Also replace the 13 camcover bolt gaskets. Buy those at RockAuto.
-
It’s not oil, it’s power steering fluid? (Which will show as transmission fluid)
Hi Veekay.
Thanks for all this.
Regarding number 1 will there be an oil cooler connection if the
car doesnt have an oil cooler as mine doesnt as far as I know.
Also as the drip started straight after an oil and filter change
at my usual garage i am still thinking that it must be something
the mechanic did. It is going back in tomorrow for further
investigation and I will ask them to check the iist of possible
culprits received on this site.
Many thanks. Richard.