I just wish that, maybe, somebody has either experienced this, or at least heard of it before. I’m lost here. 1994 XJS, AJ6 with 110K miles. Not your traditional oil leak that starts slowly and then it gets worse as days goes by. This leak started rather suddenly out of the clear sky the other day in my garage about 3 to 4 minutes after I started out the engine and it would appear that if I let the engine run for a while the leak would become a puddle pretty soon. Now this repeats every time I start the engine. No leaks at all with the engine off.

The point where the oil drops to the ground is at the point where the rear of the two catalytic converters (CC) joins the rear exhaust manifold (EM). When I stop the engine to inspect the area I do see the bottom area of the rear EM somewhat wet from oil down to the joint with the CC, but the weird thing is that I cannot see oil coming out from anywhere. Based on gravity, I see no oil-wet metal anywhere above the EM, and neither any oil leaks from the valve cover joint/gasket above it; that is all dry. It’s like if the oil was coming out from inside the EM, but I can’t see how that could happen. I think the best would be to put the car on the lift, running, and to observe from underneath where can this oil possibly be coming out of before the heat burns it into smoke.
Tips welcome!
Thank you,

 

My only thoughts after a day at work and using the boss's time to think about this.

The only deduction I have is:

It appears to oil escaping under pressure, which means when the engine is running. This basically eliminates the cam cover seal and the "D" seals to a point.

There is an internal oil feed to the camshaft/s via the head gasket, and MEMORY???? has it at the rear RH corner. I dont have an AJ6 block here at the moment to go take an eyeball.

Nothing else there that I can remember.

Hope it helps a tad.

 

Your input is much appreciated.
So, you would think that this oil feed to the camshaft via a route through the head gasket could somehow be providing an escape path for the oil?

However, if this is happening in an oil path, or environment, then the existing pressure in that path is only that of oil pressure, which is typically no higher than 60 PSI, I wonder how it could've been damaged, if indeed it is damaged.

And, if memory serves you right and that oil path is, indeed, somewhere by the rear/right corner, well, that's exactly where this is happening. Man, is this oil leak going to take removing the head? Sure hope not, but I'm still going to try to have a look from underneath while it's running; it's enough of a drip and it should be noticeable when coming out.

Anybody out there ever with a similar problem?
Thank you!

 

How about the rear main bearing oil seal. I went to the jag dealer with this leak in my E-type The seal cost about $2.50 and the engine removal $1500. He recommended an overhaul while the engine was out $6000. plus $2.50 for the seal. This was 1970 dollars. My solution: Hunts tomato paste can fixed to the rear main seal and empty once a week.
By the way, you don't have leakage in a Jaguar it is called "Controlled Seepage."

 

Nah, I believe the main bearing (and seal) would be located much lower than the exhaust manifold. Oil from the main bearing seal would need to defy gravity to travel upwards and get the exhaust manifold wet, wouldn't it?

 

I don't think it defies Newton's law, but then Newton never owned a Jaguar!

 

Oh, man, excellent subject....
I just wonder how many more great discoveries or theories owning a Jag would have propelled him into (and let's make that a V12). Heck, after nearly impossible challenges, he may have even proposed to rename one of our solar system's planets uuh.."Jaguar"... one nearly impossible to conquer, such as Jupiter, as in "Earth, Mars, Jaguar, Saturn, etc." only that, instead of following Greek or Roman Gods, this would've been following, well, an English God? LOL

Cheers,

 

Did you ever find the seepage location?

 

Oh, glad you asked....
Please, don't ask me how in the world I didn't see this signs before, but obviously for some reason I drove the car about 300 miles before this showed up in any form.

We put the car on the lift, running, and oil did show dripping from the exhaust manifold, but very little this time, but from nowhere else other than the exhaust manifold, so we cleaned that area from oil, real clean and I decided to just drive the car 5 miles back to home for now. No smoking at all during the drive and when I got to my garage and checked the drip point, to my surprise it was perfectly dry. No leak at all. Gone.

So, somebody suggested what hasn't occurred to anybody, so far, including myself: to check the oil level, so this morning I checked it COLD and, sure enough, it's about a 1/2" above the little grid window on the stick and, again, this is cold, meaning that it may be approaching 3/4" or a full inch too high by the time it is fully warmed up. Hard to believe from a reputable place for this type of work that the same day put brand new brakes and new Continentals all around, along with the oil change.

It appears that this whole thing may have been caused by too much oil in the sump and it may just simply not repeat anymore. I'll keep driving it and checking things out. No wonder they say not to ever overfill oil.

But, anyways, this sure beats the feeling of -otherwise- shopping for a used motor because the kitty may have cancer... Went quickly from hell to heaven with this one, but my fingers are still crossed...

Cheers,

 

That's a great outcome! I feel better doing my own fluid changes, because I know it's done right. Unfortunately, I cannot do them any more so my second choice is to bring my own fluids in the proper amounts to a garage where I can watch the change.
A mechanic working on your car originally <say 1980> would be approximately 65 to 75 years old and retired. Now you get a kid mechanic and he says "An XJ what!"

 

Great to hear you got it sorted. I've had a few of those swings where you expect the worst, and it turns out to be pretty simple. Life of a Jaguar owner...

 

Thank you guys, it feels awesome, really.

Cheers,

 

Not over yet!
When up to my local oil changer. Brought two gallons (US) Mobil one + filter. Told him the sump holds 8.5 qts. He did the oil change and returned to me what seemed like two qts. Drove home, Lifted the hood and had oil over the left rear manifold. Back to my oil changer and showed him your posting. Waited about an hour and the oil changer came out and said he did nothing and the oil is at the proper level. I looked; he was right!. Went home popped the hood and the oil is now about one inch above normal , but only a trace of oil on the manifold. I'm going to let the car sit over night and see where the oil level is.
But that's not all about a year ago I checked the brakes with the brake checker person and we agreed that the brakes were down to 1/2 worn. Since then I might have driven 300 mile at slow traffic speed. My oil checker said I needed brakes. I couldn't believe what I saw. The right rear caliber was down to metal and the front brakes were at about one percent.
But, all is not lost. If my motor continues to make Mobil One I will be able to pay for the brake job.

I just want to say this. I appreciate all the input that you people have made available. The world wide input is amazing and so generous of your time. I just want to let you all know it is appreciated! Every once in a while you need a pat on the back; I'm patting!