What kind of oil to use for 1994 Jeep Cherokee?

Hello, I just bought a 1994 Jeep Cherokee from a family friend on the
cheap. Cheap Jeep Yah!

Anyway, does anyone know what kind of oil it uses? The previous owner
could not find the manual and the sage advice stamped on the oil check
dipstick says "see owner's manual for oil type" or something to that
effect. The Jeep website has a link to get the owner's manuals, but
that only goes back to 1995. I think the car is a Jeep (non-Grand)
Cherokee, as the title says 1994 Jeep and there's "Cherokee" thing on
the side of the car.

Also it looks like it's an oil leaker which other posts say is common
for this car. Anybody know how much it should cost to fix? I hate to
be leaking oil all over the place, but the car is not going to be driven
often, maybe 10 miles every 3-4 days.

Thanks for any help.

The 4.0 likes 10W30 for the most part.

The valve covers are the usual oil leak, but you can have oil coming out
of the air filter housing also and occaisionaly out of the rear seal,
but the rear seal looking one is usually the valve cover leaking down.

A good clean or a good coat of mud/dust on the engine will help you
locate the oil leak easier. The dried mud or dust is the best, fresh
oil shows up fast. ;-)

Valve cover is an easy fix, same for the air filter housing. Rear seal
involves dropping the pan and starter to get at.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

New Old Jeep Owner wrote:
>
> Hello, I just bought a 1994 Jeep Cherokee from a family friend on the
> cheap. Cheap Jeep Yah!
>
> Anyway, does anyone know what kind of oil it uses? The previous owner
> could not find the manual and the sage advice stamped on the oil check
> dipstick says "see owner's manual for oil type" or something to that
> effect. The Jeep website has a link to get the owner's manuals, but
> that only goes back to 1995. I think the car is a Jeep (non-Grand)
> Cherokee, as the title says 1994 Jeep and there's "Cherokee" thing on
> the side of the car.
>
> Also it looks like it's an oil leaker which other posts say is common
> for this car. Anybody know how much it should cost to fix? I hate to
> be leaking oil all over the place, but the car is not going to be driven
> often, maybe 10 miles every 3-4 days.
>
> Thanks for any help.

Listen to Mike, tightening the valve cover
gasket can be an easy fix!! Much easier
than the rear seal.
Joe


"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
> The 4.0 likes 10W30 for the most part.
>
> The valve covers are the usual oil leak, .............

Mike Romain > wrote in
:

> The 4.0 likes 10W30 for the most part.
>
> The valve covers are the usual oil leak, but you can have oil coming
> out of the air filter housing also and occaisionaly out of the rear
> seal, but the rear seal looking one is usually the valve cover leaking
> down.
>
> A good clean or a good coat of mud/dust on the engine will help you
> locate the oil leak easier. The dried mud or dust is the best, fresh
> oil shows up fast. ;-)
>
> Valve cover is an easy fix, same for the air filter housing. Rear
> seal involves dropping the pan and starter to get at.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

The mechanic said that it was leaking in two places, one out of the
crankshaft and the other was a filter gasket. He said it would be $800
to fix both or $500 for crankshaft and $300 for the filter gasket.

Does that sound plausible and if so is it a fair price?

If I remember right, the filter base plate has an o-ring that fails
sometimes. You remove the oil filter, take out the center bolt, remove
the plate and replace the o-ring. For $400.00!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!

New Old Jeep Owner wrote:
>
> Mike Romain > wrote in
> :
>
> > The 4.0 likes 10W30 for the most part.
> >
> > The valve covers are the usual oil leak, but you can have oil coming
> > out of the air filter housing also and occaisionaly out of the rear
> > seal, but the rear seal looking one is usually the valve cover leaking
> > down.
> >
> > A good clean or a good coat of mud/dust on the engine will help you
> > locate the oil leak easier. The dried mud or dust is the best, fresh
> > oil shows up fast. ;-)
> >
> > Valve cover is an easy fix, same for the air filter housing. Rear
> > seal involves dropping the pan and starter to get at.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> The mechanic said that it was leaking in two places, one out of the
> crankshaft and the other was a filter gasket. He said it would be $800
> to fix both or $500 for crankshaft and $300 for the filter gasket.
>
> Does that sound plausible and if so is it a fair price?

If I remember right, the filter base plate has an o-ring that fails
sometimes. You remove the oil filter, take out the center bolts of
plate, remove the plate and replace the o-ring. I am talking a half
hour labor here.... For $300.00!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!

For the crank leak, he has to remove the starter and oil pan which is a
bit of a job. Including new seals and gaskets, $500.00 is high, but not
insane.

You should do yourself a favor though and run the engine, then take a
clean rag ad run it across the back of the engine head just below the
valve cover. If you find oil there, then you have found the leak. That
one imitates the rear seal leak all the time and is 'much' cheaper to
fix.

Mike

Well, that lost something in the editing... ;-)

Mike

Mike Romain wrote:
>
<snip>
>
> New Old Jeep Owner wrote:
> >
> > Mike Romain > wrote in
> > :
> >
> > > The 4.0 likes 10W30 for the most part.
> > >
> > > The valve covers are the usual oil leak, but you can have oil coming
> > > out of the air filter housing also and occaisionaly out of the rear
> > > seal, but the rear seal looking one is usually the valve cover leaking
> > > down.
> > >
> > > A good clean or a good coat of mud/dust on the engine will help you
> > > locate the oil leak easier. The dried mud or dust is the best, fresh
> > > oil shows up fast. ;-)
> > >
> > > Valve cover is an easy fix, same for the air filter housing. Rear
> > > seal involves dropping the pan and starter to get at.
> > >
> > > Mike
> > > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >
> > The mechanic said that it was leaking in two places, one out of the
> > crankshaft and the other was a filter gasket. He said it would be $800
> > to fix both or $500 for crankshaft and $300 for the filter gasket.
> >
> > Does that sound plausible and if so is it a fair price?
>
> If I remember right, the filter base plate has an o-ring that fails
> sometimes. You remove the oil filter, take out the center bolts of
> plate, remove the plate and replace the o-ring. I am talking a half
> hour labor here.... For $300.00!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!
>
> For the crank leak, he has to remove the starter and oil pan which is a
> bit of a job. Including new seals and gaskets, $500.00 is high, but not
> insane.
>
> You should do yourself a favor though and run the engine, then take a
> clean rag ad run it across the back of the engine head just below the
> valve cover. If you find oil there, then you have found the leak. That
> one imitates the rear seal leak all the time and is 'much' cheaper to
> fix.
>
> Mike

Ditto: http://www.billhughes.com/temp/spinonAdapter.jpg
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O


Mike Romain wrote:
>
> If I remember right, the filter base plate has an o-ring that fails
> sometimes. You remove the oil filter, take out the center bolt, remove
> the plate and replace the o-ring. For $400.00!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!

That price was a typo on my part, it is 'only' $300.00. LOL!

Mike

"L.W.(ßill) Hughes III" wrote:
>
> Ditto: http://www.billhughes.com/temp/spinonAdapter.jpg
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
>
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
> >
> > If I remember right, the filter base plate has an o-ring that fails
> > sometimes. You remove the oil filter, take out the center bolt, remove
> > the plate and replace the o-ring. For $400.00!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!

That price was a typo on my part, it is 'only' $300.00. LOL!

Mike

billy ray wrote:
>
> Now Mike,
>
> I've read you need 3 of these O-rings and they cost 74 cents apiece retail.
>
> http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/cata...&parttype=5432
>
> That means the mechanic is only making $297.78 for his labor, overhead,
> medical, fringe benefits, etc.
>
> It also might require him to buy a Torx-55, Torx 60, or Allen wrench (I've
> read all 3 fasteners used)
>
> "Mike Romain" > wrote in message
> ...
> > If I remember right, the filter base plate has an o-ring that fails
> > sometimes. You remove the oil filter, take out the center bolt, remove
> > the plate and replace the o-ring. For $400.00!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!
> >
> > New Old Jeep Owner wrote:
> >>
> >> Mike Romain > wrote in
> >> :
> >>
> >> > The 4.0 likes 10W30 for the most part.
> >> >
> >> > The valve covers are the usual oil leak, but you can have oil coming
> >> > out of the air filter housing also and occaisionaly out of the rear
> >> > seal, but the rear seal looking one is usually the valve cover leaking
> >> > down.
> >> >
> >> > A good clean or a good coat of mud/dust on the engine will help you
> >> > locate the oil leak easier. The dried mud or dust is the best, fresh
> >> > oil shows up fast. ;-)
> >> >
> >> > Valve cover is an easy fix, same for the air filter housing. Rear
> >> > seal involves dropping the pan and starter to get at.
> >> >
> >> > Mike
> >> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> >> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> >> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> >> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >>
> >> The mechanic said that it was leaking in two places, one out of the
> >> crankshaft and the other was a filter gasket. He said it would be $800
> >> to fix both or $500 for crankshaft and $300 for the filter gasket.
> >>
> >> Does that sound plausible and if so is it a fair price?
> >
> > If I remember right, the filter base plate has an o-ring that fails
> > sometimes. You remove the oil filter, take out the center bolts of
> > plate, remove the plate and replace the o-ring. I am talking a half
> > hour labor here.... For $300.00!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!
> >
> > For the crank leak, he has to remove the starter and oil pan which is a
> > bit of a job. Including new seals and gaskets, $500.00 is high, but not
> > insane.
> >
> > You should do yourself a favor though and run the engine, then take a
> > clean rag ad run it across the back of the engine head just below the
> > valve cover. If you find oil there, then you have found the leak. That
> > one imitates the rear seal leak all the time and is 'much' cheaper to
> > fix.
> >
> > Mike

Hi Mike,
I don't see much of a difference between three and four hundred
bucks on a ten cent item that probably would have been caught and fixed
for free by your neighborhood service station changing the oil.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

Mike Romain wrote:
>
> That price was a typo on my part, it is 'only' $300.00. LOL!
>
> Mike