azphoto

My 2011 Rubicon JK 3.8 has been a champ. It just turned over 80,000 miles and it looks and drives like new. I've done lots of mods to it to improve the performance and it has been trouble free.

1. Recently I noticed when I cold start it, there is a weird "cough" or "wheez" sound coming from the passenger engine side. I turn it off and restart it and never hear it again. It's only when the engine is cold. What is this?
2. Second issue. I saw two small oil drips on the garage floor last week. I looked underneath and there was a little oil on the seam between the transmission and the engine. It was definitely oil. Today, a week later, the drips are larger and more frequent. There have never been any oil drips in the 10 years I have owned it by the way but the tranny was replaced due to a power flush that fryed the original one. Don't ever power flush yours by the way.

I have read on this forum many diagnosis of everything from an oil pan gasket leaking to a rear main seal. Few of these posts document the outcome so they are of little help.
What should I expect to have to pay for fixing these leaks? I am thinking about trading it in on a new JL hybrid and even wonder if I should fix these leaks or not? The vehicle may have gotten word that I am contemplating a change and hence, the problems begin.

hornetman

I have what sounds like the same oil leak. I just had my throw out bearing go out so while I had new clutch put in I told the shop to check my rear main seal (105K 3.8), they said it was fine but the oil pan gasket was leaking so I had them replace it. Well leak is not as bad but I still have some drippings so I looked closer at it and it looks like oil is coming from vent tubing that runs from top of engine to the rear right back side of engine. There are 2 8MM bolts that attach the tubing with a gasket to the engine block. IDK if this is engine oil blow back or what. Just take a bright flash light and look up from under the passenger side to see if you have oil leaking around this vent(?) line.

azphoto

great thoughts. I’ll crawl under there tomorrow and see hopefully a leak there.

Kojack

I had 297k on my 2011 when I traded it in, same oil leak. My mechanic at the time said it would cost like 5g to fix. So I unloaded it, come to find out I could fix it in my driveway for about 150 bucks and time. I would still own that jeep. It was awesome.

karls10jk

It's still "new", I'd fix it unless you're really looking to get into the hybrid unit, then just trade it in and let the dealer handle it.I'm just over 230k miles on my 3.8 and while it's got small drips here and there, it's not enough to stop me. I'm guessing it's the lower intake manifold, but I've not investigated yet.

As far as the "cough" goes- maybe it's something in the air filter, I've not heard of that on these early motors.

Again though- if you're serious on trading it in then I'd limit what you put into it.

Skytow

And if you do decide to let it go offer it up here first! If you were closer I’d definitely take a look at it as mine is much higher mileage.

resharp001

If you really love the jeep, even a couple grand put into it @ 80k miles is monumentally cheaper than buying a new vehicle. I think our minds tend to go to the worst possible scenario when these things come up, and we look for reasons we've been waiting to trade that sucker in. That said, if you are going to trade it in, I'd clean that up and not do a thing to it.

Travis Patton

Geez, 5 grand? for an oil leak?? You should have kept the Jeep and traded in your mechanic! He obviously didn't want the job... I mean, dropping the transmission and replacing the rear main seal and the pan gasket at the same time is more like a $1000 job.

OscarMlke

the "cough" or "wheez" sound is merely your transmissions spooling up which goes away after warming up

Kojack

How true. I was ready to ditch my 2014 because of head issues and leaking coolant. Turns out, hose clamp on lower rad hose was toast, 2 dollars and I am good to go!