What is this sound?
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
Probably a bit late with this, but might be related. A stuck PCV valve (doesn't rattle when shaken) can cause pressure to build up in the crankcase. This pressure can force oil past the rear main seal. Just curious, but how long before failure since you checked your engine oil level? Is it possible you were blowing out your oil without noticing it? Not meaning to embarrass you, but perhaps prevent others from a similar fate.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs, CO
I had just changed my oil about 500 miles ago. When I changed it last there was about 5 quarts in the motor. The motor has always burned oil but I kept an eye on it to make sure it was not getting to low. I will be checking the PCV valve as I tear this thing apart.
JK Junkie
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,199
Likes: 218
From: Over the hill
That's a rod. Pull the pan and take the caps off one at a time to inspect the crank. As long as there is no damage to the crank you can get away with rod bearings, no need to pull the motor. You can clean the crank with some Emory cloth if necessary, sometimes there's a little build up of the bearings on the journals. You should also check your PCV system, a sticking PCV valve will suck the oil right out of the crankcase and the first thing to go is usually the rod bearings. I've put rod bearings in about a dozen 3.8's and have had no issues. Good luck.
Asking because I had a weird minor incident a few weeks ago on a trip: Driving in 4lo, ~1000 RPM, it starts running rough, and the engine check light and the e-throttle light come on. Shut it down, check the code (I carry a scan tool), and it's a code for a vacuum leak (along with another code that was the result of the detecting a vacuum leak). Check the oil out of habit, may have lost a tiny bit of oil but it's hard to tell. Start it up and it's runs fine, lights clear. I thought it might have been the PCV sticking open that set off the code for a vacuum leak since there's nothing external leaking. No further problems the rest of the vacation, but first chance on the way home (~1000 miles) I picked up a new PCV and installed it just in case. Maybe I dodged a bullet...
