2002 Ranger XLT, Super Cab, 4X4, 4.0L SOHC V-6, 5-speed manual transmission.
Noticed burnt oil smell. Checking under truck revealed oil drips on garage floor from rear area of engine. Traced to rear corner of left valve cover, but can't see enough of the rear of the engine top-end to say for sure where it may be coming from.
Before I put the truck in the shop for repair, does anyone have advice regarding where the oil may potentially be coming from on this particular engine? (I checked; the valve cover fasteners are secure) Any "chronic" oil leak problems with this model engine, or anything?
Thanks in advance.

 

Not sure if there is a chronic problem, but I have the same problem. Bolts are tight. I have heard of some rust issues on the valve cover. I see a rust spot on mine, but haven't looked into it yet. I will probably get a better look this week, as I am doing other maintenance on mine now. Doesn't look like an easy job for valve cover removal. I will update as I go. Cheers..I have a 00 XLT 4.0..

 

I am not sure if the Ranger 4.0l has it in the same place as the Explorer 4.0l or not. On my moms 03' Explorer 4.0l SOHC she had a similar oil leak coming from the back of the engine at the drivers side. I got new valve cover gaskets and figured that was probably the issue. When I had everything pulled apart it iurned out where the PCV valve went into the rear of the valve cover is where it was leaking from. The valve cover is plastic and the PCV valve is obviously plastic too. It has some kind of half turn deal to secure it in place. Well that egged out in the valve cover from being loose so the oil was being pushed past that.

It was the weekend and I needed to get it fixed. I bought a new PCV valve, scuffed everything up, cleaned everything well with acetone and installed the new PCV valve with some Permatex ultra black. really I should have replaced the valve cover but I didn't have time to source one and fix it before Monday. The fix has been holding for over a year now.

 

Thanks, dkf.
That PCV sounds like a good possibility. We'll see..