Hi Ranger and all the Pros out there,
I got the spark plugs and wires from rockauto delivered today and I am going to swap them out tomorrow. Read numerous posts and think I got it etched into my mind. Friend is bringing over the torgue wrench and I have everything ready to go. He is also going to bring over his Ramps and while I had the car up I wanted to take a look at something else. I think I read through every post today regarding the oil leak issue (took Hours and hour) What I got from it was it that there is a possibility it is a few easy fixes (cooler lines and so forth) or else it may be something much bigger that it not worth removing the engine for. Can you guide me through checking out the different possibilities to pinpoint what is leaking. I get the small drops under the car and when underneath the oil pan is usually oily and grimey. No noticably burning oil smell. That would be great! Also do I need a special tool to swap out the fuel filter or can I follow the thread with the guy with the 02 SLS. I have a 98' Guys, I really apprieciate the help and input.
Thanks,
Greg

Best places to find the oil leak is where the lines go into the radiator and the oil pan bolts. Fuel filter should be pretty straightforward, just a couple of wrenches.

Not much I can add.

I would chance to guess, that if the oil pan is very coated, then that would be the first place to look.
Are you going through more oil than you should ? And are there oil patches under your car, below the oil pan, where you park it ?
If so. I would guess oil pan gasket.

Majority of the times it's the lower crankcase. But, check your oil pressure switch also which is on the oil filter adapter.

So the lower crankcase and the oil pan gasket are the two possibilities that it probably isn't worth fixing because of the cost, correct? That is why I what to go under there tonight and try to pinpoint the problem. So I should check where the cooler lines go into the radiator, the oil pressure switch and possibly the oil pan bolts and those are more doable if that is the problem? How can I tell if the oil pressure switch is bad?

If the switch is very wet then it is likely leaking.

And the switch is up near or behind the OIl Filter?

It's on the oil filter adapter. Look for the electrical connector.

If its the oil pan. Chances are that tightening the bolts wont fix it. Am not 100 % sure. But believe that they need to be torxed just like a tranny pan. Attempting to tighten up could result in the need to fix the gasket immediately.

I'd inspect (as mentioned before) your 2 oil cooler lines but u need to do this with the car running while there's some oil pressure to watch it seep, weep, or spray, these are usual culprits as the bottom return line uses a plastic clip inside the metal housing which can degrade/stretch/crack over time alowing oil to run down the line and onto the front subframe which can then travel to anwhere the wind takes it including your oil pan. Also, check your valve cover gaskets and spark ring o-gaskets, if you have ecessive oil buildup around the valve cover bolts it's probably time to change the gaskets. Then start worrying about half case seal and oil pan gasket leak. The half case seal is a biggie, requiring engine removal, oil pan gasket can be repairable in the car, it's just tricky and more of a small hands/acrobatics act. Goodluck!