Excessive Oil Blow By

[basfire]

I have a 2004.5 with about 225,000 on it. I have owned this truck since 2009 when I bought it with 27,000 miles. I have taken exceptional care and it runs like its still brand new. Bottom left side(drivers) of engine is wet with some oil drippage. Above the oil pan the engine is dry and spotless. The only place I can see the oil is coming from is the Crank Case breather tube directly above and adjacent to that side of the oil pan. What would be causing this excessive oil release?

 

[Tuesdak]

Take the oil fill cap off, start engine, and see how much blowby you really have. Otherwise you may be looking for an oil leak.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

I have a 2004.5 with about 225,000 on it. I have owned this truck since 2009 when I bought it with 27,000 miles. I have taken exceptional care and it runs like its still brand new. Bottom left side(drivers) of engine is wet with some oil drippage. Above the oil pan the engine is dry and spotless. The only place I can see the oil is coming from is the Crank Case breather tube directly above and adjacent to that side of the oil pan. What would be causing this excessive oil release?

The crank case breather has a filter element in it, it can degrade over time allowing more oil vapors to pass through the outlet tube on the left lower side the engine as your describing. Assuming the truck isn't burning any oil I'd say that's the cause.

 

[Signal73]

Could be a bad turbocharger.

 

[p-Bar]

Are you running one of those awesome K&N filters?

 

[CharlesinGA]

The crank case breather has a filter element in it, it can degrade over time allowing more oil vapors to pass through the outlet tube on the left lower side the engine as your describing. Assuming the truck isn't burning any oil I'd say that's the cause.

There is no filter element in the crankcase breather of a 5.9L, its merely a baffle box. I removed mine and soaked it in mineral spirits and blew it dry. It really didn't need it though. The 6.7L does have a filter in the breather line. Large and expensive.

I learned this fact in this thread.



Charles

 

[Ozymandias]

I exchanged that filter twice on mine, there is definitely a fabric in that box.
I have to search if I can find the picture I took the last time for this occasion.

 

[Ozymandias]

Zooming in you can see it in the small holes, white filter media.

 

[basfire]

I replaced the Crankcase Breather about 10K ago last year. Looking at things again today to see if there is anything plugged, dirty etc and yes my K/N air filter

 

[sag2]

If you have been running your K&N for a while it is very possible you have dusted the engine. You need to check for blowby to see if there is damage.

 

[p-Bar]

I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news. Pull the tube between the air box and turbo and see if there is dust in there. K&N filters are not the greatest for filtration.

 

[basfire]

Tube is clean between air box and turbo. Been talking to a few shops and will be taking it in for a diagnostic. Been hearing some discouraging possibilities. I thought these engines where made to last especially if taken extra care of. Anyone recommend a solid shop around Colorado Springs, Pueblo, etc. I live in Salida, CO

 

[BigPapa]

They are great engines and made to last, but running a K&N is about the worst thing you can do to it and there's no gain to running one.

 

[Ozymandias]

Mine was wet too, all over, changed the breather filter, all good again.
Start with the cheap stuff first before tearing that thing apart for thousands of dollars.

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

View attachment 142406

Zooming in you can see it in the small holes, white filter media.

I tested my Crankcase breather element this morning, by resting the oil filler cap on the opening. It sits on top calm as can be, even when I rev the engine. But, after reading things here, I got a little paranoid. So, I ordered a new Crankcase Breather Element.
How hard are they.to get to, on my 2006?? I cannot find pictures of it on the engine, on the internet. No videos either. My 06 has around 187,000 miles.
Also, the element I ordered was $21, vs. the $147 for a Mopar one.

 

[Topzide]

Also, the element I ordered was $21, vs. the $147 for a Mopar one.

You want to trust that in your truck? If you got that off of Amazon, I would suspect that it's counterfeit! There are plenty of Cummins filters listed from $60 and up. Your truck, your choice?

 

[sag2]

Watch for an article in issue 127 on Amazon counterfeit filters. Purchase your filters from a trusted source, Dealer, Geno's Garage, or Cummins dealer if you want genuine OEM parts.

 

[p-Bar]

It's under the plastic valve cover

 

[tjm]

I am about to run this test on my 05.

https://www.cumminsforum.com/threads/how-much-blowby.8684/

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

There is no filter element in the crankcase breather of a 5.9L, its merely a baffle box. I removed mine and soaked it in mineral spirits and blew it dry. It really didn't need it though. The 6.7L does have a filter in the breather line. Large and expensive.

I learned this fact in this thread.



Charles

So, soaking it in mineral spirits should clean it out, and it should be good to be reused??

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