1998 Oil Leaks

[markus]

So I found this truck on Craigslist in Arkansas. No rust. Here in MN it's impossible to find a truck of this vintage that isn't completely rusted out. So I took a chance and bought it sight-unseen and trusted what the seller told me. (Little podunk dealer in Hot Springs) The ad stated it didn't leak oil and the seller confirmed this twice in our conversation on the phone. Also said the 4x4 worked and the dash wasn't cracked, but that's a topic for a different day.

My wife asked me when I got home what was wrong with it. I said,"ask me what works, it's a shorter list". At any rate, I drove back to MN (about 900 miles). At my first fuel stop, i noticed not a little but a lot of oil. It seemed to be coming from the crank seal. I lost about three quarts driving home, but made it.

I pulled the front cover, tabbed the KDP and put a new seal in only to find it was still leaking. I realized at that point the timing case is cracked below the vacuum pump. The pump is missing the support bracket that bolts to one of the power steering pump studs and I'm assuming that is why the case cracked.

So now I have to replace the case. At this point, with 280k miles on the clock, I'm thinking I should just reseal the entire engine with the exception of the head gasket. Rear main leaks and I suspect the tappet cover may be leaking as well. (Crank seal is dry now, haha)

My question is should I pull the engine, or leave it in and pull the transmission to do the rear main? Seems like it might be easier to just pull the engine, however my 3rd gear syncro is bad, so I thought this might be a good time to pull the trans anyway. (Although I've gotten pretty good at double clutching).

Also, there is a youtube video from Deboss Garage that shows him welding the cover. I weld aluminum every day, but I'm not sure I'm that good. With a new cover being a little over $100 not sure I want to risk it.

 

[GAmes]

The case isn't just a cover. It is the mounting points for the injection pump and the vacuum pump. I wouldn't be surprised if the crack is due to the KDP. The KDP is an alignment pin (one of two) that insures the gears for the IP and VP are correctly meshed with the cam gear. If not aligned they all chew each other up. I'd do a reseal and replace the gear housing (and the KDP if it is gone).

 

[markus]

Not sure if you didn't completely read my post, but I already had the cover off and replaced the seal. The KDP was still in and I did tab it. Since there was oil everywhere and it seemed to be emanating from the crank seal (which is dry now BTW) I decided to replace that. Unfortunately I didn't realize the case was cracked until I put it back together. Since I posted this I dried it off really well and smeared Right Stuff over the crack and ran it again to see what would happen, and it also seems to be leaking farther up where the vacuum pump is bolted on, so the case might be cracked all the way up into the vacuum pump hole. It's been RTV'd, and I know there is supposed to be a gasket there, so the previous owner or someone he had working installed this thing poorly. (Along with a myriad of other things left unhooked or simply missing like the battery hold downs. I've never quite understood why it's so hard to put something back together after you have it apart.

At any rate, at this point, it seems almost as easy to pull the engine and completely re-gasket it. It's leaking from the oil cooler/filter housing, rear main, the gear case and quite possibly the vacuum pump, vacuum pump oil hose, oil pan and tappet cover. It's kinda wet everywhere. Valve cover gaskets are new and dry.

I suppose I could do it in the truck, but I think getting it out would make everything more accessible and I can clean it well. Then maybe I can get another 280k out of it before it starts springing leaks again.

So anyway to reiterate my question, should I pull the engine to do the job? Particularly since I have to remove the entire front of the truck to pull the cam anyway.

 

[GAmes]

I read it and immediately jumped to the KDP theory in my mind and forgot it. Sorry. Having the engine out of the truck definitely makes it a lot easier to work on. I found that the cam is easy to R&R if the engine is vertical and the tappet cover is removed. Clothes pins on the lifters to hold them in place and the cam lifts straight up, EZ-PZ.

 

[markus]

I'm thinking of building one of these, then I could easily rotate it vertically to do that.

 

[markus]

Also, I know the crank seal is supposed to be installed dry. Now that I've run the truck, can I clean it off with mineral spirits or something like that and install it dry again? Or is it kind of a one-use thing?

 

[GAmes]

If you are careful I suppose it is possible to reuse the seal. Don't throw away the plastic install tool. The rear seal is a dry install too. I have an engine stand that will support a Cummins. The problem was once I had it mounted I wasn't strong enough to rotate that 1000 pound block of iron, forget adding components. I ended up just putting it vertical on the floor.

 

[DonFitzwater]

X2 on taking the engine out. Just do all the hard things to get at while it’s out and you’ll be money ahead. I know all about used car dealerships in Arkansas. I feel for you!