Blow by bottle

[KKaiser]

Hi Folks,



First posting, first time diesel owner. My one week old 2500 with all of 235 miles on it, is dripping oil from the front of the engine all over my previously virgin driveway. It seems to be coming from a plastic bottle on the front of the engine. I'm assuming that this is the blow by bottle. Is this usual for a new vehicle to fill the bottle right away? The oil level is dead even with the full mark and has been since day one. I've been driving fairly mellow, no WOT at all, no towing, light loads. The only thing unusual has been some rather steep ascent/descent off road, could this be the cause? I did a search on the subject and noticed several references to removing the bottle, doesn't this just let oil puke onto the ground? Is draining the bottle a regular maintanence item?



Thanks for any help,



Kent Kaiser

01 2500 4X4 Automatic

 

[Big Jon]

Kent,



I just changed the oil in mine for the second time. First was at 600 miles and I didn't fuss with the blow by bottle at all. Today it's got 3100 miles on it and I did remove the blow by bottle (!!%$@#&*#@!! moron that designed it should be boiled in oil) and found it to contain approximately one tablespoon of oil.



I dunno, maybe I've got a real tight engine and the rings are seating in nicely, but it sounds to me that your description indicates something abnormal. I'm sure you'll get a few more comments from members smarter than me, but my suggestion would be to call the local Cummins dealer and ask their service manager to comment on what you've got. If he says it's abnormal, than arm yourself with that information and tell your local Chrysler dealer to deal with it under warranty.



How steep an ascent/decent are you talking about (compared to say, a eight percent grade)?



Good luck,



Jon

 

[HEMI 71 GTX]

Well when my truck was new it was leaking oil. Turned out to be a bad (warped)access side cover(driver side of the engine and real big cover. . ). It is a 12 hr job to change it. I hope for your sake it isn't that. Since the next problem I had was a complete failure of #6 and a new short block... . The dealer will add some die and you can find out exactly where the leak is coming from... Blow by bottle should not be full @ 235 miles. Did you check to make sure it is tight or make sure it is not cracked since u can unscrew it in about 5 secs... . ?

 

[Shooter]

Welcome:



steep grades will cause oil to run out of the breather as it is lower than the valve cover. You will want to relocate the breather and deposit it some where besides behind the fan. Eliminate that pos bottle as it will cover the engine and bay with oil and vapor residue. Do a search and you will come up with a lot of ideas of how and where. If you don't relocate it by the 2nd or 3rd oil change your lower engine and drive train will look like a 20 yr old chevy.



note: your oil pick up is in the rear of the pan so watch your oil pressure while doing steep decents, if you are dumping oil out the front you are probably starving the oil pick up.

 

[TomGolden]

Kent, don'tn get too alarmed, it may very well be normal. My 2001 has 21000 mile sin it as of this weekend, I have always changed my own oil and cleaned the breather bottle every oil change. Every time, within 500 miles, the bottle gets enough oil into it that as others here have said, the front part of the engine and bottom of everything is covered in oil and sometimes is enough to drip on my garage floor.



This morning, I replaced the entire breather assembly with about 3 feet of 3/4" heater hose, and routed it so that the open end of the hose hangs down just in front of the front differential. No breather bottle. I posted the same question a couple weeks ago, and most all the replies said to just leave the hose open ended and don't worry about any slight drips.



I'll make my own determineation as to what I think of this idea over time, but wanted to pas along my experiences for your information.



Enjoy your first "real" pickup

Diesels Rock!!



Tom

 

[KKaiser]

Thanks to all replies. The grades I was refering to were on the order of a two to one cut, roughly thirty degrees not percent, (I said they were steep!). So I'm assuming that is probably the source of the instantly full bottle. Next time I'll pay attention to the oil pressure gauge. The truck had no problem negotiating them by the way.



I'll probably extend/reroute the hose after paying attention to the bottle in the weeks to come. Is there an after market bottle that's not such a POS?



Tom Golden, I live in Rescue and drive through Diamond every morning on my way to work in Pleasant Valley. Small world!



Thanks again,

Kent Kaiser

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Mine was always full dripping for the first 8k miles or so. I have since ditched that bottle and used a hose straight down which has worked great.

 

[nps]

Kent,



I don't think your leak is normal. I too had the same indications since day 1 (day 1 was 8 miles on the ODO).



I went through denial, and then after reviewing the threads on TDR decided to remove the bottle to no avail (still think loosing the bottle is a good idea).



Finally went for the dreaded drive to the dealer. Initial diagnosis from them was front seal - I thought it was the timing cover. No matter - either way they will get to the problem because the same bits need to come off. Talking with the tech after the deed was done - he said that the timing cover bolts were finger tight (thanks Cummins Quality Control). Maybe I could have just tightened them and saved the hassle - who knows now?



The process requires the entire front end to come off - bumper, AC condensor, intercooler, radiator - to get the timing cover off. Even if it is just a front seal the timing cover still needs to come off (unlike most gasser motors where the seal can be R&Red with just the balancer removed) because the cover is too flimsy to drive in the new seal without some backing support.



After I got it back one of the intercooler hoses blew off (oil under the rubber). Just can't get good help these days. To make good I got a free detailing job from the dealer but would give up 10 free detailings if I never had to take it into the dealer in the first place.



My suggestion - save your driveway and fix the leak sooner than later. My wife tells me that I have to top coat the drive since I spotted it all up. Thinking I'll get the DC rep to help since it was partially their fault.



Neil

 

[Bob Cochran]

18,000 miles on mine and done my oil changes and never had more than a teaspoon or 2 of oil in the bottle. Long time ago before the revision of this site I think it was a guy that did survey work and went up and down some very step grades. He had the problem with bottle filling up and leaking and I think he notice oil pressure dip also but don't remember for sure.

 

[Peter Dunn]

just a reminder to everyone this crankcase breather stinks I have talked to cummins several times and to no evail. This is what I did. Take a empty tylenol bottle the big one they sell cut the hole in the top and install that and remember only put two holes in the top near the sides so it can breath. The problem with the original is that the holes in it are to low and the fan pulls all that messy goo out of the bottle. The cummins rep I talked to said becareful not to extend the tube down away from the engine because in the winter months the vapor will freeze and could cause the seals to blow in the engine. Of course that for us who live in the northern climates.

 

[TomGolden]

Hi again Kent,



Guess I should have read your info! Didn't even see that we're neighbors There is a big Mopar day races, etc. at the Sacto drag strip on August 25th if you're interested in meeting a bunch of us, checking out lots of BOMBed trucks, etc. Check under the Local Events section for a thread posted by "Drivers Mopars" who is another Placerville area TDR member.



Look forward to meeting you sometime.



Tom