Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) crankcase overthflow bottle

[Tractorat]

I just emptied the crankcase overflow bottle myself (never even looked in it before, always just had the guy changing the oil do it (at least I hope he was doing it). Anyway, it was looking pretty oily around the bottle, and I expected it to be pretty full. To my surprise, I found that the bottle has holes spaced up and down the bottle, with the bottom hole being what I consider to be pretty low. Not being in my right brain at the time, since the bottle wasnt full up to the neck, I didnt notice if the oil came up to the bottom hole or not. It had some white stuff in it that I think may have just been degreaser that I sprayed down near the bottle the other day trying to clean things up.



Anyway, is there any rule of thumb about how long it takes to fill the overflow bottle to the bottom hole ? And now the really dumb question. Just what exactly causes oil to flow into the bottle. I understand that it is blow by in the engine. But are the any particular circumstances that cause the blow by ? Bad rings ? Or maybe just climbing hills pulling a load ? Running at higher than normal RPM's ?



TRat

 

[Crazy Horse]

What you may want to do is relocate the bottle somewhere else. I moved mine in front of the LF tire w/ the truck was new. No more mess on the engine with the air flow through the radiator. I empty mine about every 3-4 months now and no mess. Here's an elow I put in to feed over to the wheel well.



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This is the remounted location.



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[Tractorat]

Thanks, the pictures are helpfull. I do intend to move the bottle this weekend. Wish I had done that a couple of years ago.



Mike

 

[Crazy Horse]

One thing you may want to do is clean the radiator on both sides. It gets loaded up with crap from the oil mist that comes off that bottle when it's on the front of the motor. I used some spray A/C condensor cleaner. It foams up when sprayed on and lifts the dirt. After it sat for about 5 minutes I sprayed it off good with the water hose. I couldn't believe the crap that stuck to radiator over the years. Keep in mind mine has been relocated since the truck was new.

 

[Tractorat]

Spray a/c cleaner. Does that work as well or better than brake cleaner or engine degreaser ? And is it something that I can get at Shucks ?

 

[JRihani]

Crazy Horse,



MAN that is a CLEAN truck!! I haven't relocated my bottle and the front of my engine looks really gross compared to those pictures. I guess I need to relocate it and then do some major degreasing.



I seem to have a really slow seep out of some of my oil pan bolts... have you ever experienced that? Should I just torque them back to spec and watch them?



Thanks!

John

 

[Crazy Horse]

Tractorat,

Brake Kleen may work well as I do use it on allot of other things, but I thought I'd try the condensor spray on cleaner. . . maybe being a little gentler chemical wise on the radiator.



JRihani,

those pictures were taken when the truck was new. I did snug up all the bolts on the valve cover, oil pan, and trans pan when the truck was new. They are all bone dry today.



One thing you have to be sure about is to not have any kinks in the hose you run. Restricked vent hose will prevent the crankcase from venting properly and cause oil leaks in other areas. That is why I use the plastic 90 deg elbow in the one photo.

 

[Thomas]

... are the any particular circumstances that cause the blow by...

Running the engine—it's the nature of the beast.

... Just what exactly causes oil to flow into the bottle...

Shutting the engine off—when the engine runs the blowby vents out of the holes in the bottle. Shut the engine off and some of the oil coating the inside of the crankcase breather hose runs down the inside of the hose. Prior to the introduction of the bottle model year 2000 oil running down the inside of the hose could end up as oil dripping on whatever surface the truck sat on (driveway, etc. ). The bottle is D/C's crude attempt to catch the drip.

You never see most of the oil that blows out of the engine vent—it's left somewhere along the path you have traveled.