Archived Major Oil Leak

[michaelsgreene]

My 98 has always had a little drip from various places around the engine. A few weeks ago I noticed that the trailer I was delivering had oil dripping down the side of it. The passenger/front wheel well was soaked. I was using about 1 qt every 200 miles. Later, by accident, I discovered that i could almost stop the leak by leaving the oil filler cap off. This worked for a while, but now we are back to a pretty good leak, but now quite as bad.



I cleaned it all up and then laid under it for an hour and didn't see anything. Then I drove it for an hour and there was oil everywhere. The majority of the puddle seems to be directly below the a/c compressor, although it is very difficult to tell with the oil being blown all around. Regardless, it has to be dealt with.



Dealer says: "Too much blow-by - needs a major overhaul"



I say "It runs just as strong as ever, I don't think the compression is down"



Dealer says: "Well, if you want to take a chance, we can just replace whatever is leaking. Won't know what it will cost until we get it apart, but plan on about $2000. "



I say: "Nope. I am up to $7000 in repairs so far this year. I will turn it into a lawn fixture before I will borrow more money to give you people"



So, what would it take to change all the seals/gaskets in the front end of the engine. I am thinking timing chain cover, main seal, oil pan and whatever else I haven't discovered yet.



I have experience in swapping engines, clutch jobs up to 2 1/2 ton trucks, CV joints, brakes, one complete overhaul on a Suzuki, but none of it on my Dodge/Cummins. Do you think I could handle this?



If I decide to proceed could someone give me a quick overview of the job? Do I need to pull out all three radiators? Do I have to dump the refrigerant?



What surprises are there?



Meanwhile, I am out of work. They don't pay me to park.



Thanks,



Michael

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Sure sounds like a broked timing gear cover...



The infamous dowel pin?

 

[jmeehan]

I've heard about dye's that can be used with a black light that will help find leaks. If you could find someone with the equipment it would help narrow down what needs to be fixed. I've also read, on here, about head gaskets and oil coolers leaking, but that may be more obvious then what you have.

 

[Boldt's Wagon]

Search on KDP or killer dowel pin. Look for thread discussing replacing the timing gear cover without removing the cam. Involves heating the cam gear for installation.



http://216.235.147.117/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34069&highlight=oven+and+kdp

 

[Joe G.]

Michael,



It sure sounds like the KDP fell out. If it did the leak is probably hidden by the water pump pulley. It will be in the top of the gear case on the front of the engine under the pulley. No need for an overhaul. The parts to fix it cost less than $400 I think. I don't have the URL (I'm at work) for the site with pictures and a general description of what you have to do for the job. I think I have it at home on my computer. If I can find it I will post it here.

 

[AlK]

The following URL deals with the Killer Dowel Pin.



http://www.flex.net/~triplem/new/dowelpin.htm

---

Al

 

[Joe G.]

I see Al beat me to posting the dowel pin fix URL.



The following is from an e-mail I received from Pablo Madrid before he joined this board. He discusses how to do the job without removing the cam.



"Has any one done the gear housing removal without taking out the cam? I seen my fair share of the KDP in the shop. We do the hole job without

taking the cam out. A three prone pullers (Snap On) is use to remove the gear off the cam but there is also a special tool that works way better, if you want I'll get you more info. On a truck like a box Freightliner the radiator stays but on a Dodge due to little clearance and easy removal it comes out. The gear goes back on by heating it and sliding it on to the cam.

The gear can be heated in two ways, 1- Oven, next to the truck so the gear does not cool down: 2- Propane space heater, one that can have the

elements turn up like a grill. I can't remember the temp but it's some where around 300 F, our oven is preset and for the propane heater we use welder heat sticks that melt at set temps. The oven is the easiest way, depending on the oven it could take 30-45 minutes to heat up, in the mean time you can clean some parts. The propane heater is faster about 10-15 minutes but you need to be fast because the gear will cool down faster and get stuck haft way.



You need a second hand only for a few minutes, help is need it to hold the cam from moving back and pushing out the rear cam plug. The cam is held by removing the fuel lift/trasfer pump and using a pry bar on the cam lobe and apply a little force to move the cam toward the front of the engine. The cam might move slightly but all you want is the cam not to move back when the gear is going back on. Once the gear is up to the temp, the crank and cam timing position has been set, someone is holding the cam from sliding back, you then grab the gear with high temp gloves ( Mac Tools have a great pair) and you slide the gear back on, some times have to tap it back with a plastic mallet or dead blow hammer but never with a steal hammer. It sounds complicate but we can gets this done faster. I would only recommend this to someone with experience. There are three draw back: 1- gear cooling down half way, then you have to wait 10 minutes to cool and remove it again to start all over; 2- Not aligning the crank and cam; 3- Allowing the cam to move back and pushing the rear cam plug.



Pablo A. Madrid"

 

[michaelsgreene]

Well, you were all correct. The dowel pin had fallen out into the gears and punched out a chunk of the gear housing. Thanks to Al at Piers Diesel Research in Surrey, BC for doing a fine job and more than that, for letting me watch, explaining things, answering dumb questions, and letting me hand them the occasional tool.



As long as we had it all apart, I had them put in a #10 TST cam plate and a pyrometer. Just in the cruise back home (200 mi), it is apparent to me that my usual driving habits were driving this engine "into the red" way to much.



Thanks for the immediate and accurate responses.



Michael