Massive oil leak - looking for some ideas

[TX Gooseneck]

I managed to make it out to the links today for the first time in a year. My wife calls me about hole 14 and sends my game into a tailspin.

She was driving my truck, parked it at a store and there was oil everywhere under the truck. I get over there and the left underside, fender, wheel, bumper and tailgate are absolutely oil soaked. I'm crawling under the truck and it almost looked like she ran through a puddle.



I drive it to my in-laws house. Oil pressure is great, fluid level is over full Had oil changed 1600miles ago, fluid has been fine up to this point.



I pulled a P0251 code the other day and the power with the box was a very slight increase over stock.



As it got dark the visible smoke was blowing out of the blow-by tube on the driverside and dripping oil. Fuel mileage went down as well, had been averaging almost 600miles per fuel up, only saw 500 on this fuel up. Smoke was coming out with the idle and as the rpm raised the smoke stream became a steady flow. Had a buddy follow me the 10 miles home and he could see the oil leaking and covering up his windshield. Power doesn't seem as strong, but then again that could be a mental thing since I've had a box on for several months.



Pull into my driveway and my check gauges light comes on. Oil still on dipstick, but I'll have to check it out in the morning.



My white truck looks like I paid a fortune to have the tailgait given a marble treatment



Idles smooth aswell. Box is now off.



/beats head on wall

 

[p-Bar]

injector leaking by filling up crank case?? This was a common problem on the early Ford 6. 0's

 

[Roy1]

Sounds like fuel dilution. Best get a visgage on it real quick.



Roy

 

[tstc]

deja vouz?

sounds familiar! I just got my truck back from the dealer after going through the same exact symptoms (P0251, oil/diesel all over the undercarriage and tailgate, and running rough). Mine was covered by wty... repaced a bad injection pump and found #4 cylinder valves not opening completely and replaced. They also replaced a pushrod that must have been affected by all of the fuel/oil mixture that leaked through a valve seal that failed. Mine was in the shop for 15 days which also equals about 15% of the time that I have owned it(del. on 3-15-05)! Man,I don't want to become an owner of a $35,000 lemon. :{



But... truck SEEMS to be running better than ever.

 

[JHardwick]

Mine was covered by wty... repaced a bad injection pump and found #4 cylinder valves not opening completely and replaced. They also replaced a pushrod that must have been affected by all of the fuel/oil mixture that leaked through a valve seal that failed.

I think your dealer yanked you a bit.

 

[tstc]

Why do you say that?

 

[TX Gooseneck]

Is it safe to drive to the dealership?



Oil level is still up but does have a diesel smell to it.

 

[TX Gooseneck]

sounds familiar! I just got my truck back from the dealer after going through the same exact symptoms (P0251, oil/diesel all over the undercarriage and tailgate, and running rough). Mine was covered by wty... repaced a bad injection pump and found #4 cylinder valves not opening completely and replaced. They also replaced a pushrod that must have been affected by all of the fuel/oil mixture that leaked through a valve seal that failed. Mine was in the shop for 15 days which also equals about 15% of the time that I have owned it(del. on 3-15-05)! Man,I don't want to become an owner of a $35,000 lemon. :{



But... truck SEEMS to be running better than ever.

Did yours happen over time or all at once? Other than the code, there were no precursors (that I could tell) to this.

Did you have any bottom end noise?

 

[ata]

Do a search in 3rd Gen Engine and Tran's. Leaking Injectors, Fuel in crankcase, Leaking pump.

 

[Roy1]

Not knowing how much fuel you have in it and how much damage may be done I'd say tow it.

Also make damn sure they look at the lower end, ALL of them.



Roy

 

[Stretch]

Use the warrantee towing service (why take any chances?)... I've used it before on another DC vehicle and get a rental...

 

[TX Gooseneck]

I have 172,000 miles, warranty went bye bye a long time ago.



Roy,

check the lower end of?



I drove about 5 miles parked and had it towed in. I didn't want to take a chance. My wife was following me and had oil dripping off the front of her car

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I'm betting the engine is fine... put some bigger injectors in there and move on



Forrest

 

[TX Gooseneck]

LMAO!



I need to get prices on them.

 

[Roy1]

I have 172,000 miles, warranty went bye bye a long time ago.



Roy,

check the lower end of?



I drove about 5 miles parked and had it towed in. I didn't want to take a chance. My wife was following me and had oil dripping off the front of her car

Lower end, as in bearings. Depending on how much fuel you had in there and how long it was in there. There may be no damage at all. Myself, I like to be sure.



Roy

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I have 172,000 miles, warranty went bye bye a long time ago.



Roy,

check the lower end of?



I drove about 5 miles parked and had it towed in. I didn't want to take a chance. My wife was following me and had oil dripping off the front of her car

Good choice TX, I was going to suggest not driving it. Lube quality takes a major dive when diluted with fuel.



Leaky injector, that really bites Hope nothing else is hurt and you can figure out what's going on without it costing a fortune. Good luck and keep us posted.



Vaughn

 

[Forrest Nearing]

aftermarket oil pressure gauge will tell you how the bearings look... I'm sure you "put a few years on it" w/ the thinned out oil, but I'm also sure you've got some good life left in it...



you gonna pull the transmission and oil pan to check the bearings? not! LOL! you're gonna keep on driving it, and a few hundred thousand from now, if the oil pressures reading a little low, THEN worry about the bottom end.



I think it'll be fine, these are tough engines, you caught it pretty quick, and I doubt Andrea drives it the way you do



If it's damaged? you'll fix it and move on, but I really think it'll be fine



Forrest

 

[EB]

When I was farming I've had tractors that hands were driving fill up with so much diesel that it ran out the dipstick hole. Fix it, drain it, fill it back up and don't worry about it. You have several hundred thousand miles left before you need to do anything, just like Forrest Nearing said.

 

[TX Gooseneck]

aftermarket oil pressure gauge will tell you how the bearings look... I'm sure you "put a few years on it" w/ the thinned out oil, but I'm also sure you've got some good life left in it...



you gonna pull the transmission and oil pan to check the bearings? not! LOL! you're gonna keep on driving it, and a few hundred thousand from now, if the oil pressures reading a little low, THEN worry about the bottom end.



I think it'll be fine, these are tough engines, you caught it pretty quick, and I doubt Andrea drives it the way you do



If it's damaged? you'll fix it and move on, but I really think it'll be fine



Forrest

She takes it tooooo easy. Never saw the high side of 1800rpm. I get her 96 3500 out of the shop hopefully today.



My service rep thinks it's just a sticking injector. Anyone have any idea of what the OEM replacements cost? Is it like tires - replace them all at once or you'll be going back more often, and who has the best price on these? I've only called Piers up and they are asking $999 with a hefty core.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

roger that, Wade came by in my old truck and we charged up the AC and headed to the Clubhouse



I don't think he took it past 2000rpm the whole time... with that HX40, I wound out every gear to 2500 or so, even just putting around... the whole truck was so much smoother that way... it was jerkin' around like no other! LOL! but it's "his" truck now



Forrest