Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Smoke out of the vent tube, low oil pressure. What the problem?

[Blacksdieselhp]

my truck is only showing around 30-35 psi oil pressure at idle. It will get up to around normal when going down the road. Its also pumping smoke out of the vent tube on the front. The vent tube soulds like it may be a ring? What do you think?

 

[EricBu12]

That is normal Crankcase venting. the oily residue will eventually clog the radiator fins and gunk up everything..... Some have put a sock on the bottle,... . I made my Vent come out of the valve cover See this thread



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73627



The vent I did here is sorta like what the N-14 Cummins is like. The vent goes up and out of the cover and down behind the axle. There is less oil drip... you can use the bottle there if you want but the residue will be less.

 

[Blacksdieselhp]

I am familiar with the vent relocation. But this thing has excessive smoke coming out. Seems like a ring may be broke, but it runs fine.

 

[EricBu12]

Take it to Cummins if you have one near and let them look at it... ... Can't hurt

 

[NIsaacs]

Maybe you have an internal fuel leak at the injectors with the fuel contaminating the oil?? With the thinner oil/fuel mix you might get more blowby??





"NICK"

 

[Blacksdieselhp]

Yea, thought of that. I've already checked for a leak. But everything is good.

 

[PC12Driver]

30-35psi at idle seems normal to me (when the truck is warm). There's also been times that I've seen crankcase vapors in my headlights at night while stopped (vent relocated down by sway bar). Don't know if it was new oil or just the right temp/humidity. It only does it some times. After watching some of the big rigs idle and seeing some of their vent tubes puffing away I didn't feel so bad.



And by design, a leaky injector won't contaminate the oil. The leak would just get drained back to the fuel tank via the line at the very back of the head. The big rubber o-ring around the top of the injector prevenst the mixing from happening.

 

[Mactruck]

You need to talk to FireHunter. He Posted the same problem. he also feels it could be a valve or something.



We've been troubleshooting it with no answers yet.



And YES it is more than regular blowbye. We even moved his blowbye beyond the motor and now it acts like it has Dual exhaust

 

[Firehunter]

Welcome to my world, i've been trying to locate the problem for a few weeks now. i've done all the suggested test. let me know if you find a solution. my next trip is to cummins to see if they could figure it out. i went to dodge and they tryed to tell me nothing was wrong. The problem is geting worst so i'm open to any suggestion. i've posted the problem in the past and no one else seems to have the problem as bad as i do or have a solution.

 

[rweis]

What ablut doing an oil analysis? Will tell you if fuel is getting into the oil.



Bob Weis

 

[Firehunter]

thought of that, but if there was a bad injector i should feel it skip. i also did this, put the truck in third gear, power braked, brought the cluch up and really boged down the engine. if there was a bad injector i would felt it for sure when the truck boged down. maybe fuel is still getting into the oil, i think i'm going to send a sample out this week

 

[redram]

Try changing the oil - if it is fuel contaminated and you change to fresh oil then the smoke from the ccv should be less until it becomes fuel contaminated.



Have you checked your air filter for restriction or oil contamination?

What about the fuel filter?



30-35 psi oil at idle hot is fairly normal...



Good luck.

 

[Firehunter]

Just wanted to let you know that i went to a guy who is an expert with cummins diesels and after he looked at my truck he determined that it has to be a bad head gasket. A good way to check is to put your truck in gear, power brake and give fuel, while you have some do this look at the breather tube, if there puffs of smoke then it could just be one bad cylinder, if the smoke is constant then it is probaly more than one cylinder. he showed me an old head gasket that had the same problem. there was a gap between the cylinder and the push rod. i set an appointment with another dealer for monday to have them do a leak down test. that is the only way you can find out where the problem is. i also sent an oil sample out to find out if the oil in being contaminated by fuel. hope this helps , i'll let you know what the dealer says.