Unfixable Oil leak

[CraigZi]

Guys,
I really need your help. I've had my truck for 18K miles now. Almost from the beginning, there has been a persistent oil seep. Oil collects on the bottom of the bell housing. I say collects because the leak never gets bad enough to even drip on the garage floor. So it must be a pressure thing. I've had two different dealers each work on this. One dealer even dropped the transmission to examine the rear main and said it was dry as a bone. One dealer kept telling me that it was running back from my cranckase vent tube. It was clean fresh oil so I did not think that was it. But just to shut him up, I bought the crankase bottle kit from Geno's which if nothing else, eliminate the oil film all over the front of my engine. Guess what, the oil is still collecting on my bell housing. When I look up from underneath, I would swear it was coming from the rear of the oil pan as their are drip from the edge of the oil pan itself. But they've changed the gasket once and put on a whole new oil pan the second time. I took it to Cummins dealer once who also said it was the oil pan. Can two different dealers be equally incompetent? I guess I know the answer to that but what are the chances? I am now justified to go to arbitration but this vehicle was purchased to two my fifth wheel and a lot of extra work and stuff wnet into it that I would never get credit for.
Anything you guys can tell me will be great.
thanks,
Craig

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Craig
2000 2500 QC, SLT, SB, 4X4, 5 spd, 410, Geno's combo boost and EGT on A pillar, Rhino lined, Patriot Blue life support system for my 5+ ton fifth wheel

 

[FIGHT'N IRISH]

I am new to this, and definately mechanically uh how do I say this nicely... retarded!!! I too have a small leak, and actually found it myself #ad
It is coming from the front/rear pinion seal. Hope this helps, as I think they are in the same area. Going to the dealer Monday the 5th for my 1st warranty fix... Hope all goes well.

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2001. 5 QC,LB,5spd... 4X4 Patriot Blue.
Mother Made Ya, Mother F#@$ YA

 

[radixr]

I assume you have checked to see that it is not coming from above (valve cover).

 

[Chad Sheets]

Leaks but leaves no spots when you park it. Take that to court and they will laugh at you. If a guy cant win because a transmission blows up, you can kiss any hopes of winning an oil leak law suit out the door.

I know its harsh, but its the truth and someone needs to make that clear. Now with that out of the way, lets get this fixed!

Oil pan has been replaced you say. Lets rule that out since the probability of 2 pans being bad is almost non existent.

Rear main seal is dry, so throw that out.

Pan gasket is new, so lets dismiss that one as well.

Where else could oil come from? You have the oil filter on the passenger side with all the lines and such required to make it operate. You have the valve cover on top. You have the turbo oil feed line on the passenger side as well. You also have a pipe plug on the block that is an oil pressure test port, but I am not sure about the location of it. If you are 100% sure the leak is coming from the rear pan area, it could be a scratch in the block gasket sealing surface, but it would have to be so big that one would think it would be visible when replacing the pan and pan gasket. Are the valve cover bolts tight? How about pan bolts? Are the pan bolt holes drilled and tapped to the correct length? It could be almost anything the mind could immagine. You need to get under the hood and do some checking with some tools.

I have had pulled my hair out on several occasions trying to fix/find oil leaks. I suggest you thoroughly clean the engine area up with some sort of oil cutting cleaner. After you get everything spit shined like new and dry as a bone, take the beast for a short, low speed spin. Have a light ready and crawl under it and examine what you find. Be prepared to chase any drips or oil lines with a light and mirror. One of your wife/girlfriend/mistress make up kit mirrors will be perfect.

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Always ready to help!
2000 2500 Red Sport quad cab, 4x4, K&N, DDI's, straight piped, boost, pyro and fuel pressure gages, Hot Power Edge, EZ box, mean looking set of 33. 5" tires, Snap On diamond tool box, Marine Corps window sticker, Semper Fi!

1972 340 Cuda'. Original tripple Black, 340 car w/air. Good clean car, super stock springs, Weld Prostars, shaker hood, strong 340 with a 727/4000 stahl, 4. 56... . Bombs away!
NRA Life Member
My Diesel Page

 

[ramman]

I've also had an on going oil leak,first it was the timing cover gasket which the dealer recently fixed and now it appears to be the gasket between the vac/ps pump stack,a small leak that trails back and drips off at the bottom weep hole in the bell housing. Not a bad leak just makes the engine oiley and usually one or two drips when left over night.

 

[Bart Timothy]

If the leak is on the front of the engine it could also be the head gasket. That's what happend to mine - no oil in the coolant, no cylinders compromised - just oil blowing out between the head and block right above the fan assembly.

 

[RKohn]

Something to help find that elusive leak - get a can of spray on foot powder and dust the whole engine white and take it for a spin. Even a small leak will be easy to spot. Just hose it off when you're done.

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Y2K Red Stealth Sport 2500 4X4 QC SLT+, 5-spd, 3. 54 anti-spin, 265-75-16 LTX’s (There ain’t no such thing as options, cause ya gotta have it all, including: DC’s dead cow/vinyl interior and don’t stop anti-lock brakes. ) Stock, but not for long. Oops, too late. What silencer ring? (More fun than my 98 SST)

[This message has been edited by RKohn (edited 02-04-2001). ]