Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Widespread Oil Leak

[ProMac1K]

I had noticed the day I bought my truck that it had a oil leak. It goes from the oil filler, down the timing cover/case, down the oil pan, back from the oil pan along the oil pan bolts to the bellhousing area. Also the remote oil filter lines are oily and dirty. I figured at that time it was just a normal used truck leak and that I would just have to change some seals or gaskets in the future. I recently ( months ago) pressure washed the timing case off, or tried to, and the stuff seems not thick but very coherent or stuck to the metal. Now when you get down to the oil pan it isn't so dirty, more of a wet liquid film. Also the oil lines are caked with dirty oil. I've checked the rubber to metal connections on the oil filter lines and they don't seem to be leaking. What's funny is it starts way up at the oil filler and goes way to the back of the oil pan. Plus somehow gets on the oil lines. Could this be multiple problems or just one leak spreading. I wouldn't think it would be the KDP beacuse why would there have been a oil way up by the oil filler. Although, the KDP has never been addressed. I'm on the regional list I think for the jig. I sprayed that top part of the timing cover off and it hasn't gotten oily since, in that area. You wouldn't think someone spilled a bunch of oil while adding oil on a oil change would you? Any ideas would be great.



Thanks,



Trever

 

[ProMac1K]

Next one.

 

[ProMac1K]

Next.

 

[ProMac1K]

I'm going to see if I can get a new picture from the right side, and one of the oil cooler lines.

 

[dseabaugh]

From Observing your pictures it could be multiple leaks. Check to make sure your blowby tube is not stopped up. Muddaubbers did that to the tube on my forklift this summer and it got real messy quick. Also check to see that the oil filler neck extension is tight. My truck leaked oil up front when I got it and it turns out the piece under the oil fill cap is an extension tube about 4-5 inches long with an o ring underneath. I loosened the bolt, snugged it up with channelocks and that ended it. You also might change the Engine oil filter. I have had multiple fleetguard filters leak on my truck . Sometimes they get loose, sometimes they just leak and just swapping filters fixes it. . Make sure the base is clean without any dirt or grit that could keep the gasket from sealing. I quess that explains why the filters are sooo tight when we get the trucks. Good luck. I can't stand an oil leak. If it is the killer dowel pin, in most cases it would crack the case on the top right side of the cover under the alternator. Pressure washing there could get water in your oil if it is cracked.

 

[dseabaugh]

The extention tube I was talking about is pictured in your second and third pictures. you can see the steel clamp around it that keeps it from turning. If some bozo over tightens the cap sometimes it will unscrew the tube slightliy when the cap is loosened again. That is reason number 762 why no-one else gets to touch my truck any more! Quality of service guaranteed when you do it yourself. Keep in mind it takes very little oil to make a big mess. (think about cooking with pam. ) That nice big fan up front will dristribute it everywhere too. You can also put a leak detection dye in the oil and check with a blacklight to see where it is coming from if you can catch the leak quickly before the fan sprays it all over. To clean the engine put some kerosene in a pump up sprayer and soak down a warm (not hot) engine, then pressure wash. I sometimes hold a bottle of Dawn detergent into the stream of water and really suds it up, Has worked good for me for years even with my Delco haot water washer. Cold water will seldom clean anything. Watch using the pressurized kerosene as the mist is very volatile!!

 

[ProMac1K]

Thanks for replying!



I checked the blowby tube, it must be free because you can tell their has been moisture coming out of it. I checked the oil filler neck/extension and they are tight. I just changed the oil and filters. It looks like the main area is from the fan, over to the right, and down. So parallell from the fan down to the oil pan, and over to the right. Unfortunately, the worst spot looks below the idler pulley or where the engine speed sensor is. I'll attach a new photo of that.



I found a slow leak one one of the oil lines. It's up where the oil filter mounted. They've got more than one adapter on there and I can see new moisture on it after I wiped it clean the middle of the week. So that is one spot. I suppose that accumulated over time and built up with oil and road dust/dirt.



I think i'm going to start a new photo gallery. I've got umpteen pictures and probably shouldn't post them all here.



Thanks,

Trever

 

[ProMac1K]

Here's the photo gallery if anyone wants to view it.



1997 Dodge Ram 3500 Oil Leaks



Trever

 

[illflem]

Hate to say it but it looks like either the kdp got you or the timing case gasket is leaking. The kdp leak comes from underneath the fan pulley, there is no way to see the source without removing the fan pully. Sometimes it's just a slight crack that doesn't leak much. I'd be careful pressure washing that area till you find the leak, you might be injecting water into your oil system.



You can usually assume that the point or origin of a leak is the area where the oil appears closest to the front of the engine. Once the fan air hits the leaked oil it can end up much further back.

 

[dseabaugh]

Looks like a KDP leak. Check for crack in timing cover. I know a guy at Perryville that has a 97 3500 that leaked from the Killer dowel pin and he jb welded it to keep from fixing right his got so bad I saw it dripping on a customers driveway one day. The furthest point forward sometimes gives an idea. My strreing shaft seal has started to leak and it is misting the differential cover , front of engine about half way up and pan. could be if someone has done the KDP fixe that it is leaking around the bolt if they didn't seal it also. I suspected my bolt leaking one time but it turned out to be another loose filter.

 

[dseabaugh]

on One of the images I notiiced silicone sealer around the front of the oil pan. have you checked the pan bolts? 2 years ago I got a seap in the front and tightening the pan bolts took care of it luckily.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Probably dowel pin and maybe crank seal too. Sorry. Don't let the sho heat the cam gear to r&r it, or the webs will crack from the amount of heat needed to slide it onto the cam.



Big job, you are in for some expense.

 

[TPCDrafting]

These guys above are the experts, but I was in the same situation last summer. I (really me helping a good friend) did the tab method to fixing the kdp. The front cover gasket was leaking, no doubt about it, thus I chose the tab route. After fixing that I cleaned the engine using a degreaser and pressure washer. Within a few days I noticed it was still leaking. Turned out to be the seal behind the gear case. Too big a job for me, I payed the dealer to do it. 4 days on the operatin' table and $1700 later, it hasn't dripped at all since May and about 9000 miles. Either way, if you've been killed by the pin or the same situation as me, you've got some work ahead.



I'm curious, how many miles??

 

[ProMac1K]

To be honest with you I haven't checked any of the bolts. Wish it was warm enough to break out the pressure washer. Might have to later this week if it is nice out. It had 107k on it when I bought it and it hasn't gotten any better or worse. When I bought it, it looked like it had been like that for awhile. I might wait till next week to clean it though. Not in the best of mood. My grandma passed away this morning.



Trever

 

[dseabaugh]

Sorry about your Grandfather. Mine passed away 3 weeks ago at 93. Been too cold here to work outside also though I had been trying. ended up almost with Pneumonia and dr ordering to go home, go to bed, and don't get out for 2 days. I guess he knows me. Rainy drizzly weather sucks. rained all day today and 60 degrees. at least its not 38 like the last week. You might try "SLIGHTLY " overtorquing your bolts (don't want to break one off ) when you have a sunshiny day. I say slightly 'over torque" because after a bolt has set a while if it is not below torque it takes just a little extra to make it go again. you could also loosen them and then torque to specs. Gaskets get hard with age and I think they get thinner to. (my opinion).

 

[ProMac1K]

Sorry, I meant grandmother. Been sick for awhile and she just never got any better. Not good. Grandpa is not doing good also, but is alive and around.



I will try tightening them up some when I get around to it.



Thanks,

Trever

 

[dseabaugh]

Did you find your leak and put an end to it??

 

[ProMac1K]

Hey,



Thanks for bringing that up. Haven't fit any time in to do that yet. Seems i'm always doing something. Will let you know what happens when I do get to it.



Thanks again,



Trever

 

[ProMac1K]

Back for an update.



I got on the list for the KDP jig awhile ago and got it last saturday. I had some help here on Friday so we were going to go through the KDP jig process. I starting taking off the necessary parts to do the jig and I got a better look at what was going on. We found that "X" number of bolts were finger loose/finger tight on the timing cover and we found that the crank seal on the timing cover was bad and leaking some. So I took the cover off knowing that I would have to replace the crank seal and do some examining of the timing cover gasket. I figured I would just save using the jig so I wouldn't have to risk getting metal in the oil system, and just figured I would do the tab fix. Well to my astonishment, after I got the cover off, I noticed that the darn KDP hadn't budged out a bit after ~120K miles.



:--)



So I fabbed a homeade tab up and put it over the KDP and threaded the bolt in with some Threadlocker on it.



Now I just got to put the crank seal on, and assemble the timing cover to engine, and put everything back together. I also found that the piece for the remote oil filter that threads into where the old filter went was loose and the hoses going into that piece could have been tighter. I'm going to check the oil pan bolts also and probably will check the other end of the remote oil filter hoses to see if there are any loose connections.



Now the auto parts store said that I can reuse the timing cover gasket. Actually they said that there was no replacement gasket but I know there is. I shouldn't have told them that I saved the gasket and left it on the timing cover. They told me to use some Permatex Anaerobic Gasket Maker in the blue bottle for a gasket. They tried selling me some but I told them I already had some, which I do. What do you guys recommend? I think I will just use some of that or something else over the old gasket since the gasket is in place. Should I use anything around the crank seal or on the timing cover bolts?



I hope this stops the leak. At least some of the parts of the truck won't rust.



Thanks,



Trever

 

[Joe G.]

Use blue locktite around the seal where it pushes into the timing cover. Also use blue locktite on the screws for the cover. The seal goes on the crank dry.