Oil Leak

[Rodd]

Okay guy's my oil leak coming from my oil cooler and lines was fixed w/ a new oil cooler 8 months ago. I thought I had one coming from somewhere else but it wasn't that bad. I am now looking to track that one down. I will post some pictures once my camera battery recharges.

The leak is not bad enough to drip on my driveway. I can see oil on the inside of my cross over and the exhaust right next to it as well as on the starter. I think the exhaust is burning the oil preventing it to leak on the ground. There is also some oil closer to the front on the linkage area of the passenger side. I talked to 1999gmc and he said that it could be seeping out at the back corner of the head gasket on the passenger side.

Any thoughts? I will get the pics as soon as the battery recharges.

 

[Matt Bachand]

Did you replace oil cooler with a SS kit from Leroy or Greg? Or OEM?

 

[Rodd]

Did you replace oil cooler with a SS kit from Leroy or Greg? Or OEM?

Lube Specialist. The pics and how to are in the stickies.

 

[Matt Bachand]

Ok then Other common leak points are oil filter adapter, turbo return line is by the starter... Front seal, rear seal, oil pan.

 

[Matt Bachand]

BTW, in the stickies, it goes as far as you cutting the oil cooler out, and then says continued, but I can't find the continuation.

Also if any mods read this thread, that Technical library that has alot of DIY's and 'How To's should be labeled so.

I didn't even know this area existed until just now. I'm sure i'm not the only one.

 

[mfgguru]

Valve cover gaskets can be tricky to diagnos sometimes as the oil, like you said, burns off without dripping. Just a thought.

 

[Rodd]

Ok then Other common leak points are oil filter adapter, turbo return line is by the starter... Front seal, rear seal, oil pan.

I added an oil filter bypass/relocation at the same time as the oil cooler and have rechecked everything there and it's not leaking. It could be the turbo return line since the starter area is the worst.

My battery just finished recharging so I will take some pics and hopefully that will help narrow it down.

 

[Rodd]

Valve cover gaskets can be tricky to diagnos sometimes as the oil, like you said, burns off without dripping. Just a thought.

I checked those and they are dirty but no oil.

 

[Rodd]

BTW, in the stickies, it goes as far as you cutting the oil cooler out, and then says continued, but I can't find the continuation.

Also if any mods read this thread, that Technical library that has alot of DIY's and 'How To's should be labeled so.

I didn't even know this area existed until just now. I'm sure i'm not the only one.

I haven't checked the sticky's since they added it I'll have to check it out cuz it was all there w/ pics.

 

[Rodd]

Here is the starter

Starter and above it

oil pan

Inside frame next to starter

Turbo oil return

 

[Rodd]

If I had to guess I would say it is the turbo oil return line. There is a rubber hose that is double clamped above what can be seen in the last photo that is oily as well. What do you guy's think?

 

[JiFaire]

That would be my next place to look, Rodd. When i took mine apart, it wasn't even clamped properly... the rubber line was just butted up to the steel pipe and the clamp was on the rubber line only.

I've seen a few others just like that, too. Also, the gasket between the turbo and the pipe needs to be in good shape, and yours looks wet...

 

[JiFaire]

BTW, in the stickies, it goes as far as you cutting the oil cooler out, and then says continued, but I can't find the continuation.

If anybody finds it, let me know and I'll glue the two together.

Also if any mods read this thread, that Technical library that has alot of DIY's and 'How To's should be labeled so.

I didn't even know this area existed until just now. I'm sure i'm not the only one.

Uh, do you mean we missed labeling things in the technical library, or did you want a new name for the technical library?

Something like 'Technical library, acronyms, definitions, DIYs, How-To's, pictures of parts, and other related stuff like that there'?

Sorry... my smart-alec nature gets me in a lot of trouble...

Seriously, is it misplaced or just not clearly labeled, Matt? We wanted to start everything off from there, so a member could just look up the item in the index, get definitions and acronyms, and then branch down to related threads, DIYs, or Picture threads.

We're also looking for any good DIY and picture threads to include.

And suggestions are ALWAYS welcome... sometimes an easy target for the resident smart-alec, but always welcome!

 

[Rodd]

That would be my next place to look, Rodd. When i took mine apart, it wasn't even clamped properly... the rubber line was just butted up to the steel pipe and the clamp was on the rubber line only.

I've seen a few others just like that, too. Also, the gasket between the turbo and the pipe needs to be in good shape, and yours looks wet...

When I replaced the injectors the gasket got torn. Tim said to use a little RTV on it. That could also be the place it is coming from. Do you know the name or p/n for that gasket and where to pick one up?

Thanks!

 

[Odlaw]

When I replaced the injectors the gasket got torn. Tim said to use a little RTV on it. That could also be the place it is coming from. Do you know the name or p/n for that gasket and where to pick one up?

Thanks!

X2 on that gasket info - I've made three different ones out of three different (but all high quality) types of material.....I was assured on all three they would work perfect. All three started to squeeze out a little and then they start leaking. It's pretty thin material too - not like it's too thick.

 

[mitchedo]

When I replaced the injectors the gasket got torn. Tim said to use a little RTV on it. That could also be the place it is coming from. Do you know the name or p/n for that gasket and where to pick one up?

Thanks!

I have purchased two recently from the local stealer. I don't have the part number handy, but it's the upper turbo oil return gasket. Make sure you tell them it's the upper one. It costs about $3.60. It's not thick at all. I use that old-school purpley-brown Permatex gasket sealer on the tube end, and left the turbo end dry, thinking I could remove the turbo without replacing the gasket. At $3.60, I would never remove the turbo without replacing that gasket. Mine's not leaking even without the goop on top.

I used that goop on the inside of the hose at the bottom of that tube too. No leaks there, and the goop makes sliding the hose on easy-peasy.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Besides the leak on the turbo return line it looks to me like you have a leak coming from the valley and running off the back of the engine. I'd recheck valve covers and IP.

 

[Rodd]

Thanks for the advise and info everyone.

 

[Matt Bachand]

If anybody finds it, let me know and I'll glue the two together.



Uh, do you mean we missed labeling things in the technical library, or did you want a new name for the technical library?

Something like 'Technical library, acronyms, definitions, DIYs, How-To's, pictures of parts, and other related stuff like that there'?

Sorry... my smart-alec nature gets me in a lot of trouble...

Seriously, is it misplaced or just not clearly labeled, Matt? We wanted to start everything off from there, so a member could just look up the item in the index, get definitions and acronyms, and then branch down to related threads, DIYs, or Picture threads.

We're also looking for any good DIY and picture threads to include.

And suggestions are ALWAYS welcome... sometimes an easy target for the resident smart-alec, but always welcome!

Indeed.
'Technical library - Acronyms, Definitions, DIY's & How to's

Something like that. Like I said, even I didn't know it was there.

Also on Odlaw's garage is a good How To for Harmonic Balancer R&R. Perhaps he can make that a thread for the Sticky's as thats missing too.

Great area, like i said, i never knew all that info was up there simply by 'technical library'...

Sorry thread hyjack.

I would start by cleaning up that oil return area if it were my rig.

 

[Veg_Out]

I have a very similar leak. As I reach around underneath the fuel manager, I find wetness there. I'm beginning to think that my fuel manager is leaking, and as the diesel runs down the valley and off the back of the motor, it soaks up all the oil and gunk and dirt and grime, and looks like an oil leak.

This is the denial I am trying in order to avoid the rear main. Mine for sure was not the 4WD adapter. I replaced it.