oil leak at bellhousing weep hole/vent??

[paulkeith]

ok, quick description. 2002 7.3 6spd 4x4

My truck's oilpan was dry as a bone when I climbed under there to do my first oil change on her. I put in 15-40 rotella, and soon after I had oil dripping from the oil pan. I figured at first my drain plug was loose, but it wasn't. Now, I have oil in the intake valley, but the oil puddles aren't deep enough to run over, if that makes sense. maybe only 1/8" deep in the low spots.

There is a lot of oil on the oil pan, dust cover, bottom of the tranny. The starter is oily and dirty, but not "fresh" oil. I traced the source of the oil thats leaking now to the two vent hole/weep hole things on the bottom of the bellhousing. Looks like i have oil pooling up in the bellhousing.

I have reached up onto the top of the bellhousing and turbo pedestal area, and I can't feel oil coming down from there. The pedestal is dry. Like i said I know i have oil in the valley, but i dont think its enough to leak down the back of the motor and onto the tranny/starter. The hpop lines are dry, so I suspect it may be a slow leak at the hpop bolts or gaskets.

SO...If i have oil IN the bellhousing, is that for sure the rear main? Or can oil somehow get from the valley into the bellhousing?

I'm afraid to admit it, but I think I have a slow leak at the hpop and a fast leak at the rear main. Yesterday the bellhousing holes were leaking fast enough to make a 3-4" puddle in 20 minutes. I cleaned EVERYTHING and now its a good bit slower, but still dripping.

Why would all this have started after I changed the oil? Was the old oil a much higher viscosity? Is there a higher viscosity available? The underside of the truck is pretty clean, so I'm wondering if the dealer I bought it from cleaned it and filled her up with a really high weight oil?


sorry for the marathon post. cliffs notes: oil leaking out of bellhousing holes = rear main? or possibly intake valley leaks?

thanks in advance
Paul

 

[Tbar]

SO...If i have oil IN the bellhousing, is that for sure the rear main? Or can oil somehow get from the valley into the bellhousing?

I suspect your oil coming out the bell housing cover originates from the top side. You might have spilled some oil in the course of refilling the crank case. If not............keep looking topside.

Oil and fuel leaks topside exit the bell housing cover.


Tbar

 

[RSG]

Same truck (with auto tranny), and I've had two leaks like you describe, under warranty:
1. high pressure oil pump 0-rings
2. drain plug washer

#1 sure seemed like a rear main, since it comes out where you described.

Last time I changed oil, I saw more down there... (but not puddling like you describe, in fact in never hits the ground, yet... )

 

[paulkeith]

so...after about an hour on my back and a whole roll of paper towels, i got the underside spotless. Fired up the engine, took it for a spin around the block, parked, immediately got under...and watched. Sure enough, a droplet formed at the oilpan/starter/engine block area. wiped it away, and it kept forming. This confirmed that it was a topside leak. From this location it could get into the bellhousing.

So, back up to the topside. Following advice from the forum, I had a friend rev the engine while I watched the HPOP. Sure enough, only over ~2000rpm, the line towards the front of the engine/truck leaked, pretty quickly too.

Even though I thought the pools of oil in the intake valley were not high enough to run over, I found that just the force from acceleration made them run over. Still didn't seem wet enough on the back of the block/top of the bellhousing area for that much oil to be running down there, but i must just not have been able to get my hand on the spot.

so...how do i fix the leak? its leaking where the fitting meets the hpop.

Paul

 

[RSG]

So, back up to the topside. Following advice from the forum, I had a friend rev the engine while I watched the HPOP. Sure enough, only over ~2000rpm, the line towards the front of the engine/truck leaked, pretty quickly too.

so...how do i fix the leak? its leaking where the fitting meets the hpop.
Paul

Here are the o-rings: http://www.itpdiesel.com/store.php?crn=170
Maybe there is a WIKI article on this: (http://superdutydiesel.com/wiki2/tiki-index.php) but I can't find on a quick search

 

[paulkeith]

does anyone have an exploded view of the fittings?

i'm confused about where the oring is. is the oring on the threaded fitting in the hpop? or on the quick disco? which part has the disco? where do i get a disco tool? do i need to remove anythign else to gain access that's goign to need a new oring to put it back together?


Do i need the quick disco tool? Can the fitting be removed from the pump without discoing the line? Is the locktite necessary?

 

[paulkeith]

alright, found a picture of the fittings and where the orings go... does anyone know where I can buy the 2 orings plus the locktite as one kit? found one place on the internet for 29 dollars. better to just get the orings from a cat/truck place and pick up some locktite seperately?

thanks,
Paul

 

[juniper007]

paulkeith, can you please take a picture,I too have developed an oil leak like yours as well,same exact symptoms.Big THANKS.

 

[paulkeith]

is the hydraulic line disco tool a must for this task? or can i do it without having to disconnect the lines from the fittings? anyone ever done it without?

 

[juniper007]

Yes,anyone. Do I need to rent a special tool to do this task?