Weird oil leak on my 93 7.3 IDI

73IDIBenoit

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My 7.3 is leaking a ton of oil in a weird spot from the front of the motor. Resealed the oil cooler a year ago, & has been fine until about 2K miles ago since last oil change.

After I put fresh oil in the truck 15-40 Rotella she started to leak abt a quart every 50 miles. Then 6 months ago after the last oil change I could tell the oil pad was leaking a ton.

It looks like the front oil cooler gasket is leaking again like it was before, but it seems to be coming from the front of the motor-there’s residual oil on top of the front oil cooler bracket casting. Truck has 225k & completely stock.

I put some Lucas leak stop in & it helped a lot, but I’m scared that I need to rip the motor out for a complete reseal except for touching the heads. Might do head studs, but it’s staying stock. Bolts on the oil cooler front 1/2 are still tight.

I am suspecting the front cover needs to be resealed.
 

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captain720

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Are your valve cover gaskets ok? If you’ve never done them they are not. Oil always leaks down and back so your looking for the furthest forward and highest wet spot.
 

73IDIBenoit

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I did the passenger side a year ago, & the driver side is leaking a tad now, but it’s toward the rear of the motor.
 

hacked89

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I can speculate but I would spend a few bucks and get a bottle of oil UV dye and be under the truck watching it once you restart to find the root cause.
 

ROCK HARVEY

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Since the problem got much worse with an oil change, have you checked to make sure that the gasket from the old oil filter didn’t get stuck to the mounting surface and interfere with your new oil filter? I had that happen once and it leaked a lot.
 

73IDIBenoit

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The old gasket came off, & at first I replaced the oil filter cuz I thought the filter gasket was leaking then I looked closer, & saw where it was coming from.
 

mexicanjoe

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Rank amateur! Thats not an oil leak! My LuLuBelle leaks so much I sealcoated the parking lot at work and for a thank you note from the boss......... But who cares? Ive got clean oil all the time.......
 

Jesus Freak

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Rank amateur! Thats not an oil leak! My LuLuBelle leaks so much I sealcoated the parking lot at work and for a thank you note from the boss......... But who cares? Ive got clean oil all the time.......
My dad's '81 f100 with a 3.8 V6 got driven about 200 miles a day 5 days a week for years and never got an oil change, but it got a new filter every couple months......... what can I say?...... like father, like son.
 

Olds64

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I've heard the heads on the 6.9l IDIs get loose and require re-torquing? Is it the same for the 7.3l? Of course, I guess that would be near the back of the engine.

If it's leaking you know there's oil in it. My coworker owned a Deuce and 1/2 that he occasionally drove to work. It leaked so much the boss finally told him to either use a drip pan, or not to drive it to work.
 

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