Oil leak on top of engine

[2500cummins]

My brother has a customers truck with a large oil leak on top of the engine, it appears to be coming from somewere below the fuel filter, its leaking bad enough he can see the oil flowing towards the back of the engine. What is on top of the engine that could leak that much oil? Are there any known problems in this area?
Its a '99 powerstroke built in 1/98

Thanks

 

[Mike]

Well the HPOP is located at the front of the engine but really shouldnt create any external leaks, there may also be what is called a HX crossover line installed on this truck. I dont think they came stock with them but alot of folks added them to equalize the injection pressure between the two heads on the fuel rails. Reading what you described in you above post I would bet there is a leaking HX line. Something to look at ASAP as there is about 3000 psi on that line and when she blows its a freakin mess. No catastrophic damage should occur, but it will make a heckuva mess for sure.

Hope that helps,

Mike

 

[2500cummins]

Were the HX lines dealer instaled or aftermarket? The truck is bone stock, no mods at all.

 

[Mike]

On my vintage truck they are an aftermarket item, on the SD's I am not positive. There are also some galley plugs but they are located on the rear and front of the heads, shouldnt be causing an accumulation of oil under the filter in the valley.

 

[smokin_stroker00]

Originally posted by 2500cummins
Were the HX lines dealer instaled or aftermarket? The truck is bone stock, no mods at all.

But one of the plugs that you would take out to install the HX lines might have blew an o-ring.

 

[Mike]

Possibly have a leaky ICP sensor also, but that would be near the front of the engine on the left bank.

 

[Dieselmaster]

There are a couple of lines that connect to the HPOP...

They can come loose or the orings blow out over time and can start leaking...

Check the lines that connect to it to see if there is any oil on the lines... then on the backside of the pump... there is a bolt.. I can't remember the size.. check it... Mine was loose and would only leak at higher RPM's... It was very tough to find... I will see if I can get a picture for you..

When trying to find my leak I totally cleaned up the motor... then started the truck to look for where it was leaking... It wouldn't leak... so I took it out for a test drive... got back and had oil all over again... cleaned it up again.. started the truck.. still no leak... had my son come out and rev the motor while I looked for a leak. I could see it dripping from the HPOP and then running down the back of the motor... I searched every line for a leak... I finally found the leak when I was over the top of the running motor and trying to be careful when I dropped the flashlight and it fell into the valley shining back at the HPOP... I could see it running from the bolt I told you about.. then it ran to the side of the pump and was dripping from the bottom... it was tough to find and see because of positioning..

Good luck... you should be able to find it.

 

[2500cummins]

This project got pushed back a few days but...

Originally posted by Dieselmaster
There are a couple of lines that connect to the HPOP...

They can come loose or the orings blow out over time and can start leaking...

Check the lines that connect to it to see if there is any oil on the lines... ... I could see it running from the bolt I told you about.. then it ran to the side of the pump and was dripping from the bottom... it was tough to find and see because of positioning..

Good luck... you should be able to find it.

I think this is it, one of the lines that go to the heads, the back one, Definately dripping off the pump...

Is it true you cant hurt one of these engines by running it out of oil? The injection system quits firing before the engine is damaged? This truck was over a gallon low on oil when it was left with my brother.

Thanks guys

 

[Swany]

Originally posted by 2500cummins
This truck was over a gallon low on oil when it was left with my brother.

Thanks guys

here's a hint, don't let your brother take your truck again

 

[2500cummins]

It's a truck my brother is working on, it was low on oil when he picked it up. His wife drove it about two miles from the customers home to his shop for other work, it was parked in front of his shop when he noticed a small lake of oil under the truck and checked the oil level, the lady who owns the truck had no idea, she probably would have run it until it quit.

 

[Dieselmaster]

Is it true you cant hurt one of these engines by running it out of oil? The injection system quits firing before the engine is damaged?

For the most part that is true...but if you are running down the highway and have a HX line blow and you loose all your oil in a quick fashion then your likely to risk breaking something.

Glad to hear you found the leak...