Oil leak

[donttreadonmebmg]

OK here it goes. I noticed yesterday the M52A2 I just bought is leaking oil from the front. seems to be around the tach cable (ns). plus it's leaking from probably the rear main. I also noticed the oil level is up above the oil full mark and it seems to be blowing a lot of oil out the crank case vent tube.

the $500.00 question is what's wrong lol.

I figure it's leaking diesel from an injector and thinning the oil and the leaky injector has washed a cylinder causing blow-by. blow-by is causing pressure to build and cause the leaks from the front and back. maybe not because the vent is allowing air to escape again I'm (ns).

OK guys let me have it give me your input.

I can take the bad news. rebuild???

When I bought it, it had some oil around the rear of the oil pan but now it has more than I like. but that's OK I can live with a little bit leaking from the rear but the front leak is far worse and needs fixed. any Idea as to how to fix this? The oil blow by is bad coming from the crank case vent tube it's all black around area below the tube and wet with oil. seems to run alright still but I don't want to run it until I change the oil or rebuild the engine.

One more question having never worked on these engines before can I re-ring it from the bottom without taking the motor out and removing the head gasket? I've done that before on big diesel farm tractors.

Well let me know and thanks guys I love this beast!

 

[doghead]

How much above the full mark is it? If you read the TMs, it tells you it should be about an inch above the full mark, after sitting for a while.

You may have fuel leaking into your oil, from the hydraulic head. Is your FDC bypassed?

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

I'll check for a bypass thanks. The oil is about an inch or better above the full mark but it had to of lost some oil. It's all over the underside of the truck. at least half a qt.

My brothers fuel pump leaked fuel into the crank case on his old truck once so may be that's what's going on here then is that what your talking about? when you describe the fuel leaking via the hydraulic head. is there a gasket or seal leaking while it's running. that would partially explain the amount of blow by exiting the vent because the oil is thin... " maybe "

I fired it up today and it really didn't seem like a lot of oil was coming out the crank case vent, so it must only blow oil under load. I'll get a better look at the leak in the front tomorrow. I'll buy a can of engine degreaser and clean the area and check for leaks but I think it's coming from around the cable that comes out the front of the engine I assume it's for the tach. may just need tightened (IDK). (I Don't Know)

I did notice it seems to crank longer and longer each time I start it up. When it was in the field where I first saw it before I bought it, it fired right up now it cranks for like 4 - 5 seconds or so. maybe it's just me but maybe the fuel is bleeding off somewhat (IDK).

thanks doghead

Any other help or suggestions would be deeply appreciated. thanks

 

[Steaminjim]

Right about the oil level should be 1" above full when cold. Had this same problem including clouds of smoke caused by oil from breather splashing on exhaust pipe.
Diesel mixing with oil was diagnosed by feeling dipstick oil. Much thinner. That was done roadside by a fellow MV'er not me. But it was easy to tell the difference once I knew what to look for and spent a few seconds with some fresh oil. It was seals in the injector pump. Hard lesson was having it rebuilt by shop - cost $1005. They did a great job even repainted it but boy was that expensive.
The manual for the injector pump is in the tech manual section. I was surprised all the places that oil went to in the injector pump.

 

[doghead]

How is your oil pressure? Has it decreased since you've been driving it? How long have you had this truck and about how many miles have you driven it? What are you useing for fuel? Are you driving it on highways and full throttle for long periods?

The first things I would do is, confirm your FDC is bypassed, and send an oil sample in for analysis(if you cant smell the fuel in the oil).

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

OK doghead

The oil pressure is good I'll find out exactly how much.
I don't think it decreased I never noted to my self where it was as far as exact PSI.

I've had the truck since July 22, 2010.

I have driven it about 120 miles

My fuel is diesel

I would say yes to driving it wide open for most of the mileage that I have put on it.

I'll check for by-pass in about an hour it's 0930 now.

thanks again

The oil seems like it's thin but not to thin. I know from changing oil in diesel trucks the oil is always really black but I'm not sure about my trucks oil viscosity now.

steaminjim, so hindsight you could have rebuilt it your self?
I'm an automotive mechanic not so much a diesel mechanic but I'm capable of doing just about what ever. I'll look into what's involved with rebuilding that unit and I'll do it. thanks.
but I would like to confirm the problem before I rebuild anything. So how do I do that or are these know to leak fuel into the engine.

it's a 1965 and has 25,000 + miles on it so its been sitting for a while lol!!!

thanks guys keep it coming.

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

OK I'm pretty sure the FDC is not bypassed.

 

[gimpyrobb]

A quick oil sample sent to get analyzed would let you know if diesel is in there. Napa has the kits.

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

OH Napa!!! wow OK I'll do that
but I do have an update I rechecked the oil and the level is down 3qts. so that kinda makes me happy
I was checking the oil wrong and had a bad reading yesterday. don't screw in the dip stick when checking oil. got it right on the stick boy do I feel stupid lol
any way I still have to deal with the oil leaking from the front.
I've cleaned the area the best I can now I'll add oil and run and check it every 5 minutes until it leaks bad enough to see where it's coming from.

again thanks to everyone for all your help I think I panicked a little but
{ I DO NOT WANT TO BLOW THIS TRUCK UP!!! }

I'll let you know what I find
Oh my oil pressure is around 50 at idle and jumps to 80 when revved. and that's how it acted when I first got it.

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

OH Napa!!! wow OK I'll do that
but I do have an update I rechecked the oil and the level is down 3qts. so that kinda makes me happy
I was checking the oil wrong and had a bad reading yesterday. don't screw in the dip stick when checking oil. got it right on the stick boy do I feel stupid lol
any way I still have to deal with the oil leaking from the front.
I've cleaned the area the best I can now I'll add oil and run and check it every 5 minutes until it leaks bad enough to see where it's coming from.

again thanks to everyone for all your help I think I panicked a little but
{ I DO NOT WANT TO BLOW THIS TRUCK UP!!! }

I'll let you know what I find
Oh my oil pressure is around 50 at idle and jumps to 80 when revved. and that's how it acted when I first got it.

 

[armytruck63]

Your oil pressure is very good, especially if those are hot readings. Many trucks idle at 30 psi or less. I used to have a non-turbo deuce that had about 8 psi oil pressure at idle. She was a tired old girl.

 

[topo]

simple test for fuel in the oil is to drop a few drops on a hot manifold . diesel evaporates quickly oil takes a little longer you can judge for your self when compared to new oil

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

thanks guys The oil pressure was taken at about 160 degrees on on the gage I assume it's off by ten psi just to be on the safe side.
I cleaned the oil off it and let it idle but no drips. I did run it around the woods tonight with my three kids and wife in it they loved it, climbing a dirt bank like nothing and idling in low range right over 5 inch diameter trees wow it was fun. so I'll check for the leak tomorrow. Proves you don't have to go fast to have fun!!!

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

Well I figured it leaks at Wide open throttle for extended periods I put another 100 miles on it without running it at WOT, say around 45-50 MPH and just a little dripping from the front seal so I'm cool with that. still got some blow-by though but not real bad.