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Oil coming out of the dipstick!

29K views 28 replies 4 participants last post by  mopar440cu 
#1 ·
Hey Guys,
Maybe one of you can help me with a question. I have an 01 dodge 24 valve and yesterday it started spirting oil out of the dipstick bad and smoking white after I fueled it up. I know its not the puke box plugged up, because i checked that. Is there any other places I should check for maybe crankcase breathing? Or am I going down the wrong path? I took the oil cap off and its puffin out the valve cover? It never got hot or anything, what is going on?? It only has 310,000 on it.:help
 
#2 ·
High crank case pressure is caused normally by to much oil in the base not allowing the vapors to vent back to the front cover. Other things are the turbo can vent air from the compressor side to the crank case. Valve guides can leak air into the crankcase or you could have a piston scuffed and putting air into the crank case.
Your oil pan level should be 15 quarts / 14.2 liters. That is the level to the full mark.
To check the turbo, you have to isolate it and pressurize it to about 10 lbs, and if it vents into the crankcase it needs repair.
Pressurise the turbo outlet and that will test the valve guides for internal leakage, and if you release the pressure and turn it you can also find the cylinder.
The cylinder you can remove the pan and look up or remove the injectors and do a cylinder leak down test.
Just a thought!
 
#4 ·
If you have white smoke coming out the exhaust then you can remove the exhaust manifold, and see which cylinder it is, look into the turbo turbine to the ends looking for damage. Cut apart the oil filter and look for piston aluminum.
Then you have decisions to make.
 
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#6 ·
I have done a lot of these engines and changed very few injectors, if one has blown or cracked a tip it will smoke a lot but if you are already getting the puffing from the breather, it already has damaged the piston. You need to test it and fix it.
 
#9 ·
The turbo you have to block off the intake and use the plug for testing the CAC pressurise the compressor housing to about 10 lbs.
The vacuum pump I do not know I worked on trucks that did not have them.
If you are going to pull all the injectors and do a compression check, I would recommend a cylinder leak down test it will give you more information, and is a lot less mess.
 
#11 ·
What I do is a cylinder leak down test. Same set up but instead of turning the motor over to get compression you use a dial indicator and find TDC and then put shop air pressure in the cylinder and see where the air is leaking if it comes out the intake it is that valve if it comes out the exhaust it is that valve, if you put a hose into the crankcase, and you hear the leakage their then it is a cylinder problem.
You do it at TDC then BDC.
If you have air going into the adjacent cylinder then it is the head gasket, you have to pull the injectors beside the cylinder to check that, also see if the air goes into the rad, or a remote possibility it could go into the oil passage.
Valve guides you check that with a plug used to test the CAC.
 
#15 ·
John I forgot to tell you we get a head gasket replacement not too long ago due to a small leak coming out of from the head where they meet near number one piston. We just replaced the gasket and did not check the head, due to lack of funds. However the number one piston was corroded up alittle, we cleaned it off really good and put it all back together. Do think that had anything to do with it? I reAlly appreciatte the info you are giving me!!
 
#16 ·
They make a fancy leak down tester, I just use a hose, and attach it to the compression tester with the piston at TDC and BDC,
If you have an oil filler into the crank case you can stick the hose in there if not you put what ever size hose will go threw the drain galley.
You can remove the exhaust manifold or remove the turbo outlet and use a clip board cover and release to feel or even soap and water to see the bubbles.
The intake is easily opened and you can hear that one.
You can add a restrictor to the set up and check different cylinders to get an idea how bad it is, but if it is leaking it is what it is but, when you are doing it for the first time it is beneficial to see what a good cylinder is like.
 
#17 ·
John i am baffled. I tried doing a leak down test today with all the injectors out, placed the air adapter in the number one injector hole, placed the barring tool in, took off the puke box covering the injection pump, but when i tried to go to tdc the timing mark never moved. Tje toming mark on the injection gear should turn right? The crank and alternator is turning excluding the injection pump
What could cause this?? I will try to take off the front timing cover tommorrow. Thanks for amy advise! Diesel advise is very hard to find in the swamps of florida.
 
#20 ·
If you put air in the cylinder, you can hear it in the crankcase with a hose, you can hear it in the intake with taking the hose off and the exhaust remove the outlet and you can hear it or a clip board across the output flange and a little soap will tell you if that is leaking.
You have preasure in the crankcase 99% of the time it is a piston problem. When you have the head off get the valves seals and guides Checked and changed.
 
#21 ·
sounds like tha same thing that happened to me my no. 1 piston had broken rings and was allowing massive amounts or air by and lack of power. dead cylinder will give you white smoke not enough compression to fully fire the diesel so pretty broken rings would give you white smoke out exhaust and excessive crankcase pressure out the cap. when i tore mine down i saw that the piston skirt oiler was broke off and no.1 cyclinder (little plastic tube squirts oil to wrist pin)
 
#29 ·
A few Pics

See if these pics come through. I cant seem to figure out how to put them to full screen, just attachment!:help Anyhow, it looks like there is no holes in any pistons. all of them except #1 look good with no scoring. I ran out of time to go further. I will keep you guys posted. I think it is going to be either a broke ring or guessing a valve guide/seat on #1. Im leaning towards the ring.
 

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