I have noticed a small drip under the truck lately and decided to check it out. There is alot of oil in the rear of the motor and seems to be dripping from the cover in front of the torque converter. The rear of the oil pan seems real wet, and there is oil present as high if not higher than the starter. There is no noticable oil on top of the motor or in the valley. Seems to me it could be a rear main or a oil pan issue. Im really hoping its not a bad oil pan, not cheap. Are there any other seals I could be missing back there that could leak this little? I have went from 15w40 to synthetic 0w40 in the last couple weeks so maybe the lighter weight oil is leaking easier now.
Oil leak behind engine....
- Thread starter ProXJC
- Start date
DaveBen
SDD Senior Member
Wipe up some of the oil that is ready to drip and smell it. If it has a diesel smell to it, it is engine oil that is dripping off the turbocharger stand and running down the back of the engine. I would bet it is this.
Dave
Dave
Check for fuel leaking from the fuel filter water drain valve assembly (O rings). Fuel will migrate back along the passenger side oil rail/head... run down the back of the head, near the starter..then down the bell housing.. collecting grit & grime along the way.. drip from the lowest point... making you {think} it's an Oil leak.
There's a water drain valve rebuild kit available from Ford.. and/or other parts vendors.
Joe
There's a water drain valve rebuild kit available from Ford.. and/or other parts vendors.
Joe
RandyH
Full Access Member
When I had my '99 7.3, it developed a really bad leak at one of the rear oil rail galley plugs and drained off the back of the engine. The o-ring had developed a break and leaked like crazy. Turned out to be something like a $7 part for the plug with new o-ring. Hard to see without a mirror or reaching your hand back there past the valve covers to see if oily or not. It is a large diameter plug with a square drive recess in the middle to accommodate a ratchet. Might be worth checking. Randy
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Well I have a small update. I took the truck to the local shop and at first they thought it was the turbo leaking, 200 labor plus parts. Then they changed there mind and said it looked like the valve cover gaskets, 550 labor and parts. I have done this before and decided to pick the truck up and do it this weekend. I started to remove the intercooler hose and did some looking on the passenger side valve cover. Im not sold that it is the valve cover gaskets, specaily both of them. It looks more wet around the intake manifold and around the turbo, there is a small puddle of oil in the rear valley, the top and sides of the turbo seem dry.
RandyH the plug you referenced seems dry, BigJoe the fuel filter area is also dry, that was fixed last year.
Im wondering if oil has been leaking out of the intercooler hose connections. I think Im going to clean it up well this afternoon and watch it.
RandyH the plug you referenced seems dry, BigJoe the fuel filter area is also dry, that was fixed last year.
Im wondering if oil has been leaking out of the intercooler hose connections. I think Im going to clean it up well this afternoon and watch it.
DaveBen
SDD Senior Member
I would say you are correct John. 
Dave
Dave
I would say you are correct John.
Dave
Yep, me too... But.. cleaning everything up and watching things is a good trouble-shoot too.When you get things all cleaned up.. give the I/C boot clamps a good turn or two.. (and the four plenum (under the turbo) boot clamps too) AFTER a couple'a Warm-up/Cool-down's. (?)
Joe
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trackspeeder
Stone Crusher
I would say pedestal O rings too.
Ran it for a hour last night couldn't see anything obvious. Woke up to a small fist size puddle this am, cleaned it up again. All I can say it is definitely not the valve cover gaskets. Still seems real wet in the back. Could I visually see the pedistal o ring while its still mounted on the truck or does it have to be removed to see?
