Strong diesel smell in cab!

[2001Stroke]

I have been noticing a strong diesel smell in the cab of my truck. I think it is getting worse. Any ideas what it might be? I hope it is something I can fix myself. Also noticing more and more oil in the driveway. It started out as a spot as big as a quarter but lately it is about the size of baseball. Any ideas?

 

[powerboatr]

my first EASY button geuss would be the return fuel line connection at the fuel filter

its just a small rubber thingy that likes to leak

then your filter lid
if its leaking it will run down the valley out the back and clean the engine as it goes and make a nice dirty spot on the ground.

 

[hheynow]

A fuel pump going south may also leak diesel to the valley.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

I've heard of a few cracked spin-on filter covers and even a few cracked filter housings.

Check the filter drain tube. If it's leaking there, you'll likely need new o-rings for the yellow bowl drain valve.

 

[Hoss 350]

Another vote for the smell issue being o-rings in the filter drain. Easy thing to fix. Check out Blackcloud diesel, they have an o-ring kit for cheap.

Next, the oil leak thing is a little nebulous. Where is it coming from? There are half a million different places it could be leaking, some direction as to where it is coming from would be helpful. The most common leaks are as follows:

1.) Turbo pedestal - Leaks behind the engine, around the tranny bellhousing and drips down about where the tranny and engine bolt together. Look slike a rear main leak, but it isn't.

2.) HPO lines - Same results as the pedestal

3.) Rear main seal - Leaks directly from the engine to tranny connection, but not above in the engine valley.

Beyond that, there are more options, but those are first and foremost.

 

[2001Stroke]

Another vote for the smell issue being o-rings in the filter drain. Easy thing to fix. Check out Blackcloud diesel, they have an o-ring kit for cheap.

Next, the oil leak thing is a little nebulous. Where is it coming from? There are half a million different places it could be leaking, some direction as to where it is coming from would be helpful. The most common leaks are as follows:

1.) Turbo pedestal - Leaks behind the engine, around the tranny bellhousing and drips down about where the tranny and engine bolt together. Look slike a rear main leak, but it isn't.

2.) HPO lines - Same results as the pedestal

3.) Rear main seal - Leaks directly from the engine to tranny connection, but not above in the engine valley.

Beyond that, there are more options, but those are first and foremost.

It is definately leaking out the bottom where the tranny and engine bolt together. I am going to take it to my mechanic tomorrow and get him to tell me where it is coming from so I can get it fixed. Thanks for the input. I will tell him these suggestions.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

1.) Turbo pedestal - Leaks behind the engine, around the tranny bellhousing and drips down about where the tranny and engine bolt together. Look slike a rear main leak, but it isn't.

A related thing to check for: EBPV actuator leak.

 

[SDEric]

I envy the fact that you can smell it in the cab!
Good luck!

 

[Mayo]

I've been having the same smell problem and a drip from where the trans meets the block. Make sure your leak there is oil and not fuel. At first I thought it was oil too but mine's fuel. Its leaking into the valley from somwhere around the fuel filter. Still not 100% sure where its coming from but its nice outside today so I'm gonna check it out and see what I find.

 

[Crumm]

I would bet the oil on the driveway is actually the same stuff that you are smelling - Diesel. When Diesel runs out the valley and down the engine to the ground it looks like oil. I would bet a donut that you need new o-rings in the fuel filter drain valve. The driveway would clean up and the smell would go away.