I just bought my first truck 2002 F250 7.3 Powerstroke, and its been great so far, I've had for about a month, I love it. All of the current mods are in my sig. But I have been having a few issues lately, which I expected I might have a few bumps in the road at firs because it is a used truck, with higher miles. One is it hasn't been starting like at all when cold lately. I just started a different thread on that, it got way too long so I didn't include these in there, lol. As far as I know they are separate issues, but if not let me know and I'll add it to the other thread. So along with the hard or not starting when cold, it has also been leaking a little oil, and when we took it to my Dad's mechanic he looked at it and, thinks it might have a fuel leak.

I first noticed the oil leak literally a week after I got. The day before I had washed and waxed it for the first time. The next day after that when I started and let it run for a while, I noticed something that looked like oil dripping underneath the truck. It was towards the front of the engine, almost in the middle of the truck, but more towards the drivers side. Definitely in the front of the motor. It was a dark black, sticky, oily looking liquid. I'm pretty sure it was some kind of oil, but I'm not exactly sure where from. The oil in the engine doesn't look like that, so I don't think its from that. It was dripping onto the long smaller tube on the front of the axle that goes the whole width of the axle. Sorry not the best description of it, not exactly sure what that parts called.

It only leaked for like a day or two and then it stopped. The only reason I mentioned that I had washed it the day before I noticed the leak, was because yesterday when my Dad took it to his mechanic to try and fix the hard cold start issue, he ended up pressure washing the engine. And then today he noticed the oil leak again in the same spot. And those are the only two times we've noticed it. So I'm not sure if washing it has something to do with it, but right after washing it is the only times that we've noticed the leak. My Dad's mechanic thinks that the oil cooler is leaking. It seems pretty weird because its only happened twice and then stops. Does that sound right or could it be something else?

Now for the possible fuel leak. He thought it had a fuel leak, because I guess there was a lot of diesel on the top of the engine, by the fuel filter. The engine was pretty dirty before so that's why he pressure washed it, to hopefully be able to find the fuel leak. Yesterday he put a new glow plug relay on it and today he changed the fuel filter. He's going to try and look again tomorrow. I guess there is sort of a diesel or exhaust smell in the cab, but its not terrible so I never really noticed it until they said anything. Any ideas of what it could be?

Thanks for any help guys.

 

Your Dad's mechanic sounds right on the oil leak that tube you describe is the oil cooler. It's been cold there did it leak when it was warmer? They are prone to show their colors when it's cold that being a bad o-ring that can still seal when it's warmer or warms up. It's a inexpensive fix with an o-ring kit.

You should take a look at the degas bottle (coolant res right in the front of the motor) for oil residue, one symptom of a leaking oil cooler is oil in the coolant, if so would require a flush after the oil cooler is fixed.

The fuel leak could be o-ring on the fuel bowl drain (very common) or other o-rings on the fuel bowl also inexpensive to fix. The cap on the fuel bowl could be leaking after the fuel filter change.

With the age and mileage on our trucks they are prone to leaks usually due to old o-rings all very inexpensive to fix for the DIY'er. Here is something we all need in our tool box. Combo Kit

 

Too late now, but you really should not pressure wash these engines. There are too many electrical connectors that do not react well to water being forced into them. It is a much better idea to let the engine cool down, cover the alternator and the caps for the power steering and brake booster with a plastic shopping bag, spray with a good mild degreaser like simple green, and then hose the engine off with non-pressurized water. It works very well. Just don't forget to remove the bags before trying to start the engine afterwards.

If you have a fuel leak, it can pool on the top of the engine, as there gets to be enough of it, it will fill the valley, then pour down, usually the back of the engine block. It usually gets a lot of dirt and turns black as it travels around on top and then down the block and by he time it hits the ground, it looks very much like oil. It could be the oil cooler leak that Jason described above as well.

Btw, the long tube you describe running along he front axle is the sway bar.

 

I had the exact same issue during the cold, now that it's warmed up the leak has stopped. I'm hoping they hold out until the spring and I'll rebuild the fuel bowl and oil cooler. The oil leak wasn't too worrisome I've read about enough going when it gets cold, but the fuel leak scared me a little it was really coming out.

 

So just to say, did get the fuel leak fixed. I guess it was something to do with the fuel filter, because after he changed it, there was no more leak, so that's good. But that's about it. Still have the cold start issue, and the oil cooler still seems to be leaking a little.

Yeah I'm pretty sure it is probably the oil cooler leaking. My Dad's mechanic thinks, like you said that is probably just the O-rings.

The only time I noticed the leak was right after I washed the truck, and after my Dad's mechanic washed the engine down. Not sure why that is though. It only lasted a couple days, and did seem lessen or stop once the truck warmed up. And thanks for the link. Looks like a good and useful kit, might have to pick one up.

I'll check the degas bottle tomorrow.

Yeah that's what I thought. If it would have been up to me I would have rather had him do it like you described, but yeah too late now. I would have liked to been there when he was working on it, but I couldn't because of school. And I thought it might have been something else, like the dirty fuel, dripping down, but it doesn't seem like it.

And duh, yup that's what it is, thanks haha. I new it was something like that, but didn't think of the sway bar. I thought of steering stabilizer for some reason, but knew that wasn't right. And the sway bar is what the oil leak is dripping down onto, towards the drivers side of the truck, if that helps.

I'll try to get a picture of the leak, if its still leaking, tomorrow. Thanks guys.

 

There is a steering stabilizer on the front as well. That is the bracket that has the small usually black ( unless you have an aftermarket set it could be 2 of them) shock absorber hooked to it.