Thanks guys for all you got. Just dropped $600 on finding out that HPOP line was cracked and lost almost 4 quarts in a month. Still have a leak and going out to find the plug just as soon as I pull into port.

 

Pop, I'm zthayer I just purchased a 1997 7.3 about four weeks ago. It has developed a oil leak on the passenger side. I checked the oil and there isn't any milky residue and the previous owner replaced the valve cover gaskets.It has 82,000 original miles, Whats your thoughts?

 

I had this happen once too. Pull your IC tubes and re-seat the seal on the valve cover. Push it up towards the center of the engine then lightly tighten down all the top bolts. Then lightly tighten the bottom ones and wiggle the cover around a bit then tighten down the bolts in a star pattern. It should go away. Bottom line is the seal just needs to be re-seated.
It may also be worth pulling the seal off and cleaning all metals and the gasket.
When mine was leaking re-seating it fixed it.

 

Is the oil running down over the exhaust manifold? If not, its not likely the VC gasket. These seldom leak and don't really 'go bad' - as far as sealing the VC goes anyway. Why did PO replace the gaskets?

If the oil is on the back of the engine or makes a puddle/stain on the pass-side behind the engine - you most likely have a leak into the engine valley somewhere. Look down behind the fuel filter with a brite flashlite. See any oil puddled up down there?

Oh, and there are no CAC tubes on a '97...

 

I have an oil leak that is driving me crazy i have a 99 f350 dually 7.3 and the bottom of the truck is cover in oil the oil pan the trans pan and the under carriage looks to be oil but the dip stick is still full i looked in the valley but i couldnt see anything near the hpop but there is some kind of line under the pedestal and it looked like it was wet (oil) and while i was back there i saw a line unplugged that was very close to where the fuel filter goes into its a two prong plug with like a metal clip on it i have no idea where or what it goes to and why it is unplugged

Any help would be much appreciated thanks in advance

 

Things to look for on your search:

1. If there isn't oil pooled in the valley under the HPOP and fuel bowl, then your leak isn't from the topside.

2. Turbo Pedestal O-Rings could be at fault. Run your fingers (when the truck is cold) around the base of the turbo and where it bolts to the engine block. This is a common leak spot.

3. Sadly oil pans on these 7.3's can rot out and weep oil. Check that as well.

4. The Dipstick-to-oil pan gasket commonly swell and leak as these trucks age.

I just had to have my oil pan gasket, dipstick tube gasket and rear main seal replaced this spring, only 175k on the clock. Not sure why both were leaking as this ISN'T common on these. Since the motor had to come out might as well fix them all while you are in there.

The plug you are talking about sounds like the fuel bowl heater plug.

I'm sure others will throw some more stuff in here from their experiences! Good people here!

 

"The plug you are talking about sounds like the fuel bowl heater plug."

I realized I should be more specific because there are two plugs in that area.
The yellowish plug that is up higher on the back of the fuel bowl is your bowl heater. There is a black plug down lower and set slightly left of center as well. That goes to the HPOP, I believe it is the IPR circuit.

Hope that helps with a bit more info.

-Kevin

 

Same problem here today on my 01.. 7 gallons of oil to get home to find it.

 

I knew something was going on with my baby cause she was starting to need engine oil more often...and so while inspecting what was left of my front sway bar endlink bushings I came upon my own waterfall of oil near the up-pipes and onto the oil pan as well:

 

k2vailkid,

I took some pictures of the top of engine around fuelbowl. I didnt find liquid oil in the engine valley. Grime and some oil yes but not puddles. Nonetheless the area around the HPOP is plenty shiny with oil. 205k miles on engine.

Back of engine around up-pipes is heavy with oil as per pictures in previous post.

Thoughts?

 

clean your engine bay real good, get all that crap off. that'll help to see any new/ongoing leaks.. if there is oil around the hpop/reservoir see where it is predominately coming from if possible. around the rear of the engine/turbo/upipes look at the rear oil plugs(there is 2 and they are at the back of each head, youll have to use your hand to feel around), they are round and have a 1/2 drive square IIRC and they can seep from the o rings going bad. look around your turbo pedestal and ebpv. also i would suggest starting a new thread so people dont have to go through 8 pages to see the new stuff.
Good luck with the leaks!
134

 

Looks to me that, at a minimum, your intercooler boots are leaking like a sieve. You need to replace them, clean the heck out of that thing with SEVERAL cycles of simple green/fresh water rinse. Once you get the intercooler boots out of there, and replace with the new material that is out there now (RiffRaff, Dieselsite, Dorman), you will make some progress on the oil leak find. All three of the sources I listed for new boots are using the EXACT same material. Dorman is in the game now, too, and they are beating the price of the other two by A LOT. Check RockAuto, they carry them.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...nid=599&jpid=0

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...nid=599&jpid=1

 

Thanks to you and sean9049 for responding. Much appreciated.

Why would so much oil be flowing through the intercooler??? That seems worrisome.

 

your CCV(crank case ventillator) AKA "doghouse" can introduce oil into the turbo, then the ic. some flip it around and put and extension and run it like a semi would.

 

Well, every truck is different in HOW MUCH oil is sent through the crank case ventilation system (dog house). Depends on wear factors in the engine. A truck with 500k miles on it will likely have more wear on the piston rings than a 100k mile truck if both were treated right. Thus, the truck with more miles will send a little more oil/air mix back through the CCV. A truck with a really bad set of piston rings will send a lot of oil back through the system (called blow-by), and cause the intercooler to be really oily.