Anyone got an idea why my 223 is leaking oil at the fuel pump? I thought it might be excessive blow by, but did a compression check and got 150 on all six with no leak down to measure. What the heck!?!

 

either gasket at block is bad, or, the pin for pump arm that goes through pump body is worn and allowing oil to leak. just some things to look at.

 

The oil is coming from the two small holes that leak fuel when the diaphragm is bad, not from the shaft or the gasket.

 

Mike, your pump is bad, it just hasn't gone completely out yet. Pull the dipstick out and take a sniff of your oil, I'll bet there is a gas oder to the oil. Tom

 

everyone is forgetting to tell you too it's a ford , it's just marking it's territory ...........

 

Pump is NOT bad. Pump has NEW diaphragm. I've checked all of the obvious crap. I'm starting to think that the PCV valve is not working. Now don't tell me that 1955 F100's don't have PCV's. California bound vehicles from about '61 got them. This 223 is a later model. I can handle the obvious, I need help with the merely obvious. LOL!

 

If you start the engine, and pull the PCV valve out of the valve cover (I assume that's how they did it), at idle there should be suction very noticeably at the end of the PCV (put the palm of your hand over it). With the engine off, shaking the PCV should produce a clear rattling sound. As cheap as they are, go ahead and replace it. Make sure the vac port at the engine end isn't plugged. Could it have been replaced with the wrong piece by the PO?

 

Obviously a bad ground!

If it stops leaking - add oil!

 

Julie, It's not a Harley, it's a Ford.

 

PCV is on the intake manifold. Connection is where the road draft tube was. I did all of the tests mentioned.(please refer to post #6,...I've checked all of the obvious crap...) I plan to replace the PCV as was suggested 'cause it's a cheap fix......if that's it. I hope it's that simple!

 

Something wrong with the pump.
Oil should not be able to get to where it can come out the holes in the side of the pump. The holes are to vent the top side of the diaphram so it does not work between vac and pressure when pumping. If oil is in that area above the diaphram it will leak (or squirt) out. There has to be some type of seal around the rod that pulls the diaphram.
Try another pump .

 

I did. This is the second pump. Should we try for three? Pumps are $53 a piece. Can't afford to keep on with the trial and error.

 

The holes are there for a reason. Or not.
Does not matter why. They are there.
If there is oil on the inside where the holes are it will come out.
Gotta keep the oil where it can not come out the holes.

 

Agreed. The question remains. How is the oil getting there in the first place. Is it possible to have 150 lbs of compression and what seems like no bleed off at the time I tested it but still so much blow by that it comes out of the fuel pump? Or is there some other possible cause? Maybe the pump has a bad seal on the diaphragm shaft? I guess I could take it apart and check it again. I feels kinda like losing your keys, but you keep lookin' in the same place that they weren't a minute ago! LOL Is it possible that I'm missing something here? Some other thing that could be the cause? How many options are there really?

 

You know the cause: excess crankcase pressure. Either too much blowby, or it's not venting properly. There's no "Secret 223 Blowby Cure", just you going out and doing some detective work.

Even with PCV, you need a free and clear crankcase vent at the filler (usually); could someone have replaced it with a sealed one? or is it plugged up? Could the oil return holes in the head be plugged up with sludge, preventing free flow of vapors?

Run it without the cap on the filler, see how much vapor is blowing out. With PCV connected, you should feel a small but definite vacuum when you put your palm over the filler hole.