It was about 10 degrees yesterday morning when I came home to get my truck to change the oil, 2004 CCLB,4100 miles, it was not plugged in, she started fine but a lot of blue smoke out the tail pipe, this is my first diesel, when I got home there was a very good size puddle of oil on my drive way where my truck was parked, how did it get there and where did it come from, anyone have any clues, did it have to do with starting on a cold day?? thanks.


Ron

There is a T.S.B. that explains this problem. It states that the P.C.V. tubing gets frozen and then plugged. This causes pressure to build in your crankcase, which in turn causes pressurized oil to leak out of your engine wherever it can.There fix consist of piping in a secondary line that is closer to the heat and away from the cold. I have not taken my truck in because I figured the fix would not work. When your truck has been sitting all night and you start it, there is no area that is un frozen. The leaking happens immediatly on start up and dosn't stop untill things warm up. Has any one out there taken there truck in and had this T.S.B. performed?

Ron, was the oil puddle at the rear near the tailpipe, in the middle or at the front near the radiator? If it was up front, I suspect it came from the crankcase breather tube. Could have been a "blowby" situation caused by the cold start that caused the crankcase breather to "belch" some oil. Mid-truck spot could have been the Allison case vent belching some ATF. If it was near the rear of the truck, I don't have a guess. Hey! two out of three aint bad!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif

We don't have a PCV system do we? I know the 01 I have dosen't, I don't know about the newer trucks though.

Idle, it was at the front, it was not ATF, I will call the dealer and see what they have to say, I will post their answer.


Ron

a64, 01 have one, it doesn't "recirc" like a lot of PCV systems do. There's a filter/separator canister and a "puke tube" that air vents at the front of the engine block near the crossmember. This is what causes the strong oil smell that occurs right after an oil change that varies with the type of oil used. Don't have access to my manuals at the moment (at work).

Idle, I know about the vent tube. PCV is a closed system that keeps a slight neg pressure in the crankcase by venting it into the intake. On my old 6.5 it made a real mess on the suck side of the turbo, I don't miss it. Anyway I was trying to point out that unless the new trucks have a different crankcase vent system then a TSB for a PCV system wouldn't be applicable to us.


On recip aircraft engines the oil pan heaters that are used can cause condensation in the cylinders if left on for long periods of time. Possibly the block heater on our engines could cause condensation vapor that could freeze in the vent tube and may cause overpressurization and some oil to be discharged out of this tube. Any condensation wherever it is is bad IMHO. The answer in the case of aircraft is to plug in the heater only a couple of hours before cranking the engine. Personally I use a timer that I got at Wallyworld and have it set to turn on about 4 hours before I start the truck. Just be sure that you get one that can handle about 1500 Watts or so. Your electric bill will thank you as well.

I stand corrected - I guess the "positive" doesn't apply without a mover in the circuit. I guess we have a "CV" system.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif


Yep, I use a "heavy duty" timer as well. I only run mine for a couple of hours (comes on at 0430 and I usually roll out no later than 0630). That's a bit short, but it is in a garage (unheated, but gets some "leakage" from the attached house). I do get the wait to start light, but only for a second or two.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif

You can call it anything you want ,but never the less there is a T.S.B. for the Dmax leaking oil in the cold. # 03-06-01-008(02/27/03). They refer to the problem as a restricted P.C.V. system. Positive crankcase ventilation. All this means is that any time your crankcase reaches a positive condition it has the opputunity to vent. I must be in a P.C.V. situation right now.;)

On recip aircraft engines the oil pan heaters that are used can cause condensation in the cylinders if left on for long periods of time.


It must be on the aircraft that has a big 'B' in the title.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif I remember flying with a Doctor that had one of those fancy plugs for a heater.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif On the other hand I was lucky to get a propane can in front of one of the engines I was trying to start. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Thumbs Up.gif

Well not to pick at nits, but I now stand UNcorrected. I was pretty sure that I had seen the system as PCV in the manual and a POSITIVE crankcase ventilation system is how it is listed:


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/541_PCV.jpg





That being said, the system functions by gravity draining an oil separator back to the block and air venting, so it's very possible that a cold start would have some piston blowby and thickened oil on the gravity drain side that could lead to crankcase pressure pumping some oil out the vent hose and onto the ground.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/A41_oil_out_exhaust.jpghttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/F6D_leaking_tailpipe.jpg





Soooo,, Is that what you mean by leaking??

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/F17_leaking_tailpipe.jpg

Yikes, Eric!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif That's not your truck I hope!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Broken Heart.gif

Dmaxalli, those pics look to be and not to sound like a smart ass, from the tail pipe which as we all know exit the rear of vehicle, the puddle of oil I had was in the oil pan area, and was a puddle of around a 1/2 cup of oil which you could scoop with your finger and was about 20" in diameter. Talked to the service manager at the dealer, he knew less than I did, and I know nothing, he was trying to tell me it was the oil filter or drain plug leaking, which is not the case, he had no answer for me but would look into it.


Ron

Looks like a failed turbo bearing to me!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

Just thought it would be a good place to post some pics of an oil leak, i know its unrelated to topic..Tom, you nailed it. I have pics of the turbo too. replaceing it now..

Speaking of manuals, where can I get a how-to manual for the Dmax?





Mike

Mike, you can get the 5 volume GM service manual set at www.helmdirect.com (http://www.helmdirect.com)

Idle,


Your right they apparently they call it a PCV, but I don't think there's anything positive about it. Glad to see the new trucks don't vent blowby back into the intake either.


Nowake,


actually I was talking about the one's I could afford. I.E. small Pipers with an 0-360 etc.


All,


Couldn't leaving the block heater on for extended periods, like 24 hours or so cause condensation to freeze in the crankcase vent?

ronbuick,


There is a T.S.B. for this. It is titled Rear main leaking oil. It stated that once the P.C.V. system becomes frozen oil can escape from just about any part of the engine. They do point toward the rear main due to it's large surface area. Go to the T.S.B. forum and print the T.S.B. #03-06-01-008. Hand it to the service writer, also leave a copy of it in the front seat of your truck. This might start to clue them in?

BRONCO-----What's the web addy for the T.S.B.'s--Thanks--Phil

The Diesel place has its' own area for T.S.B's. http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=21 This is a collection of post from users. I also have a subscrition to ALLDATA.DIY. This is an online servive that cost around 20.00 per year per vehicle. It has fairly good info. in regards to fixing your vehicle. All recalls and T.S.B's are available here. They also provide O.E.M. pricing and repair time tables. They have trouble shooting charts also. The general customer sight is not failproof, I am sure the subscrition area for the professional is a little more complete.

Bronco,


Do you have alldatadiy subscription for you 2003?

No, not yet. I went ahead and purchaced the 2002 year anyways. I emailed them and they said I could get it switched when they updated there system with the 2003 yeal model.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif