Oil Leak 7.3

[SuperDuty1]

I have a 01' F250 Powerstroke with 89,000 miles. In the last 10,000 miles I notice a small oil leak, nothing much in the beging. Just kinda of wet on both sides of the oil pan. Well it has gradually gotton worse, now everytime I park the truck it will leave a spot of oil a little bigger than half dollar size. I took it in to the dealer to have it check. They could not determine were it was coming from, so they put some dye in the oil and tokd me to drive it for about 100 miles. Well it was about 1000 miles before I had time to get it back. They are now saying it is the head gaskets leaking, and that they need replace. They told me that this was a common problem with 01' model, because the head bolts did not get torqued correctly at factory. I just can't see it being the head gaskets, I have owned the truck since new. It has never run hot or been abused. Has anyone else ever heard of this?

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by SuperDuty1

I have a 01' F250 Powerstroke with 89,000 miles. In the last 10,000 miles I notice a small oil leak, nothing much in the beging. Just kinda of wet on both sides of the oil pan. Well it has gradually gotton worse, now everytime I park the truck it will leave a spot of oil a little bigger than half dollar size. I took it in to the dealer to have it check. They could not determine were it was coming from, so they put some dye in the oil and tokd me to drive it for about 100 miles. Well it was about 1000 miles before I had time to get it back. They are now saying it is the head gaskets leaking, and that they need replace. They told me that this was a common problem with 01' model, because the head bolts did not get torqued correctly at factory. I just can't see it being the head gaskets, I have owned the truck since new. It has never run hot or been abused. Has anyone else ever heard of this?

ive only seen 2 7.3's leak oil from the head gaskets and i think they are probabably wrong. i have a few things i want you to check. open the hood, get a flashlight.....and look into the vally of the motor. if you look over the passanger side turbo tube at the base of the turbo you can see a hole in the block at the backside of the valley of the motor. look there first and see if it is wet. if it is, the oil leaves the valley by design out that hole and can run down both heads and even into your trans's bellhousing. if its wet there.....your leak is something on top of the motor. it is a common mistake to mistake oil leaks as being lower when they actually come from up top. note the places you see oil....and how far towards the front of the motor there is puddles of oil in the valley.

if your motor is leaking there....spray the heck out of the top with de-greaser and take it to a car wash.....blow it off VERY thouroghly.....the cleaner the better. drive it home....and check immediately for oil on anything. if there was oil at the very front of the vally, check the two fittigs on the high pressure pump, just to the drivers side and barely below the fuel filter housing......a lot of the times when these leak you can watch oil come out with a warm engine running......there is alos a plug on the back of that pump that can leak and it takes a small mirror to check. if these are not leaking......try tightening the two hose clamps on each of the orange tubes that go from your charge air intake to the heads.....these are known to loossen up over time and seap some oil. if there is only fresh oil on the turbocharger base or the block where the pedestal for the turbo.....the o rings in the turbo oil system are leaking.

I know this is a ton if info.....if you need any help or have any questions during it....PM me and ill give ya my phone number for further explanation.....but i doubt your heads are leaking.........Marc

[SuperDuty1]

I checked the high pressure lines there was no leak. The intake valley is dry in front of the intake tubes. behind the intake hoses their is a lot of oil residue on the turbo pedestal and on the bottom of the turbo, but it is just a light film. I think you are right that it is from up top. I am going to take it to a different dealer. Thanks for the info.

[bighunter]

Ive got a leak on the drivers side just behind the lower radiater hose. I think its coming from the oil cooler. Its leaking onto two stainles steel braid hoses that run on the drivers side behind the radiater hose and up along the front of the block, any suggestions?

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by bighunter

Ive got a leak on the drivers side just behind the lower radiater hose. I think its coming from the oil cooler. Its leaking onto two stainles steel braid hoses that run on the drivers side behind the radiater hose and up along the front of the block, any suggestions?

those two hoses are your main fuel lines....one return the other supply......the first place i would check would be the high pressure pump o rings at the front of the valley, and then work your way down from there........it could be the high pressure resevour or the front cover......and also it could be a front crank seal. clean it up really good if nothing jumps out at you, and then watch it closely from there, its easier to find a leak on a clean motor..........Marc

[bighunter]

Thanks, Its not the front crank seal its clean and no oil there. Ill check the others. I appreciat the help.

[wesjones]

might be a pan gasket...another thing...PSD's have drain chanels that go down the back of the block to drain excess leak oil from the top of the engine...the chanels drain to a pan in front of the bell housing...it could be a turbo seal or something that's just wetting th e bottom of the engine...

wes