Mopar2You

Just recently purchased the truck in my sig. had the trans rebuilt with a new 5th gear/new clutch. also had the rear main seal replaced.

The truck was used to haul a 8000 lb (wcar) enclosed trailer 24ft long, 8ft wide approximately 200 miles. Noticed a lot of oil on the back of the truck, underneath it, and on the trailer. In total in 350 miles of driving it used ~4 quarts of oil. There is oil all underneath the motor, none on the top.

it does not seem to be running bad at all, or funny, other than still not wanting to start once its warmed up.

shop claims its the front cover seal, wants to charge 1500 bucks to replace it.

figured before droppin that kinda dough I'd ask you experts and see if anyone has an idea of what might be goin on. Truck is turnin into a money pit awful quick considering the warm start problem isnt even fixed yet.

Thanks for any help!

JD730

$1500? Yikes, thats a pile of money for putting a front cover seal in (are you sure it wasn't the rear main seal?), most guys here would do it for a case of their favorite beverage and you supply the parts (oil seal and cover gasket)

Unless they didn't explain it to you real well and they mean that the timing case needs to be resealed and they have to take the cam out to do it. In that case I would do what I did and clean the spot up real well with brake clean and seal it with some good adhedsive sealant. So far it's held just fine.

Mopar2You

yea... that is a lot, hence me hittin this place up hopin for an alternative.

if it was the rear main seal, wouldnt it just be oily from the back of the engine to the rear.. not the front of the engine (on the bottom only). ?

i dunno as to anyone that could do it in the area the truck is located (its my dads... and he lives in lebanon NH)

Thanks, i wil check to make sure it wasnt the timing case seal. it did not have a leak before towing the trailer/the trans rebuild, fyi.

nitrousn

My 1995 3500 had oil all over when i bought it. The problem was loose timing cover bolts. I snugged all of them down and the leak stopped. Its worth checking.

fschiola

You might also want to see if the timing case cracked due to a KDP issue. That would explain the high estimate.

Mopar2You

what is KDP?

fschiola

Try here. Click

Also if you do a search on KDP on this site, you will find hours of reading.

XJJoe01

You also might check the crankcase blowby bottle has been cleaned and relocate closser to the ground (not sure if your truck has one). If it does and the bottle has not been cleaned in a while, it will spray oil all over.

HTH,

Joe

Mopar2You

um... they have those stock? if so.. where would it be.

also... it does not leak/use oil when it is idling and sitting... it was left idling for apprx almost an hr and did not use any oil nor drip any at all.

Mopar2You

any idea anybody?

piperca

The crankcase vent bottle/hose is on the front of the engine. It looks like a puck with a hose that comes out of the top then raps around the puck towards the bottom of the engine ... if that makes sense??? You'll see it! Since your truck is a 98 you may not have one. I don't think the 98 and 99 trucks had them.