is this just an accepted fact that we cannot all fix every leak on our trucks? I cannot visually identify any leaks on mine but i am losing oil on the dipstick. would white smoke on startup have anything to do with it?

 

I accept it. I also accept that opening the hood pretty much means I will be grease to the elbows. I view it as a rust inhibitor. A couple major leaks have been taken care of but the rest I just keep an eye on.

 

opening the hood and getting greasy is a given. its not a horrible leak (from what i see, which is nothing) but i just want to be sure its nothing that will come around to bite me. the white smoke was condensation in my exhaust.

 

Nah, I think it's pretty easy to keep it leak free if a guy keeps on top of it. My 96 is still perfectly dry under the hood and under the truck. Being proactive helps a lot too. When I bought my truck, I tabbed the KDP right away, so I made sure I replaced the cover gasket and front seal with new at the same time. When I set the valves, I replaced the gaskets with new Cummins grey ones, instead of reusing the old ones. I've been pretty lucky, but I'm pretty **** about keeping the engine compartment spotless too. The engine gets a bath everytime the body does too.

 

i did the kdp with a gasket and new crank seal as well as new valve cover gaskets when i adjusted the valves. its just that i dont see anything visually. passengers side is bone dry and drivers side is bone dry now that i replaced the leaky power steering pump. by no means do i blow off any problems until something major happens, i try to be proactive.

 

The only drip I get from mine is the blow-by tube and that's only every once in a while. The only other "leak" I can see is more of a weep from the tappet cover. Not enough to puddle up and drip. It just absorbs into the cast iron .

 

i try, and it just comes back to haunt me. so far my transfercase is not leaking, i had it re-sealed for a cheesteak, my trans guy was hungry so i bought him lunch and he re-sealed my t-case hahaha.

trans is brand new so it's not leaking.

Only thing that pisses me off is my brand new cummins rear main seal is leaking, it's only been in there for 3k miles. and it's leaking pretty good.

 

Any theory as to why it would be leaking? Something with the install? Defective seal? Sorry to hear that though, very dissapointing when something like that happens on something like a main seal.

 

Maybe it just burns some oil? Maybe a turbo seal is gone? Wouldn't hurt to pull off a intake pipe and see if its oily inside, if it blows completly your truck will go into run-away

 

ah the irony. i though you just got done fixing all your leaks?

i certainly hope not, but i will check come the morning.