Hello all, I will be leaving Oregon to travel to Michigan and back out west in a couple of weeks. Visiting family and friends and hoping to do some skiing along the way. I drive a 93 5spd. I have only had the truck about six months now and am starting to see some issues. First off I have a drip. It is coming from the bell housing or somewhere in that area. I and my mechanic think it is the tranny leaking. We took the starter off and noticed no oil on the flywheel. We put iodine in the tranny ran it a few days and it showed up under blacklight on the outside of the tranny. One thing I noticed was the tranny fluid was super black. I am thinking about changing this before I go. What would anyone suggest using?

Next I have only gone two oil changes and notice that after a 1000 miles the oil finally will turn black and start to go down on the dip stick. The first time I added 1.5 or so quarts and it brought it up into the safe zone and it stayed there for another 2500-3000 miles. I changed it a couple weeks ago and now it is down again. I notice hardly any smoke when idling to warm up and a slight blue gray haze when first warming up driving, after that just normal diesel smoke on acceleration. I checked the turbo last time I changed the air filter, no sign of oil. I changed fuel filters and oil filters about a month ago. Valves were done when purchased, I was told they were screwed but adjusted well. 137000 on the truck now. No sign of valve cover leakage. Where is my oil going? Could be the oil pan gasket but we saw traces under the black light, leading us to think it was a tranny seal.

On top of that, unless I plug in the idle on cold start mornings is sitting around 600 rpm first thing. If I give it gas right away it seems to die around 850 and work right through it purring and running smooth up to 1500 or higher. I usually don't take it higher then that at first. It does not seem like a miss to me but I am wondering if I have a bad injector, spitting a stream and I am consuming oil in one cylinder. I am not ready to switch them but I will if necessary. Suggestions? I have just run a heavy dose of injector cleaner and run it in every tank. I have a spare lift pump should I just put this on before my trip. I know I need a fuel pressure gauge.

So to finish my story, I will be traveling across country twice, between Dec 15 and the first week in january. Anybody that can suggest a good shop in the midwest that is just stoked on cummins, I would like to meet them and maybe improve my rig. Anybody on this forum that would like to help, I can barter carpentry work or small remodels, or we can find other ways for compensation. I enjoy reading on this forum and would enjoy meeting up and discussing dodges with just about anyone. One last thing is that I converted the truck to run on Waste Veggie Oil. I will be looking for oil, or if anybody wants to see the rig and learn more I can share a lot of knowledge I have gained in the last 4 years doing this or trade for help powering up my truck. The truck really does run well, I am just curious about fixing it.

Oh yeah and with these symptoms alot of people just tell me to drive it, so that it what I have been doing. Thanks for reading and for any help or suggestions.

 

I dont think I would be concerned, I have 333000 on mine, and without hessitation 1 week after purchasing it I went on a 800 mile trip to ohio to get a trailer and back.
As far as the tranny goes, drain it and do the one quart overfill. I dont remember what fluid is required, but because of my love for synthetics I would add an Amsoil synthetic of what ever is required. A little drip isnt bad, but if you are really concerned go ahead and fix what ever seal is leaking.
I wouldnt change the lift pump unless it is obviously failing.
As far as your oil consumption goes, thats not bad at all. Granted 333K on mine and I still dont use any I cant say a whole lot. As long as it doesnt idle rough I would not be concerned at all with that, remember diesel fuel is thick so untill it warms up a little it will have a little harder of a time getting through the oriface's in the injectors when its cold.

I would only give it a good P.M. before u leave, greasing everything possible. Then give er a good run. Hope your trips go well!

 

oh yeah, fill in yer Sig. so we can see what ya got, it'll help us out in helping you so your not getting a series of 20 questions!

 

Good luck on the trip. Grease everything, check out your ujoints, have a spare fuel filter or 2 with you if you don't already, change fuilds that need to be changed and drive it. If you have some pics on your WVO system I would like to see them. I have converted a Rabbit and a Benz and am looking to the cummins next. Always looking for new ideas.

 

Definitely change the trans oil. Mobil1 5W-30 is what a lot of guys use. A trans oil like Royal Purple Synchromax or Redline MTL will improve shifting when cold. With it leaking I think I'd stick with the motor oil though.

It sounds like your KSB system is not working. Check the sticky for troubleshooting info.

 

I will be paying close attention to this thread in the next couple of weeks, so any contacts or suggestions I will try and respond.

Wannadiesel, you said stick with the motor oil. You think that is what may be dripping. What else can I check? I thought the iodine in the tranny fluid told the truth. I did not see it for myself the mechanic checked at the end of the day and we just figured that is what it was, so drive it until it needs to be fixed, no further discussion since. Could my oil be leaking into my tranny? Like I said I took the starter off and looked in the bell housing and did not see signs of oil, so we concluded no rear main. I have cleaned area many times and still think it is the oil pan gasket, but the tranny fluid detection makes me hesitant to go this route. I wish I had more of my own tools and space.

I will post some pics of the veg system in the next couple days.

I am pretty sure the KSB system is working, I will check the sticky and go over it. I get the wait to start and the voltage cycling. I think it is not winterized diesel. The guy at one pump told me they don't winterize it till it snows and it has been in the twentys lately. Minimal smoke on startup also, even with the low idle.

 

I think Dave means that since your tranny is leaking, you should continue to use 5-30 motor oil in it (which is what the service manual calls for), as opposed to running red line/syncromesh as they tend to be thinner and will thusly exaggerate (sp?) leaks.

 

That leak might be the rear main seal on the engine. Kind of a common deal. Explains the oil level in the engine dropping as well.

 

I don't think it is a rear main. That is why we took off the starter and flashed a light at the flywheel. We also put a little mirror inside and did not see any signs of oil. We then proceeded to put black light senstive stuff in the tranny fluid and then drove it. Days later shined a light underneath and saw traces in seapage underneath the vehicle. Thus I am pretty sure I have a tranny leak and I am consuming oil someplace.

Pictures of the veggie conversion.

 

OK, just my 2 cents, but wouldnt it make sence that if you put Iodine in the Trans and it shows up on the outside of the trans, then the trans is leaking? I need to tear into mine, my trans is absolutly covered, and a pain in the butt to shift sometimes. But lack of funding at current and trying to fix the primary vehicle to park and fix the back up is kind of nipping any plans in the rear!

Have a compression and blowby test done then go from there. Personally, to get to the root of the leaks and missing fluids, just start with what you know leaks, then die test the motor. Thats the route I would go anyway.

 

Jr, you putting the ferd on the road for winter?

 

Im trying, otherwise we'll have a 300+K motor and 5 speed in the parts section! lol