Mechanos

My truck has developed a horrendus oil leak from up high on the drivers side of the engine. At first I though it was the vacuum pump, but after powerwashing things off a little at the car wash and laying under the truck, I can see that it is not coming from the vacuum pump. It's running down the side of the block from up above where the vacuum pump oil line come out of the block. I can not see the actual origin of the leak, I can just see it coming from somewhere that looks to be between the injection pump and the block.

EDIT: It has lost about 2 quarts in the last 500 miles of mixed highway/city driving.

Mechanos

As I understand it, there is a lifter galley cover that runs the length of the block along the drivers side of the engine. This looks like a likely culprit for my leak. Unfortunately, it looks like the injection pump, the fuel filter cannister and ECM would have to be removed to get at the cover's gasket. That would be typical of my luck... $10 or $20 part and 5 to 6 hours of labor just to get to it.

patdaly

You probably don't want to hear this, but has your KDP been tabbed?

Timing case bolts also like to back out.

dieseldemon

Its probably the tappet cover seal I have replaced a lot of them they get brittle and crack

Mechanos

No it hasn't, but the oil is coming down the side of the block, below the head and well back from the timing case.

Mechanos

Looks like an estimated 8 to 10 hours of labor to replace a $20 gasket. This is gonna hurt.

gorms

I'd look for another shop, I don't think that pays 8-10 hours. I could be wrong though.

Mechanos

The shop that I called was the local Cummins service center... Cummins Central Power... which is just a couple of miles from me. Around here, my experience is that all of the local Dodge dealerships don't have any mechanics on staff that have very much, if any, experience working on the diesel trucks. There are a few, but they aren't very close to my location. Most of the diesel repair shops all tend to charge around the same shop rate, which does seem to be a bit higher than "normal" service rates. I know the mechanics at the Cummins shop are familiar with the 5.9 ISB. I am extremely picky about the service done to my truck and usually do it myself. This is the exception as I have a number of things going on right now that preclude me from tearing into this repair myself.

The injection pump, and the fuel filter cannister have to be removed and maybe some other stuff in order to get to the tappet cover, so it is a fairly involved task to replace the gasket. Bottom line is, I trust the Cummins shop to do right.

Mechanos

Confirmed. Tappet cover gasket. It had become rock-hard and split right behind the injection pump. The gasket was reportedly so hard that it crumbled off in pieces.

A common reason for the tappet cover to start leaking is excessive blow-by pressurizing the crankcase, so a blow-by test was also performed. I was happy to hear that the results were within spec.

No more gushing oil leak leaving a lake everywhere I park, but I do now have a gaping hole in my wallet.

Hodge

How long did it take them?

Mechanos

They charged me for 8.4 hours of labor to change the gasket, steam clean the engine and perform the blow-by test.

I was happy to hear that my truck measured 8 inches of Hg and the upper end of the allowable range is around 24 inches. The engine has 190,000 miles on it.

It will be nice to be able to park somewhere again without leaving a slick behind... I was about to get a "Valdez" vanity plate for the rear of the truck.

Mikes3500

The gasket was $73 at the dodge dealer. I just bought one and am going to replace it tomorrow. I’ve heard that you should do the vacuum pump and power steering pump gaskets to while it’s apart, that’s another $75 in gaskets