I've looked all over, where is the breather tube? i had assumed it would have been on the valve cover.

 

I think I might know what you are talking about - even though I don't know exactly what it does. Go under the truck and look for the tube hanging out down there. On my truck the tube is right above the front differential and the oil from it drips onto the diff.

 

That would be the blowby tube. Otherwise known as a breather tube. This vents crankcase pressure caused by blowby. Look next to the injection pump on a 24v for it. 12v are next to the oil pan sump.

 

i never would have looked there. i did see the one by the diff-thought that was the filter drain. now i can do some tinkering. I've read posts about loosing oil out the tube, so i thought I'd make an accumulator to catch the oil and dump back into the pan. i don't have this problem-yet, but i figure it's cheep insurance. thanks for all the info

 

the only stupid question is the question you don't ask.

 

They made it for blowby, so, is blowby ok or is the engine messed up then? I guess I have some blowby, because mine started to leak a little oil from there a bit ago. My guess is that it's pretty bad.

 

did my dad tell you to say that?

 

I just replaced my blow-by tube with a nice five foot chunk of actual oil hose from Napa. Using coolant hose just rots after a couple years. I run mine down along the frame rail and dump out before the T-case x-member. I get a few drips after a long trip but usually just steam. If you start getting large deposits it could be a sign of a problem somewhere. Some trucks had an actual catch can on them, but Id just junk it and run a hose down.

Well, thatll be my .02

 

Oil drips are normal, the canister is designed to catch the drips and the heat helps vaporize or discipate the oil. The bad thing, it will clog your radiator over time.
Check inside your your fan shroud for buildup on the cooling fins. A lot of guys relocates the canister down on the axle or frame so it doesn't clog the radiator fins.

 

A CTD never drips oil. It is marking its territory.

 

Try looking at the drivers side, front of the engine. There will be a large "cap" and a hose on the timing cover directly in front of the injector pump. If you want to extend your hose, use oil rated hose, make sure it's always running downhill, and limit the length as the vent is supposed to be to atmosphere and condensation can freeze and plug the end in cold weather.