4x4BOB

I have found many oil spots forming a large spot on my driveway. I believe the oil is coming from the crankcase breather tube. Does anyone know if the breather canister can be serviced or does it need to be replaced. (I would insert a picture, but I do not know how.)

Mallard

My truck drips too. I only have 30K. I took it in to dealer and they said to buy an aftermarket catch basin. I have not found one yet. It appears like the oil pan bolts are leaking because of the oil spray from the crank. What causes the crank to drip? short trips? too much oil? is it best to check the oil cold on level surface or when? Sorry if these are dumb questions, but I am frustrated with oil drips from a new truck...

jrs_dodge_diesel

Is there a breather bottle at the end of the breather tube like on the 2nd gens? If so just empty it.

Jeff in TD

No breather bottle on 3rd gens.

Mine never drips, but some people's do. I wonder if there is something amiss in the vent thing on top of the valve cover?

Anyhow, I would imagine a person could just safety wire a bottle over the end of the hose, as long as the mouth of the bottle was large enough to let fumes escape. Would probably also be a good idea to make sure the end of the hose was well off the bottom of the bottle, so you wouldn't have problems with mositure building up in the bottle, freezing, and plugging the hose...

underwoodtransp

or maybe we need to look into getting one off a 2nd gen???

MikeyB

Every once in a while mine will drip, but doesn't bother me. Here's a quick fix. Take a round aspirin type of bottle, slip it up the vent, but not to far, just enough so any type of fluid buildup won't clog the vent. Drill a hole through the bottle and vent tube, and use a tie wrap to secure. At every oil change cut the tie wrap and drain the bottle.

MikeyB

wap

Mine has dripped to and someone told me it was just a little over full of oil and not to worry about it. I park on gravel so it aint hurtin my parkin spot.

TexasCTD

I have never noticed any drips of oil in my driveway.........however, I do notice some oil residue on my transmission housing that I am assuming is coming from that tube. Would that normally just "drip", or would it be more likely to "blow" it out under pressure going down the road?

That is a good idea about the aspirin bottle, MikeyB. thanks.

bigblock2stroke

There is normally not very much pressure coming out of the breather tube.

(less than 1 psi).

If you have lots of crankcase pressure, its because of the compression gases blowing by the piston rings, which is BAAADDDD (high blowby).

If you plug the breather because your catch bottle filled up with oil, you will blow out the weakest seal in the oiling system. I have seen the weakest seal be the valve cover gasket and I have seen it be the crankshaft main seals (front and back). It could also blow a seal in the turbo. blown valve cover gasket is not that big of a deal. The others would be costly if you are out of warranty.

I'd be giving your dealer a little harder time.
$40k oil dripper and you have to buy an aftermarket bottle to catch it?

I don't think so.

sawboywv1

This is completly normal. I extened my tube to exit the vapors away from the cab. You will have more after a fresh oil change when the oil level is alittle higher. If you change oil yourself only fill it to to within 1/8" of full mark. It's a breather and thats what they do, vent crankcase vapors, they are NOT re-entered into the intake system because of the turbo setup.

TexasCTD

Big Block,

I don't notice my leaking on my drive. Just some oil residue on my trans. housing and a little on the side and rear of my oil pan. The oil dipstick reads to the top of the full mark. Are you saying I should be concerned about this and take it to the dealer?

Jonesey

Normal. Nothing to be concerned with. You should have seen how the fan blew the oil vapors all over the place on my Gen II. The catch bottle was on the front of the engine directly behind the fan.

bigblock2stroke

No, if you aren't leaving big stains and using oil, I wouldn't worry either.

I was more concerned with potentiall blocking the draft tube by putting a bottle on it that fills up and submerges the end of the tube. That is bad.

TexasCTD

Ok thanks. I haven't put a bottle on it, as of yet. Guess I won't now.

jrs_dodge_diesel

The breather bottle on the 2nd gens had the hose coming into the top of the bottle. Below it on the sides of the bottle were 4 holes about 2 inches below the hose. If the bottle ever filled up it would never plug the hose. It would leak out the holes long before it ever reaches the hose. Even if the hose was blocked by the oil it would still breathe and just bubble out.

What you DO have to worry about is if you extend the breather hose too far and it is winter-time. By the time the blowby vapor leaves the hose in cold weather it won't be very warm. The moisture in the vapor can freeze to the walls of the hose and build up and eventually block off the tube and cause seal damage.