In the garage I noticed a few drops of oil on the floor. I thought it might be the oil filter as I just did an oil change but nope. It looks like an oil leak between the water pump housing and the engine, just a few drops and it just started today. Checked the bolts are tight. Is that a possible place for oil to leak from? It is not coolant. Is there other places in that spot it could be coming from? 106K miles and never a leak.

 

Looks like it's a small leak between the block and the timing gear cover. the entire front of the engine has to be removed to fix it to the point of pulling the cam. About 11 man hours in the flat rate book or about $1200. Really not worth it at this time. I guess that's why so many have drips under them. I guess Cummings puts a gasket there that dissolves at 100K miles. If too many things start going bad I will have to start thinking about my next truck.

 

After doing more checking and looking, what I thought was oil is coolant. But the water pump isn't leaking at the shaft. That's because the weep hole is back where the pump meets the engine. New water pump time. So, is it worth getting the Cummins OEM? I was told that Airtex makes the best aftermarket new.

 

good news for a change...water pumps are much easier and cheaper to change then timing cover gastket.. Just make sure you remove old seal with old pump and bleed the air from cooling system when refilling by pulling plug in top of cylinder head at the front.