# dodge cummins



## Redneckified (Jan 16, 2014)

I have a small oil leak on a 1995 dodge cummins 12v i am in the process of getting it all fixed up and i found this. If anyone knows anything i should look out for if this is normal? Or it might be just a gasket that broke. ?


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## NavaBoer (Dec 5, 2013)

If that is your oil pan looks like it might be coming from up higher. Not sure what your point of view is here as there isn't much in the pic to use as reference but looks like it could be coming from a crank seal or other pully/ shaft seal


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## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

The source of leaks near the front of the engine aren't the easiest to locate due to air-flow from the cooling fan and medium/high-speed driving. What appears to be a leak from the front corner of the pan gasket may be from higher up on the block, such as the accessory-drive cover gasket or crank-shaft seal...pan gasket leaks can also spread up, rear, and downward, appearing to be from another source.

You may need to wipe it down with degreaser solution on a rag, then wipe it dry and start from scratch. Get the engine up to normal temps without high speed or high RPM (low-speed driving in steep terrain or heavy towing to get oil temp up) , then recheck for the source of the leak...it may take a while until it shows up again.

From the pics, it _appears_ to be engine oil, and not coolant, but that's all I can judge. There's not much dirt accumulating on the dampness of the leak, so the leak seems to be just spreading out across the surface...driven in a clean environment makes it tougher to find the source. If this is a really slow leak that doesn't show-up again for some time, it may not be cause for much concern. Pan/Cover Gasket failures are common on old engines as this one, so don't be too alarmed (head gaskets, if assembled correctly, generally last the life of the engine, unless severely abused)...just beware if it suddenly starts loosing a lot of fluid. Note: I'm assuming this engine is original, not overhauled...if already overhauled and not a lot of miles since refreshed, something may not have been assembled properly (incorrect torquing sequence or torque specs on cover bolts, etc).

If you do find it to be a crank-shaft seal, be prepared to evaluate the engine further for possible crank and rod-bearing swap, or a complete crank-kit...leaky crank seals can be indicative of excessive bearing wear, but are not the deciding factor.

Hope all goes well, and it's just a defective pan gasket...good luck!


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

I have a 230 Cummins in our motor home that has a rear main seal leak, come to find out it was pretty common and there had been a recall on that. I didn't check it out but I was told that a Cummins shop could possibly fix it on warranty. It seems that the seal material has been the problem.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Mine leaks near the same place, and on mine it's the front gear case cover leaking. Mine leaks way worse - yours isn't bad at all. The part the oil filter threads onto *is* the oil cooler.... you might want to look around it as well.

A leaky front main seal should not be an indicator the crank or bearings are going bad.

Clean the area very well with kerosene to get rid of the oil weep. Then drive it for a short drive and dust the area with talcum powder or baby powder to see where the oil leak is.

If you EVER pull the front cover, you *MUST* replace the front seal.... which is $34 at Napa for JUST THE SEAL *itself!*!!!

This seal MUST be installed *DRY!!!*

I mean *dry*, as in wipe-the-crank-snout-with-acetone *dry!!!* If there is any oil in the area, the seal will not seal, and will leak. Oh.... and it is a beyotch to get installed without damaging it, even with the funky little plastic sleeve that comes with it. It'll make you cry to ruin a $34 seal in 2 second flat.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

even though it is the wrong side that almost looks like a fuel leak, from the evaporation lines on the pan, unless you have washed it down with solvent a few times. IF you have the front cover off, make sure to anchor the "killer dowel pin" if it hasn't been done already,

And:2thumb: on the avatar redneckified


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

Tirediron said:


> even though it is the wrong side that almost looks like a fuel leak, from the evaporation lines on the pan, unless you have washed it down with solvent a few times. IF you have the front cover off, make sure to anchor the "killer dowel pin" if it hasn't been done already,
> 
> And:2thumb: on the avatar redneckified


That killer dowel pin is my main concern otherwise as to a seal leak I'm sort of the "let a sleeping dog lay" attitude, I can live with a bit of seep considering what I'd have to go trough in light of my motor home being a pusher. In some ways at this point I wish it was a Dodge pickup with a Cummins, it'd been a hundred times easier to work on.


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