oil leak

[Jorday]

I think the truck might be leaking oil or something. I always am getting a whiff of engine oil smell when the truck's running. Sometimes I can smell it in the cab. I sometimes see a tiny tiny bit of smoke in the headlights when I'm backing up. I open up the hood and I can't smell or see anything. I can't see oil leaking from anywhere that would cause the smoke like that.
:confused:

I noticed that the oil drain plug leaks. There's always a drip of oil coming from it. I checked it and it was tight. I don't think a drop of oil on the oil pan would cause me to smell oil in the truck, though.
How can I figure out what's going on?

[max out]

The smoke your seeing might be from the tail pipe, Make sure your oil is not over full.

[tophog]

I have read where it is not uncommon to smell fresh oil for a few hundred miles after an oil change. I didn't beleive this until last week where I performed my 3rd oil change. I think there is a vent tube or something that is the culprit and nothing to worry about as long as you don't have leaks, overfill, etc. I too have searched for leaks high/low with no luck and level is right on the mark. Today I noticed, or should say didn't notice it for the first time after driving the truck a couple hundred miles over the weekend. Not sure why, but it's definately annoying.

On edit, here's one of the threads I read about the oil smell ...

http://forum.thedieselpage.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=007263#000000

[jbplock]

Originally posted by Jorday:
...I always am getting a whiff of engine oil smell when the truck's running. Sometimes I can smell it in the cab.

...I sometimes see a tiny tiny bit of smoke in the headlights when I'm backing up...

I noticed that the oil drain plug leaks...Dittos to MaxOut and Tophog's replies.

How many miles on your 04? I always notice the oil smell for a few hundred miles after an oil change. I'm not sure why new oil does this but the vapor comes from the vent tube the exits near the bottom front of the engine on the passager side. I have noticed a litte oil around the end of the tube but not enough to drip on the ground.

The smoke you see in the mirror is this at night and/or when the engine is cold? If so this is probably normal. I sometimes notice a little haze in the mirror at night when accelerating hard or climbing a hill - normal for a diesel.

Regarding the drip at the pan - not normal. I would complain to the dealer - it shouldn't leak. However, after an oil change I have noticed a drip on the ground from oil that spills on to the cross member under the oil pan.

smile.gif

[ 01-01-2004, 05:32 AM: Message edited by: jbplock ]

[Jorday]

Thanks for the replies guys! I love this site.

This is definitely the same issue on my truck that everyone else is having.

I have just turned over 2000 miles on my truck. I know the oil drainplug leaking is not normal and it should covered under warranty. I'm not going to bother taking it in because I'm going to get one of those quick drain oil plugs. I'm tired of wiping oil off the skid plate after it drains all over it. :(

[Spartus]

I took my SawZaw and cut the corner off of my skid plate due to that problem... Now all the oil drains right into the oil pan.