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Old 05-06-2017, 04:03 PM   #1
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Crank case vent tube.

Does the crank case vent tube on a 1998 t444e leak oil that can get on the lower part of the engine/transmission and look like a eninge or transmission leak? Any info will be much appreciated.

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Old 05-06-2017, 04:24 PM   #2
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It can blow out through the vent tube particularly if someone has filled the engine over full. Other than that excessive blowby would indicate excessive wear on the engine or possibly even sticking piston rings.

They don't normally leak like that. If it looks like it's been leaking for a long time I'd guess it's rings are shot or sticking allowing blowby.
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Old 05-06-2017, 05:40 PM   #3
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Thank you. It only has 84000 miles on it. And could sticking piston rigs cause it to start hard in cold weather? Is there any remedies to make sticky rigs go away?

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Old 05-06-2017, 06:05 PM   #4
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You might try a fuel additive. It helped my engine a lot. I used what the truckers prefer in this area.
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Old 05-06-2017, 06:08 PM   #5
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typically startung in cold weather hard is Glow-plug related... on top of your engine is what looks like a starter solenoid.. thats your glowplug relay.. they are notorious for dying..

the draft tube can and does blow oil, esp if you are runnign the bus hard.. like a T-444E at highway speeds... you shouldnt blow excessive oil unless the engine is really worn... what are you going on to get the 84,000 miles? the odometer on the bus? or did you read the mileage and serial number off the computer and make sure all is match-match? the navistar gauge panels are notorious for going bad.. and are often replaced with refurb units that have 0'd odometers.. if the engine has its original computer, the mileage is kept inside and can be read out by a scanner..

if your oil is too thin.. (ie a bad injector dumping fuel into the oil)..
or if its Over-filled (look at the stiick carefully), you will blow oil out of the draft tube..

start with a fresh oil change.. rotella T 15W40, filled properly on level ground.. then drive it and see... if your oil ends up over-filled after you drive it a few hundred miles or more then theres an issue with an injector..

my 444E has a draft recirculator made by RACOR.. the filter in that was bad and was causing me to leak oil.. seems since i changed that filter my oil leaks have gone to almost zero.. so make sure there not little black canister sitting on top of the draft tube on the valve cover.. (the black canister on top oif the engine itself is normal and is the fuel filter)..

Leaks into the engine 'valley' will run out a weep hole and onto the ground and look like a rear main seal also.. you can crawl up on top and shine a BRIGHT flashlight down into the valley (area between the 2 valve covers).. I usually look down deep around the turbo pedestal and then forward.. if theres oil down in that area then that can run on the ground...

-Christopher
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Old 05-06-2017, 06:54 PM   #6
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Thank you and it's all original miles I have all the service records for it. I will try the oil change. And thanks for all the helpful info.

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Old 05-07-2017, 07:31 AM   #7
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A lot of people put a jug at the end of the tube to collect the blowby , makes less of a mess under the bus, ill be doing that to mine.
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Old 05-07-2017, 07:37 AM   #8
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And I will do the same. Thanks everyone for the info.

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Old 05-07-2017, 07:45 AM   #9
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make sure if you use the Jug method, that its metal.. those blowby gasses are basicially exhaust so its HOT.. plastic would last for awhile under light loads.. but under full throttle climbing a hill, the gasses are hot.

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Old 05-07-2017, 08:00 AM   #10
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Okay thank you for the heads up. What would be a good metal jug to use?

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Old 05-07-2017, 08:16 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Qya1991 View Post
Okay thank you for the heads up. What would be a good metal jug to use?

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im not sure what others use.. another option is a CCV vent system.. my Bird came with a RACOR CCV-3550 installed.. it catches and recirculates the oil back into the pan. and then filters the gasses and runs them back through combustion.. its more an emissions thing but it has the side effect of recycling the oil. I was going to yank it off till i realized what it does.. so i fixed it.. and seems to have made my oil leaks nearly non existent.

as for a jug whatever you do DONT seal that tube against the jug... if you block the flow of gasses from that tube you will blow out every oil seal in that engine..
-Christopher
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Old 05-07-2017, 08:41 AM   #12
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I look into the vent system. But for now I'll use a jug for the time being. And once again thank you for the in depth info.

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