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Old 02-10-2017, 01:51 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
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Year: 1999
Engine: t444E
Rated Cap: 210HP 28,000 GVRW
Blowby bypass oil leak T444e 7.3 CCV crank case ventilation

Greetings,

I am new to the T444E but not the 7.3. I am familiar with the motor in Ford Trucks and Vans.

Do all/most school buses come with the blow by bypass below the motor? (Crank Case Ventilation) If yes, should closing off the bypass when the engine is running cause oil to spill on the ground?

Thanks in advance.



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Old 02-10-2017, 08:44 AM   #2
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Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
blow by bypass? there should be a draft tube coming off of the driver side valve cover.. it will point out at the ground,

a common upgrade though was to install a RACOR CCV ventilation kit..

CCV3550 RACOR CRANKCASE VENTILATION FILTER SYSTEM INTERNATIONAL T444E FORD 7.3L | eBay

this recirculated blow-by Crankgase gases back into the intake before the Turbo.

if the filter in the RACOR clogs you would likely have issues with oil leaks from any number seals..

if you have a draft tube and you close it up you will likely blow oil out from every seal .. esp the rear / front mains and valve covers...

-Christopher
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Old 02-10-2017, 09:11 AM   #3
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Oil dribbling out the crank case vent is common with these. Many people have installed simple oil catch cans at the end of the tube:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=7.3l+...M6PYjwSvpqyYDQ
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Old 02-10-2017, 09:32 AM   #4
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over-filling the engine oil even by a quart or 2 will cause more oil loss out the draft tube as well..
-Christopher
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Old 02-16-2017, 09:29 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
over-filling the engine oil even by a quart or 2 will cause more oil loss out the draft tube as well..
-Christopher
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazty View Post
Oil dribbling out the crank case vent is common with these. Many people have installed simple oil catch cans at the end of the tube:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=7.3l+...M6PYjwSvpqyYDQ
Thanks for the info.

FOR CLARIFICATION: Do ALL/MOST Internationals T444E have the draft tube pointing out from the bottom of the engine? It seems like they do from the factory.

I thought it was odd that when I plugged the "draft tube" oil started to drip out. I wonder how/why Ford 7.3's do not have draft tubes from the factory and why the oil does not leak out.. .. its the "same engine"

Also is it likely that any damage would occur from clogging up the draft tube like I did or keeping it closed permanently?

I will attempt to Google that.
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Old 02-16-2017, 09:35 AM   #6
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Yeah, don't plug that tube! You risk building crank case pressure and, as was stated, blowing out seals!

The power stroke 7.3s do have a crank case vent, but it is directed back into the intake, before the turbo so that the crank case gases are burned. This is due to the emission standards of the time. Pickup trucks being under a different emissions standard than medium/heavy duty trucks.
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Old 02-16-2017, 09:37 AM   #7
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It's a common (though illegal) "upgrade" for the 7.3l Powerstroke folk to route the CCV the same way as the Navistar/International T444e. Then they'll either install a catch can or live with the dribble.
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Old 02-16-2017, 02:04 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jazty View Post
Oil dribbling out the crank case vent is common with these. Many people have installed simple oil catch cans at the end of the tube:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=7.3l+...M6PYjwSvpqyYDQ
They aren't "dribbling", they just like to mark their spot!
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Old 02-16-2017, 02:07 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
over-filling the engine oil even by a quart or 2 will cause more oil loss out the draft tube as well..
-Christopher
I've already discovered this, though it wasn't my fault it was over-filled.
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Old 03-21-2017, 10:50 AM   #10
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My 98 t444e has a filter installed. the tube from the valve cover goes to this filter housing which is supposed to be under vacuum because of another hose to the vacuum side of the turbo. then there is a tube from the bottom of the housing to the oil filler where the oil is supposed to dribble back into the engine.

I had oil dribbling out of the dipstick so suspecting positive crankcase pressure I inspected this filter. I don't think the filter element had ever been changed. Once I plugged the vacuum tube and ran the tube from the valve cover straight to the ground the dipstick leaking stopped.
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Old 03-21-2017, 11:42 AM   #11
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that filter system is a CCV-3550 by RACOR. its purpose is to reclaim oil lost from blow-by, and recirculate crankcase gasses.. this can increase efficiency a bit and you dont spray a mist of oil on long hill climbs..

whats interesting is that your leak stopped after removing the intake side.. seems if you had removed the device altogether youd reduce crankcase pressure..

some people have reported they thought the 3550 is too small for the 444E thiough it was used on many..

mine has it.. i have a 4550 i may install at some point ..

you can still get filter elemen ts for the 3550's..

-Christopher
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Old 03-21-2017, 12:06 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
whats interesting is that your leak stopped after removing the intake side.. seems if you had removed the device altogether youd reduce crankcase pressure..

-Christopher

I left the filter there thinking I might use it later but disconnected both the intake and CCV tube from it. My thinking was that the 10 year old filter was so clogged that it at times would have a negative pressure on the turbo intake side and a positive pressure on the CCV side that resulted in enough crank case pressure to blow some oil up the dipstick tube. I'm still hoping I don't have excessive blow by. What's coming out of the draft tube at idle seems comparable to videos I've seen on youtube.

My filter is not Racor but Donaldson i believe.
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Old 03-21-2017, 12:19 PM   #13
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yours is a bit different.. mine is mounted directly to the valve cover.. so it gets CCV gas directly.. then has one hose going to the intake..

my new one uses an adapter on the valve cover that has a hose going in and one going out to the intake..

its definitely not necessary to the operation of the motor.. but a clogged CCV will cause all kinds of oil leaks...

a plain old draft tube was used for many many years.. and a little oil blow from them is normal.. 444E is VERY sensitive to having its oil Over-filled..
-Christopher
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