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Old 10-20-2020, 07:27 AM   #1
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7.3l / T444 question

Looking at a 2004 International with the aforementioned engine, in checking it out pulled the oil cap with the engine running and found it to constantly be puffing blue smoke out of the filler tube. Engine has approx. 200k on it. Is this looking like this engine is about due for a rebuild? Starts fine and sounds good but not really up for buying a bus and then have to do rebuild the engine in the near future. Also this is the 175 hp engine with an Allison 2000 so I know highway speed will be slow more than likely. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

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Old 10-20-2020, 07:37 AM   #2
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: West Ohio
Posts: 3,678
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 1753
Engine: 6.9 International
Rated Cap: 65
You'll have oil vapor being pushed out in a "chuff" on new engines. That isn't odd or indicative of anything.

Each chuff is a cylinder firing and pushing a little oil vapor out.

Most manufacturers have a scientific tool to measure the volume of blowby gases and will have a chart that shows the different ranges and what's acceptable.

The cheap way to do it is to get the engine up to temp. Unscrew the cap the whole way, flip it, and then set the flat part back down on the fill tube. If it dances around or pushes off the tube, the blowby is too high and you can expect to rebuild the engine sooner rather then later. If it sits there without pushing off, your blowby is fine. You might have to keep it guided in position due to the engine running and rattling it off, but it should dance around on top.
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Old 10-20-2020, 07:12 PM   #3
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Ashtabula, Ohio
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Year: 1996
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Chassis: International
Engine: T444E 7.3L
Most of these engines do that if not all of them that I have seen. As long as it's not extreme, it's fine.
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Old 10-20-2020, 07:25 PM   #4
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
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Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
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all diesel engines have some amount of blow-by that is visible vapor.. with such high compression its near impossible to get a 100% complete seal with metal-<oil-film>-metal for ring to cylinder wall.. not to mention every piston ring has some sort ring gap.. meaning the ring is not 100% sealed.. this is normal..



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Old 10-26-2020, 07:55 AM   #5
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Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: East TN
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Year: 1999
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
My T444E has 284k on it and runs great. I wouldn’t let the mileage worry you. Observe a cold start. If it starts easily then that is a really good sign.
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