7.3L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 1999-Up Super Duty trucks and Excursions. No gas engine discussion allowed except on transmissions and drivetrain that pertain to all models. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 7.3L Power Stroke engine.
I have had a small seep oil leak from the top of the motor; it’s heavier on the passenger side, since I bought the truck. About 3 months ago we had the tranny out to replace a flywheel (junk starters, spend the extra $20) and we thought it was the rear main, nope, dry. So upon closer inspection I see it starts at the valve cover gaskets on both side, passenger side having a heavier leak.
My question is how hard is it to replace these? I know the basics is simple, but what all has to come off the top of the motor to get to all the bolts and have these bad boys off to put some new gaskets on? Or, could it be that my thought is wrong and the leak is from somewhere else?
The spots on the driveway are getting bigger and I want to do this sooner than later while I have the $funds$ to do it. Thanks in advance.
Most likely your leak isn't from the VC gaskets. They seldom leak. Mine have been off and back on about 4 times, and still seal well.
Common leak spots are the intercooler and intake plenum boots. The CCV oil vapor gets dumped into the intake pre-turbo and goes thru the intercooler. The boots tend to seep oil, especially if not tightened well. The boots themselves aren't the best material for oil vapors.
I installed a complete set of boots from Bob Riley (DIESELSITE - DIESEL MAINTENANCE and PERFORMANCE) and they are dry as a bone. A little spendy, but worth not having to mess with the oily crud that builds up with stock boots.
At a minimum, pull your boots off, clean everything up well, and reinstall with a light smear of laundry detergent around the inside of the boot's sealing surface (it acts like glue). Tighten the clamps well.
Also look up in the front of the engine down in the valley. If it is wet around the HPOP pump and in the front of the valley you could have a HPOP line weeping, it will get worse, oil that goes down in the valley and out the back through a drain hole, most of it will go down the passenger side over the starter and drip down where it LOOKS like a rear main crank seal leak but isn't.
I double checked last night and looked down the valley. It is more damp in the back left side of the valley if your looking from the front of the truck...Hope this helps.
I double checked last night and looked down the valley. It is more damp in the back left side of the valley if your looking from the front of the truck...Hope this helps.
Well, you're the one who will have to find the leak, as we kind of have trouble seeing it.
Where you're describing (under the turbo on the exhaust side) you have the EBP valve, which has an oil acutated piston that operates it in the turbo pedestal. That may be what's leaking. There's a kit available to rebuild the turbo pedestal Ford PN 2C3Z-9P466-AB or Int'l PN 1833815C93.
...and yes I also was rolling when I read klhansen's post.
Glad you didn't take that comment the wrong way.
Good photos, BTW. As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words.
On your photo #1949, your pointer is pointing at the bottom of the driver's side intake plenum boot.
And on your photo #1939. YUK!!! That's from the passenger's side, and there's all kinds of oil drooling down the intercooler boot, turbo spider, and onto the intake plenum boot, which looks like it's also leaking badly. There's some oil back on the turbo pedestal, but more than likely that's from spray from the spider area from the fan blowing the oil vapor back there. From the looks of all that oil spooge, I wouldn't be surprised that it puddled in the valley.
I'd suggest that you clean everything up and then take another look after a day or so's driving.
Did you try tightening the boot clamps? That might help, but a removal, inspection, and reinstall or replacement of the boots seems to me to be in order.
The turbo pedestal oil supply is on the driver's side (background of your pic #1939) but if they were leaking, you'd probably have a bigger lake in the valley. Before tearing into the turbo, I'd deal with those grungy boots.
Here's a pic of the same area of my truck. Dsc02950.jpgI have a little seepage coming from the EBPV actuator, but notice how clean the boots are. There's a little oily dust in the bottom of the valley, but nowhere near what's in yours.
Thank you for the help, I figured the pics would help out...lol
I miss understood your first post about the boots, but now looking at your photo I know what your talking about. I will probably end up going ahead and ordering the boots you suggested and spending a weekend taking it apart, cleaning it, and installing the new boots.
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), AIS, 
That's from the passenger's side, and there's all kinds of oil drooling down the intercooler boot, turbo spider, and onto the intake plenum boot, which looks like it's also leaking badly. There's some oil back on the turbo pedestal, but more than likely that's from spray from the spider area from the fan blowing the oil vapor back there. From the looks of all that oil spooge, I wouldn't be surprised that it puddled in the valley.
, but now looking at your photo I know what your talking about. I will probably end up going ahead and ordering the boots you suggested and spending a weekend taking it apart, cleaning it, and installing the new boots.
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