[Philip Sanders]

I have a 2006 F250 crew cab 4x4 with 110,000 miles on it.

My mechanic confirmed I have a bed plate leak. He put UV die in the oil, cleaned the whole motor and let it run over a two day period and I have a small seep coming from the bed plate.

I have been reading up on this allot, and the consensus seems to be, it's not a big a deal. As long as its a small leak and is not hampering performance. I am inclined to agree with this. Very extensive (and expensive) repair for such a minor problem.

Here is my concern-
This summer I will be pulling our 6,000 lb camper cross country on a 3000 mile (4 week) road trip. I was wondering if the added stress of pulling a load for that long of a period would cause me problems.From what I have read, this bed plate could be a bad gasket. Or, it could be machined incorrectly from the factory. I'm not sure if towing will worsen the leak.

I don't want to spend big bucks unless it's necessary, if I do fix the leak, I will go ahead and put head studs, and what ever else will be good to replace, since the engine will be out and everything is easy to get to.

The last thing I want to do is break down 1,000 miles from home with a trailer that needs to be towed back.

But I also can't spend that much money unless it absolutely necessary.

Thank you All Opinions and Info !! :grin2:

 

[TKOPerformance]

I would just keep an eye on it. I'm disinclined to spend thousands on something that leaves a tiny oil spot in my driveway. That being said, you know it does leak a little bit, so get in the habit of checking the oil at every fill up. If you notice a sharp decline in oil between fill ups then it might be getting worse and maybe then you consider addressing it.

The problem with the bed plate seal is that by the time you go to fix it you might as well just rebuild the bottom end.

 

[Phil G.]

If your losing anything significant for oil...you'll know it if you travel at high speed regularly. I've had a slow to medium leak on mine in the past and ended up with a wet trailer hitch on the leading side of the cross tube. I agree with TKO, I would just monitor it for now and see if it gets worse. I haven't found that towing makes a noticeable difference in an oil leak. It might if you tend to run the truck hard at higher rpm in a lower gear but other than that, I doubt it.

 

[bobsherrie]

Mine had the gaskets replaced while still under warranty at 6 years. It has been seeping for the last 4-5 years and has never gotten worse, just a spot or 2 when parked. I tow heavy all the time in the mountains. I wouldn't worry about it, just keep an eye on it.

 

[Ford06]

Look on the bright side, it will keep the underside of the truck from rusting! I agree with the others. It is a totally peripheral issue from the mechanical functions of the engine.

 

[Philip Sanders]

Thank You all for your Affirmation.
I'm super paranoid when it comes to this truck, I try to keep all the preventative maintenance current, cause I know how expensive these repair bills can get !!

It's not even leaking on the ground, but the crankcase stays wet. I check the oil level once a week, and it stays on full.

Bobsherrie- It's good to know you have the same problem and also tow in the mountains. That is my MAIN concern. I live in Alabama and we are going out to Colorado, and I was worried that it may break down once I get out there towing a trailer.

I appreciate all the comments
Thanks Again !

 

[Phil G.]

Enjoy your trip to Colorado!

Maybe you could report back here in this thread when you get home on how your truck performed?

 

[Philip Sanders]

That's a great idea ! We are not taking the trip until mid July, but I will report back and let ya'll know how it went !!

 

[dillon134]

What is the procedure for cleaning the leaky oil residue from the engine? I still haven't isolated my oil leak and had though about cleaning it but wasn't sure what to use. As I stated in my thread specific to this issue, I've already dyed the oil. I just want to clean it up and then try to find the leak.

I assume I could spray engine cleaner/gunk on it and wash it off with a hose? I've only ever done this once, to my 1971 Olds 442, and it cleaned up my 455 nicely. Never tried to clean a diesel motor.

... didn't mean to hijack this thread but my question seems somewhat related

 

[TKOPerformance]

Yes, you can use grease remover. I prefer the Castrol purple stuff. It works really well. I've found Gunk to be hit or miss. The foamy stuff is particularly terrible. The Castrol stuff works without requiring scrubbing, so you can just spray it on, let it sit for 10-15 minutes and wash it off. You may notice some slight discoloration of aluminum; it tend s to bleach it. Over time that will go away. I think it might actually clean the oxide layer off of it. I've not had an issue with anything under the hood getting wet. All the electrical connections are water proof. I will clean and rinse and then let it dry for several hours before starting the truck.

 

[dillon134]

Thanks TKO. Good stuff.

 

[Philip Sanders]

I use Purple Power, its a real good de-greaser. Get it clean, then let it run a while and check with a UV light.

 

[dillon134]

To make sure I'm clear, you soak the motor as well as possible, let the de-greaser do its job for 15 mins or so, and then wash it off with a hose (obviously a low pressure hose).

 

[TKOPerformance]

Yes, exactly. I just use a garden hose and control pressure with my thumb.

 

[dillon134]

Thanks again. Maybe this is where the term "Grease Monkey" came from. Maybe it should be changed to "De-grease" monkey

 

[TKOPerformance]

The term "grease monkey" was used in print as early as 1928, but a lot of people think it originates in the Industrial Revolution when children were used to apply grease to giant rotating shafts used to power equipment via belts in manufacturing plants. The kids would have to climb up to do the job, so it makes sense that they would have been seen as "monkeys" greasing the equipment.

All back when kids knew the value of a day's work. Stupid child labor laws...

 

[dillon134]

Great stuff. Funny that the GM term never had anything to do with auto mechanics...

My last question about cleaning the engine: I figured the de-greaser solution would work better if the engine was warm (not hot or cold).

I took Thermodynamics in College (toughest class I've ever taken) but we never had this on a test as a word problem:

"Dave drove to school 10 miles. The engine block was 45 degrees Fahrenheit when he left and 185 degrees when he arrived at school. How long would a de-greaser solution take to clean oil from the engine block if... "

 

[TKOPerformance]

I always though warm was best too, but I think the Castrol Purple says for it to be ambient temp. I know Gunk always wanted the engine warm, but it works about as well as plain water so...