Yes… Missy still has an engine oil leak. I first talked about it here.
That oil is getting all over her backside and the Jeep.
It isn’t a lot but it sure makes a mess! I am tired of having a black and crusty back side.
Once again, I stuck my head and arms inside the engine compartment and started looking for anything that looked like a leak.
The oil sure seems to be coming from the main alternator (a big Delco 50DN alternator which produces 270 amps at 24 volts – serious power!!). Which reminds me, clearly the hose that I found disconnected a few months ago was not the problem. In reality, that hose was an air vent hose (I found out later).
I did some more reading about this alternator and looking at parts diagrams. This alternator contains a quart of oil during operation. The pressurized oil is fed to it by the engine. It provides lubrication and cooling for the alternator and then gravity feeds back to the engine oil sump. Apparently, oil flows thru the alternator at the rate of two gallons per minute during operation! Wow!
The alternator is sort of made up of three major sections, all of these are connected together by bolts with gaskets in between them. Apparently, leaking oil is not uncommon. Ugh…
All the hoses are tight. So, I put a wrench on all the bolts holding the parts of the alternator together. These were no so tight. Not exactly loose, but not tight either. So, they are now all snugged down and I am hoping that the gaskets are ok.
I also read one account of the mounting bolts being loose and causing a leak. So, I put a wrench on those mounting bolts and WHAT?!?!?
The mounting bolt with the greatest amount of oily mess around it was VERY loose! This particular bolt is at the far end of the alternator when looking at the above photo – as it sits in the coach, it is the bolt furthest forward.
I tightened it up and now I am sitting here with great anticipation!!!
Have a fixed this silly leak?!?!?
I should know tomorrow – I have some driving to do.
If worse comes to worse, there is an air cooled conversion available for this alternator.
Sounds like you have found the problem, now for a test drive. I hope so for your sake … tracing oil leaks is not a favorite hobby of mine.
I hope it is fixed for good now!
If not, ponder while having some nice biscuits & gravy for breakfast ~ you’ll figure it out!
I would love it if you would set on our property by Las Vegas for a while.
Oh!!!! I am getting tired of oil all over the place. I have been doing a LOT of mechanic work in the past week or two. I hope you have found your leak. Tomorrow, I am going to begin the process of putting air springs on JBAM. Nannnette has informed me that her new name is Mountain Mama. That should work. I’ll let you know how the air bag job goes. What could possibly go wrong?
That electricity maker looks Detroit green in the pic. If it is a Detroit there is an old saying ‘ if it ain’t leaking, it ain’t running.’ What is your engine a 6-71?
Ha! Yes, very true! It is a DD 60 series.