8v71 detroit with an oil leak? No way!

[johnny z]

I'm well aware of the detroit "legacy" of leaking oil, but I've got a low mileage 8v71 with a significant amount of oil coming from the air box drain tubes..(not crank case vents)
I would love to here from a knowledgeable detroit guy as to what could be the cause.. I suspect seals in the blower, but I haven't yet investigated..
HELP!

[NH2112]

Disclaimer: I'm not a knowledgeable Detroit guy.

We have an aircraft push tractor at work that had a SERIOUS leak from the airbox drain, and after unsuccessfully trying to talk the customer into repairing it I simply came up with a band-aid solution. I simply welded ends onto a piece of 4" pipe to make a reservoir, put a vent near the top and a drain elbow near the bottom of one end, drilled a 1/4" hole near the top of the pipe and welded a nipple made from a piece of tubing on. I made a bracket to hold the reservoir onto the rear torsion arm bracket, and connected the airbox drain to the nipple with a piece of rubber hose.

Whenever it comes in for work I drain whatever's in the reservoir out - not much comes out because we've been getting on the operator's about letting the thing idle forever. "Start it, let it warm up a couple minutes, run it HARD, let it cool down a couple minutes, and shut it off."

[Yukon6.2]

Hi
What wieght oil are you using? I had a 671 in a highway truck that would puke out a puddle of oil every time it would get started.It was used once a week and would go through a gal of oil every three weeks.
A old truck driver friend told me the problem was multi wieght oil,i used 15w40,like i used in all my other diesels.I switched to striaght 30w and the oil pretty much stopped puking out the boxes,i would add a gal every three months after the switch.
In the shop manual for the 671 it states that striaght wieghts should be used.
Hope this helps
Thomas

[johnny z]

Thanks to both of you for your suggestions! Interestingly, when I acquired the truck (which is an ladder platform fire truck) it had been sitting for some time, so I serviced everything on it! All fluids, filters were replaced..(no cheap undertaking, but the way!) and I did replace the engine oil with 15w 40 Delo, that I had been running in everything else. Prior to thay, I hadn't noticed the air box leak, only the crankcase vents leaked a bit..
I will change it to a straight weight oil and see what happens.. Thanks again for that idea! It would've never occurred to me!
Also, the reservoir idea is a good one.. I intend to use the ladder to access a very high ceiling inside (and outside) of a metal building, and I'd rather not have oil puddles and drops all over the concrete floor, every time I do! Before the box drain leak appeared, I was thinking of a "drawer type" catch pan under the engine, to eliminate the "drips" from the crank case vents, but the leak rate from the box drains is a bit much for that and would require a reservoir, since the truck will be running for extended periods of time.. Thanks again!!

[Aerodyne]

We have a 4 53 in a crane that idles for long periods of time. Some one in the past ran a hose to a oil jug. I empty the jug as needed or at oil change.


Aerodyne