Cummins Crankcase filter damage

[Rockbuggy84]

So I thought I’d post a recent maintenance issue that I came across that caused some costly repairs.

Cousin has a 2010 Ram 2500 with the 6.7. Bought it used last year at 160,000 miles and it’s been an all around solid truck. Called a couple weeks ago and asked if either of mine drip oil. Both are very low mileage 12&13 with zero leaks, so no.

He said a drip appeared, but nothing significant. Told him bring it over and I’d check it out.

He came over the following weekend after towing his trailer on a camping trip and parked in my driveway. I walked out 20 minutes later and there is a significant puddle on my driveway. Look under, have him start it and oil is coming out behind the balancer.

Pressure wash it, tear it down and remove the timing cover. The front main is blown out. The internal is literally inverted out in 2 separate spots. Immediately checked the Crankcase filter and it weighs way more than it should. Tear it open and it’s completely plugged.

I replaced the crank seal and resealed the timing cover. I have significantly slowed his leak, but found that the pressure also blew out a small section of the main timing gear housing gasket.

This requires cam removal and I told him to take it to a shop. If it was my truck, I’d have no problem tearing into it, but not worth the headache for me.

My guess is that he blew the timing housing seal originally with normal driving and low boost. When he went camping, there’s a bunch of hills so plenty of boost and crankcase pressure significantly increased and spit the crank seal.

I installed catch cans and gutted the ccf on both of my 6.7’s for under $40, or new crankcase filters are $50-60. Either way you go, it’s cheap insurance to prevent some costly damage.

 

[pcorssmit]

So do you think his CCF was never replaced, and that's why it plugged? At 160,000, it should have been on it's 3rd on (assuming the interval is 67,500, which is what my '15 is)?

Pete

 

[TRINDU]

Every diesel should have a draft tube. Sounds like he learned the hard way how emissions can cost you thousands.

I'm also a fan how the EGR, mixed with a little ccv vapor, makes a mess of the heater grid.

 

[Wheelerfreak]

Is this a 6.7 issue only? Just curious what years this applies to.

Disregard, google was my friend. It is a 6.7;issue.

 

[Rockbuggy84]

So do you think his CCF was never replaced, and that's why it plugged? At 160,000, it should have been on it's 3rd on (assuming the interval is 67,500, which is what my '15 is)?

Pete

I know it was replaced at some point because it was not the factory cummins filter that comes with it.

What’s kinda crazy is my 12 never gets driven and has 40k on it. I pulled it and it was also pretty saturated. I then moved on to the wife’s 13 with 60k and same thing. Neither of these trucks have a bit of blow by and get oil changes every 5k.

I think being in the intake tube causes quite a bit of unnecessary suction and pulls a lot of oil into the filter, prematurely plugging it. Terrible design IMO.

 

[[486]]

I'm also a fan how the EGR, mixed with a little ccv vapor, makes a mess of the heater grid.

I don't think the CCV oil/water makes a huge difference in the intake manifold coking from EGR

I'm convinced that it is just wet-stacking same as you get in the exhaust when running low load and cold, only difference is that you never burn the intake out like the exhaust sees every trip.
A few engines have gotten aftermarket updates to eliminate EGR flow at low coolant temperature, and the intake coking nearly disappears.

 

[[486]]

I think being in the intake tube causes quite a bit of unnecessary suction and pulls a lot of oil into the filter, prematurely plugging it. Terrible design IMO.

the vacuum on the crankcase will keep your turbo's seals happier. Especially with a free flowing exhaust, when you run a road draft tube you'll run into a lot more oil from both the compressor and turbine ring seals, because at idle the crankcase pressure is often higher than that directly behind the compressor and turbine wheels, making the turbo's seals 'breathe' the wrong way.

 

[wvracer821]

saw a friends truck do that at about 100k miles. My 2018 has had the CCV filter gutted and the vent routed under the truck instead of to the intake since I got it.