Oil Leak 3208

[birdshill123]

I have been trying to find the oil leak on my 88FC. THe oil drips from
the filters and the die cast piece that contains all the oil pressure
switches is also covered with oil. I suspected the oil cooler but it is
dry. The sides of the block are also dry so it is not coming from up
top. On the bottom of the oil cooler there is a fitting with a cap.
According to my parts book this is some sort of spring loaded valve.
What exactly is this valve? What purpose does it serve? All help
greatly appreciated.

Bruce
1988 FC35

[Mike Hohnstein]

Probably a clogged filter bypass valve. Keep spraying down with brake kleen and
watch with a good light. If that don't get it, there is the old dye and black
light trick.
MH
----- Original Message -----
From: birdshill123
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 6:13 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Oil Leak 3208


I have been trying to find the oil leak on my 88FC. THe oil drips from
the filters and the die cast piece that contains all the oil pressure
switches is also covered with oil. I suspected the oil cooler but it is
dry. The sides of the block are also dry so it is not coming from up
top. On the bottom of the oil cooler there is a fitting with a cap.
According to my parts book this is some sort of spring loaded valve.
What exactly is this valve? What purpose does it serve? All help
greatly appreciated.

Bruce
1988 FC35





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[bluebird3208]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> I have been trying to find the oil leak on my 88FC. THe oil drips from
> the filters and the die cast piece that contains all the oil pressure
> switches is also covered with oil. I suspected the oil cooler but it
is
> dry. The sides of the block are also dry so it is not coming from up
> top. On the bottom of the oil cooler there is a fitting with a cap.
> According to my parts book this is some sort of spring loaded valve.
> What exactly is this valve? What purpose does it serve? All help
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Bruce
> 1988 FC35
>
Bruce off the top of my head.. ( which someone else on the forum might
shoot off) The valve is a bypass valve. It is there in the event that
if the filters become plugged the valve will open under pressure and
allow oil to bypass the filters and continue to lubricate the engine.
It never hurts to check the oil pressure switches themselves for leaks.
somtimes they will leak between the metal and the bakeolite top. If
you do not find the leak there I would use a mirro and a flashlight and
check the top front of the engine under the fuel pump looking for oil.
Oil can drip down the front and get caught by the fan and show as a
false leak. I say this because I had that very thing happen... it
showed up on the oil filters but came from a leak at the tubo...go
figure. If nothing else works paint it green and call it a detroit and
the oil leak wil be OEM.

Jim
1983 FC35
Yorba Linda,CA

[davidkerryedwards]

I've got a drip at PRECISELY the same spot. I'm in the process of replacing my
power
steering hoses and I was hoping that it was a drip from the power steering hose
getting
blown back onto the oil filter housing/cooler but I think I'm fooling myself
because the
drip is too black to be PS Fluid. The block above is dry but I typically have
one drip
directly in the center of the front oil filter and another drip at the bottom of
that cap. I
was going to try tightening the cooler to block bolts but it really doesn't look
like it's
coming from there. A mystery up to now.

Kerry
82 FC 35
Denver


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> I have been trying to find the oil leak on my 88FC. THe oil drips from
> the filters and the die cast piece that contains all the oil pressure
> switches is also covered with oil. I suspected the oil cooler but it is
> dry. The sides of the block are also dry so it is not coming from up
> top. On the bottom of the oil cooler there is a fitting with a cap.
> According to my parts book this is some sort of spring loaded valve.
> What exactly is this valve? What purpose does it serve? All help
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Bruce
> 1988 FC35
>

[birdshill123]

Kerry: My leak is exactly the same as yours. I will be changing the oil
next week and plan on removing that bypass valve and cleaning it up. I
also thought maybe it was the cooler bolts. They are all tight and
nothing drips from the gasket area. At first I thought it was the
filter and I crushed one of my precious Cat filters after going "just a
little tighter". I cannot start the Bird as the air dryer and governor
are not installed.

Bruce

1988 FC35

[pattypape]

Hi Bruce,

I also will be interested in your findings.

My leaks have been a non Cat filter, and the oil pressure switch that
energizes the hour meter (the two wire switch). Also the T fitting
on the oil pressure sensor. But there still is an occational drip,
but not enough to collect or drip on the driveway.

Bill 88 FC


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> Kerry: My leak is exactly the same as yours. I will be changing the
oil
> next week and plan on removing that bypass valve and cleaning it
up. I
> also thought maybe it was the cooler bolts. They are all tight and
> nothing drips from the gasket area. At first I thought it was the
> filter and I crushed one of my precious Cat filters after
going "just a
> little tighter". I cannot start the Bird as the air dryer and
governor
> are not installed.
>
> Bruce
>
> 1988 FC35
>

[davidkerryedwards]

Take a look at your power steering connection which, at least on mine, is
directly forward
and above the oil cooler area and see if you have any evidence of a drop from
the fitting. I
know I had a leak there and I thought it might be getting blown backwards onto
the cooler
and perhaps picking up some dirt there and getting darkened. It's a long shot,
but worth
checking.

Kerry
82 Fc 35
Denver

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> Kerry: My leak is exactly the same as yours. I will be changing the oil
> next week and plan on removing that bypass valve and cleaning it up. I
> also thought maybe it was the cooler bolts. They are all tight and
> nothing drips from the gasket area. At first I thought it was the
> filter and I crushed one of my precious Cat filters after going "just a
> little tighter". I cannot start the Bird as the air dryer and governor
> are not installed.
>
> Bruce
>
> 1988 FC35
>

[dspithaler@...]

Bruce I have the same leak in mine. Post the fix when you fine it. For now
I have a tray hung under mine to catch the drips & keep it off the rest of th
engine & rad.
Don
89 SP 36'
Butler, PA In Zephyrhills, FL right now





Kerry: My leak is exactly the same as yours. I will be changing the oil
next week and plan on removing that bypass valve and cleaning it up. I
also thought maybe it was the cooler bolts. They are all tight and
nothing drips from the gasket area. At first I thought it was the
filter and I crushed one of my precious Cat filters after going "just a
little tighter". I cannot start the Bird as the air dryer and governor
are not installed.

Bruce

1988 FC35



________________________________________________________________________
AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL
at AOL.com.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[mbulriss]

>I crushed one of my precious Cat filters after going "just a
>little tighter"

Wow, I would have thought Cat filters were a whole lot thicker than
that, or else you must resemble Hercules and/or had a real stout
filter wrench....

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> Kerry: My leak is exactly the same as yours. I will be changing the oil
> next week and plan on removing that bypass valve and cleaning it up. I
> also thought maybe it was the cooler bolts. They are all tight and
> nothing drips from the gasket area. At first I thought it was the
> filter and I crushed one of my precious Cat filters after going "just a
> little tighter". I cannot start the Bird as the air dryer and governor
> are not installed.
>
> Bruce
>
> 1988 FC35
>

[birdshill123]

Mike: I am no hercules. Cat filters for the 3208 WERE built really
strong but they have changed all of that. The filters for their legacy
engines are no longer made by Cat. I am almost positive they are Wix
with Cat paint. Much lighter build. I have some Wix and FleetGuard on
order but still have 2 of the newer Cat filters. I will compare them
and report back.

Bruce
1988 FC35