Spent a whole weekend chasing a phantom oil leak on a 6.7 Powerstroke

It was just a tiny drip, but it was driving me nuts. Turns out it was the turbo oil drain tube gasket, which I replaced in 20 minutes after two full days of cleaning and checking everything else. Anyone have a good trick for spotting those high-up leaks without making a huge mess?

3 comments

3 Comments

jesse_nguyen17d ago

Been there, that's the worst. Get some of that UV dye for the oil and a cheap blacklight flashlight. Clean the area real good, add the dye, run the engine for a bit. The leak will glow bright yellow under the light, makes those high spots way easier to find.

kelly.jenny17d ago

Smart tip, @jesse_nguyen. That's how you fix anything these days, just add a tracer.

the_oscar4d ago

Forget the dye, that stuff is a crutch and makes a bigger mess to clean up later. Just get the engine good and clean, then dust the whole area with baby powder or foot powder. The leak will make a dark trail through the white powder, showing you exactly where it starts. It's cheap, clean, and you don't have to buy some special kit. Kelly.jenny is right that people just add stuff, but sometimes the old school way is better.