John Deere 4024 Oil Pan Leak and High Oil Level

Working on a 4024 that has an apparent leak around the oil pan. It might also be making oil. The customer states that it takes 3 gallons on an oil change and the pan is very shallow but skirt very deep on this engine. Is the oil pan gasket submerged in normal operation? Are these engines known to get fuel in the oil? It has a mechanical fuel pump and some kind of unit injectors I have not explored yet.

Not sure I know the correct terms. That engine has unit pumps that run off the camshaft with lines to the injectors under the rocker cover. It has a fuel rack in the nature of the Detroit and cat 3116 ect. The fuel control lever is on the pumps. Look for the fuel leak at the injector lines. Can't help with the sump question.

This one has a big ECM with a bunch of wires. And wires going to the injectors or something I could see through the oil fill hole. Would it still have a rack or just electronic like DDEC? PE4024L001912

Injectors run off of a rack, only wiring under the valve cover will be for the glow plugs. IIRC those engines are 2.5 gallons of oil like most of the diesel 4 banger genset engines.

Customer may have been overfilling and it's finally working past the oil pan seal.

MarshallPowerGen said:

Injectors run off of a rack

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No they don't. His engine is an electronically controlled engine.

Birken Vogt said:

The customer states that it takes 3 gallons on an oil change

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According to the build codes, that engine should be an 8 quart (8.5L) capacity. No, normal level is not over the rail.

Birken Vogt said:

that has an apparent leak around the oil pan.

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A popular leaking location on the 4024's. Whatever you do, do not install the oil pan gasket that Deere supplies. It will leak again in approximately 300 hrs. Just double check it is not the timing gear cover leaking down onto the pan rail. The "E" series engine had very few timing cover leaks compared to its predecessor, but worth a good look. It looks like this is in a genset, so most likely the engine needs to be removed to repair the leak. My suggestion is to use Loctite 37512. That is what I use on every 4024/5030 pan. Just make sure the surfaces are oil free and dry.

Birken Vogt said:

Are these engines known to get fuel in the oil?

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Yep. Has an oil sample been performed to confirm the presence of fuel?

mg2361 said:

No they don't. His engine is an electronically controlled engine.

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Damn, my mistake. You're right. Never seen one of these new enough to be electronic, only made it to CTM301. Good to learn.

Working on getting the sample to a lab right now. How is the transfer pump driven on these engines? If the fuel leak is in the top end, is it likely the pumps, lines, or injectors? Or all of the above?

Birken Vogt said:

How is the transfer pump driven on these engines?

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Driven off a camshaft lobe.

Birken Vogt said:

If the fuel leak is in the top end, is it likely the pumps, lines, or injectors? Or all of the above?

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Yes. Actually, most of the issues I have seen with fuel into the oil has been the injection pumps. Had one injector line loose once. Don't recall ever having a transfer pump allowing fuel into the oil, though it could happen.

I guess I never updated this one. Oil sample came back normal, total false alarm. No idea where the red oil came from.

However, there is a new problem. Oil in coolant. Not very much yet. Pulled the filter and there was a little water in with the oil (filter had mostly drained itself by the time I worked on it). Removed the cooler and put air to it but can't hear anything. I noticed the bucket of water test elsewhere on this board. Does hot water help any leaks get worse for testing? Or should I just replace it because where else could oil get into the water?

There are two ways for oil to get into the coolant. The oil cooler (most common) and a freeze plug behind the water pump that plugs an oil galley (I've had half a dozen of these). Try placing the oil cooler into the hot water and testing it. If it shows no sign of leaking, I would not rule it out yet. They have had issues with them and were replaced with a stainless steel cooler which is much more durable. Is your cooler remote mounted or mounted the block? The new stainless oil cooler is not available for remote mounted coolers.

To inspect the freeze plug, drain the coolant and remove the lower radiator hose from the block. Inside there is the freeze plug, which is partially covered by part of the timing cover. You could start and run the engine without coolant to see if any oil pumps out. Those plugs will either have a pin hole or became dislodged and sit in there all wonky. If wonky, you usually have a radiator full of oil. I would suspect a very tiny pin hole if you don't have much oil in the coolant. Unfortunately, replacement of the freeze plug requires timing cover removal.

Check your PM.

Every time I see "4024" I go YIKES!!!!! I fricking hate those engines.

Where is a good place to get the oil cooler for this unit? RE515469C is what is on there now. The local dealership does not do any favors and I see there are updates etc and all sorts of parts on the web but not sure who I should go to for the part.

Your build codes indicate that your engine has a block mounted cooler w/ horizontal filter, so....

RE515469 (w/o the "C") oil cooler is the standard aluminum cooler and the local warehouses on the west coast have them in stock ($242).

RE535855 oil cooler is the stainless steel oil cooler kit. It is in stock in the Illinois and Edmonton warehouses (are you sitting....$722).

Finally got back to this one....

Tested the oil cooler with shop air @ 30 psi under hot water, lots of bubbles but they eventually peter out and seem to stop coming. Shook it while underwater to get rid of the trapped bubbles and they did not seem to return.

Removing the lower hose and viewing the freeze plug while running, nothing seen. Poked at the freeze plug with a hose removal tool, I don't think it is full of pits and the cooling system appeared to be well maintained.

Customer reported this happened all of a sudden while they were just looking at it, it suddenly puked a bunch of oil out the overflow.

So of course it has to be inconclusive, my jobs always are.

Replace the oil cooler anyway? Use the original aluminum or spring for the SS? It is going from heavy use into standby service, so I am inclined to go the cheaper route.

Considering the number of engines out there that are still running with the aluminum cooler without any issues, I would put the aluminum cooler on, especially since it is going into standby service.