Cat C12 Leaks oil in front of engine

[ichudov]

OK, guys, this is just about the best equipment forum and has the best and brightest. So...

I have a 2000 Freightlilner FLD112 with a Cat C12 engine.

It was always leaking oil a bit from the front. However, lately it has gotten worse, it leaves puddles on the ground after being driven for a while, etc.

Because it is in the front, the fan tends to spread it around and it is not so easy to see what is leaking.

I just wanted to ask if anyone had a similar experience, what sort of things might be the possible culprit etc.

Do you think that if I powerwash it and run it at high idle for some time, I could see where it is leaking?

Thanks

 

[walkerv]

Washing it real good and letting it idle is a first good step. You can chase away any remaining oil away with some brake clean in your suspect area. Then let it run for awhile while watching it if it's as bad as it sounds you will find it in short order .

 

[Cmark]

If the fan is spreading the oil around, just take the belts off and run it until you have found the leak.

 

[ichudov]

By the way, it is a daycab and has 422,000 miles

 

[BlazinSS934]

I'd mop up as much as I could with a rag and then put some uv dye in it


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[ichudov]

I'd mop up as much as I could with a rag and then put some uv dye in it .

Really great idea. I will go to napa today to buy the dye and the UV light

 

[Delmer]

What's the dye going to do for you that cleaning won't? This isn't a small AC leak that you can't find, you can find it easy enough, it's just too big to see exactly the source. Having the front of the engine lit up won't make it any easier to pinpoint the leak.

You're going to want it clean before you fix it anyway.

 

[Birken Vogt]

If you use dye and look at it quick enough the dye will initially pinpoint the leak before it spreads to the rest of the engine.

 

[ichudov]

I bought a dye kit at napa, I will see how it works. It seems very useful.

 

[Brodiesel]

I bought a dye kit at napa, I will see how it works. It seems very useful.

Please let me know how the dye works, I mess with CAT C13 oil leaks all the time. THEY ARE LEAKY MOFOS.

 

[Wytruckwrench]

When I can i wash things off the best I can, then shut the fan off and run it until I can find the leak. Sometimes it takes some a couple of try's, maybe use shop air to blow the leak off with. The cat truck engines have some leaks from "O" rings on the front structure.