I've got a 97 C8.3 325hp 12 valve Cummins with a Holset SS296CE air compressor mounted to the engine. Stopped for lunch and noticed oil on toad, engine door and dripping below engine. Had topped off oil prior to starting down the road this morning.
Engine was down two quarts. Air pressure seems normal. Air is dry and clean at main tank. I'm going to keep on for two more hours to home base at The SKP Ranch near Artesia NM. Going to check oil along way.
Oil leak primarily at bottom of compressor.
Sorry - I have no specific help with the leak. Standard procedure would be clean up and dry the whole area around the compressor so you can see what's going on, then run the engine and watch for the source of the oil. Once you know the source, the remedy should be obvious. Hopefully, it is something simple like loose bolts or a blown gasket. Good luck.
Found the posts below. May offer some clues?
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f104/engine-oil-leak-air-compressor-hydraulic-pump-551672.html
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f123/oil-leak-on-rear-of-air-compressor-ideas-178891.html
Did you ever change oil yourself. Dip stick may not adjusted for accuracy, which can only be done after adding correct # of quarts to an empty crankcase. Could the 2 quarts added be too much pushing oil out of breather/slobber hose vent from top of engine.
Changed oil and dip stick is accurate. Oil has about 3,000 miles on it. I will be cleaning every up tonight and then going for a drive tomorrow as suggested.
Ya, the second picture suggest a long-time leak and not with just fresh oil.
Check the bolts on that triangular bracket at the end of the compressor. The compressor is mounted on the rather fragile aluminum timing cover on the front of the engine. The triangular bracket is there to help support the weight of the compressor, and to keep it from vibrating. Posts on other forums mention the fact that if the bolts retaining this support bracket loosen or fall out, then the air compressor can start moving around, causing damage either to itself or to the aluminum timing cover.
Remember someone posted a while back. When you have a new problem go and look back as to what you had just done.
Been wrong many time but, I am with Barry & Cindy. I would look and make sure the oil is not coming out your slobber tube. I also agree with Wolfe that the leak around the air compressor has been leaking a long time and would be way wetter with the amount of oil you say has leaked out.
It may be the breather but the breather tube should exit near the level of the oil pan gasket,clean the tube and the screen in the valve cover,you may have excess crankcase pressure.
A little update. Cleaned the crud off and found the bolt on the back cover to be very loose. The other bolt was also loose. Tightened both bolts and will take it for a test drive tomorrow while refilling propane tank.
I also want to check the slobber tube. Can anyone describe the procedure for doing that? I found the valve cover outlet, a 90 degree tube coming from the valve cover with two hose clamps and a short rubber connection between the down draft tube assembly and the valve cover outlet that runs horizontally and then 90s towards the ground.
I also checked those mounting bolts and they were tight.
I guess you could put a catch can at the end of the slobber tube. I would clean the outside and best you can do the inside of the tube. After driving you can check and see if any fresh oil is dripping out of the tube.
After the drive home are you still full on the dip stick?
On my 1997 U295 the dip stick was off. It was full when the stick showed two quarts low.
We monitor our tube by having it stuck 1/2 way down in a small peanut butter jar that has Stainless steel wool stuffed around the top. This leaves about 3/4 of the jar so you can inspect loss as the SSSW lets the vapors vent out.
Mike
I would take the tube off and clean out the inside and start from scratch,don't see any reason for "monitoring" a tube that is
not supposed to have the slightest restriction,if you do have oil coming out of the tube that's another problem.
Took the coach on a 70 mile run to get propane and check for leaks. Oil level unchanged , compressor was dry at back plate where bolts were tightened on the cover, and a small weeping of oil around oil pan gasket next to compressor. Next will be removing slobber tube to check for blockage.
Also plan to re-torque the pan gasket next.
Thanks for the help! Running to Albuquerque on the 13th, then to OKC, Dallas, and back to New Mexico by Dec 10th. That will be the proof of the pudding.