On a '97 5.9 cummins, has anyone heard of an oil line hanging down the driver side of the engine that sprays a slow, steady, fine mist of oil and steam or smoke when the engine is running? It's caused the trans, transfer case, and oil pan to get covered in an evenly distributed coat of oil. From the description the guy is giving me it sounds like a PCV line has come loose. Reckon thats what it is or is there something I'm missing?

 

i could be wrong but on my 99 24 valve that is on the front of the engine. it might be different on yor 12 valve though. the the only oil lin i know of on driverside is the one coming out of the side of the block and goes to the injection pump and vacum pump.
how big is the line that it is coming out of.

 

sounds like the pcv line.


strangely i think of something else when i read that

i know there's some cummins guys that know for sure

 

it sounds like it could be. im pretty sure it is on the front of the engine like the 24 valve though. since he said it was on the side of the engine i was just giving another option

 

it may well be on the front and routed down the side...i still havent seen it. From a pic of the underside of the truck i can see a loose line somewhere in the 1/2 to 3/4 ID range and its sitting with the end just above and to the drivers side of the front diff case. he says its been that way since it was new and the dealer told him it was supposed to be that way . Its not supposed to be overly low on oil when he changes it and the truck is supposed to run and drive fine. i'm just not familiar with these cummins mechanicals at all and dont want to end up with a truck that dies because some crucial part didnt get oiled properly...

 

No worries - should be the blow-by line and its 3/4".

 

yeah, its just a blow by line...nothing to worry about.....all diesels have that in one form or another......

 

thanks for yalls help. im gonna try to buy the truck this weekend.

 

I agree with these guys. I would say its the blow by line. Does it have to make such a mess though? It does the same thing on my truck....friggin oil all on the underside. Made me think I had a leak.

 

yep same as my truck i went to the local hardware stor and bout a sprincler barbed conecter, a few hose clamps and about 5 feet of hose and re-routed mine to behind the tailhousing, no more mess