What does it mean if light white smoke is coming out of the hose beside the oil pan?

 

Is it in fact smoke, or steam?

Steam/vapors is quite normal.

 

That tube is your crankcase vent, like a PCV on a gasser. No big deal to have some, of course the more your rings wear, the more blow-by (white smoke) In my truck I don't see hardly any, a little at idle in the summer, but my big truck with a C-12 cat, she puffs quite a bit at idle

 

Its smoke and its not shy. What can this hurt and how do i fix it?

 

It's supposed to do it, it's blow-by and relieves crankcase pressure. Usually a LOT of smoke means woreout ring(s) or stuck ring(s). Try some seafoam in your oil a day or two before your next oil change. Someone on here probably knows more about the cummins crankcase relief system, I'm not real familiar with it

 

If it runs ok and dosent use much oil then I wouldnt worry about it but thats just me

 

yeah it runs real good just kinda worried me when i seen it comin out.

 

it just shows how much pressure is getting through your crank case. i cant even find mine on my first gen. but the 24 valve is on the front and it has had a reasonable amount for quite some time. its just how broken in the engine is essentially. i wouldnt worry too much

 

if you have access to a magnahelic guage then you can measure the amout of blow by you havewith nothing more than revving and watching the guage if i remember correctly 8-9 inches on a magnahelic is time for a rebuild if you have access to a dyno a manometer is a better choice and 13 inches if i remember corrctly is the cummins spec for rebuild ie= rings shot