Noob here - Oil Leak

[Bnzlva]

Hey guys, new to the forum here. Just bought a '00 Expy EB with the 5.4 motor and 163k miles. I noticed an oil smell under hard acceleration when I test drove the truck, but ignored it for the good deal. Now I am trying to track the source. I understand these trucks are notorious for head gasket leaks, but I can't pinpoint any oil around the heads, it's more on the pass side front, as shown in the pics below. There is some oil residue (not standing oil) in the valley between the engine, but this residue is the most concentrated in the areas pictured below (just next to the alternator) and I also get the strongest oil smell in this area. Looking from beneath the truck, I can't find any oil residue at all. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[BAD RONALD]

Be careful if you decide to wash the engine to track the leak. Water is not friendly to the COPs on this engine. Some guys report no problems even using a power washer, but that is not my experience. If it turns out that your ignition system is moisture fussy you could wind up with multiple misfires. Hell, before I learned anything about the 4.6l in my '01 I was introduced to misfire codes triggered by dense fog. Imagine how it reacted to me rinsing VT unimproved road surface material off the engine.

 

[Bnzlva]

Thanks for the tip. Any ideas on what might be leaking? To be more clear, the piece in the pics that I believe to be leaking oil is on the pass side directly to the right (pass side) of the alternator with a large rubber hose pressure clamped to it. Am I way off on this being the source of the leak?

 

[BAD RONALD]

Sorry. I have no idea. Not easy to identify over the internet.

 

[BrandonB]

Is it possible the oil your seeing is just caked on old oil from someone carelessly putting oil in without a funnel?

 

[BAD RONALD]

All we can do is guess. The thing to do would be to clean off the caked on mess and keep an eye on it for fresh oil.

 

[chucks97expy]

Can't see much from the pic, doesn't look wet. Try and look farther down where the exhaust manifolds attach to the heads and see if you see any signs of it being wet. Also look under truck, might be something dripping onto exhaust. And as BAD RONALD said, keep that motor away from water!

 

[jlo82585]

what you have in the pictures is old burned oil likely from a spill. I would not be worried in the slightest from that leak, I use the old method from my Army days, a leak is wet, a bad leak is dripping. are you sure the smell isnt coming from oil being burned inside your exhaust?

 

[Bnzlva]

Firstly, thank you for the responses and jlo82585, I like that method, lol. I will look where the exhaust manifold meets the head, but I've seen no evidence of wet oil while under the truck or on my driveway. I'll also clean up the engine bay with some degreaser on a rag and see what results I find. Forgive my ignorance, but why would oil be burning inside my exhaust? It's just odd to me that I would smell oil (more pronounced inside the truck with the panel/vent setting on) with anything >50% acceleration but not see evidence of it anywhere.

 

[jlo82585]

I was thinking along the lines of a cylinder possibly passing some oil due to wear then it will continue to burn off in the exhaust causing your classic blue smoke. An exhaust leak under the cab could make it smell like oil but if its coming out of the vents then its not that issue..the only thing I would think is you might have a bad seal on your cab air intake. Im a big rig mechanic so expeditions are very different from what im used to but I have seen some trucks with similar complaints and usually its a bad seal letting exhaust odors bypass the cab air filter. But again im new to expeditions and don't know if the expedition even has a Cab air filter