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Waterloo · 03-19-2017, **(Subject: Red Stop Engine Light )**

(03-18-2017 )Tmaj12k Wrote: Well, I posted a pic of the filter in another reply. It definitely looks very dirty to me. Especially since it was just replaced in January. What exactly would the drilled hole do? Where would the oil go? In your opinion does the maintenance free filter work that much better? After I get to the bottom of what's going on I'd consider throwing one in there.

Since I got the truck in 2014 I try to change the oil every 10k miles. I bought it at 598k and now I have close to 720k. I use Rotella and add 1 bottle of Lucas to get that thickness. Now I'm being told by some guys that maybe I should be using synthetic oil. Mobil 1 seems to be what's recommended.

It would seem Like the overhaul is coming. I just hope it's not here now.

We drill a hole in the Upper Right Hand Top corner of the filter, a 1/4" hole in the plastic filter housing, the wide part. Just pierce the plastic, not the filter element. If you stand in front of the CC filter box while looking at the motor, the hole will go in the top SIDE of the filter at roughly the 2 o'clock position. In the FILTER, not the red filter box. The hole helps to relieve the Crankcase pressure and vent it off to the atmosphere, we have been doing this for a couple of years. It is not to drain off oil, just gasses.

Cummins has been paying attention and now has the drop in maintenance free unit in place of the filter. It does the same thing our hole does. I don't have the part number, but any Cummins parts reseller should have them. I got mine at my local International dealer. Just install and forget.

Now, out of the bottom of your CC breather box is a hose, make sure that is clear and not clogged. Check that and go get one of those maint. free drop in units.

The Lucas, stay away from that stuff. That horse has been beat to death here and the horse lost. If you want to make your motor happy and keep everything tip top, use this, many of us do with great results, Sta-Lube API/GL-4 Gear Lube. You can purchase this at Amazon or most local NAPA dealers sell it too for around the same price. https://amzn.to/2DPpWcy

We use this to replace the additives that the EPA/Oil companies have found necessary to remove from the oil for these new motors. The gear oil is also a bit thicker and will leave a nice coating on the important stuff, like the cam lobes up top and lower end bearings, etc.

As far as running synthetic, I would not. It is to expensive and to thin for our CM-871 motors. Stick with your regular Rotella oil and add a gallon of Sta-Lube at every oil change.

BUT FIRST! Figure out what is causing the high internal pressure. I WOULD NOT drive the truck until you figure that out. Are you using any oil between changes? If so how much? If I were you, the first thing I would do is the EGR Tuneup, replace all of those sensors Rawze mentions in the video and clean out all of the soot. Then you have a baseline of what a healthy truck should be, not that yours is healthy, but I bet those sensors have never been replaced. These motors create 6 pounds of soot between normal oil changes, and quite a bit of that is deposited in your motor and on and in your sensors. Get a case of Carburetor Cleaner and be ready to get dirty.

After I did that, I would IMMEDIATELY do the blow by test. There is a video here for that, see the video section above. If you cannot do it, find a shop that can, because if your motor lets lose on you, a standard in frame will be the least of your worries, especially if you ventilate the block.

Hopefully it is something simple, but it sounds like your motor has been neglected and it is in frame time. Unfortunately, this is not the old days when we could just do normal maintenance on these things and go a million miles. With all of the soot the EGR system creates and sensors that require wet nursing, these motors are rolling hand grenades if you do not do regular EGR Tune Ups and cleanings. If this is something serious and you do have to in frame, or something close, get rid of the mandate.

Trust me, many of us here have been through this, that is why we are here.

I hope the above helps, just don't drag your feet about it, as the longer you wait the higher the bill will become. Trust me, I have a few stacks of them.