[eric.eldred.56]

Hey folks, glad to be part of these forums. I'm Eric and I'm from Spokane Valley, WA. I've had my 2002 durango r/t for a little over a year now. I love this beast with its 5.9. It's towed my family and I with our belongings to El Paso, TX and back and in Jan up to Alaska.

On a recent trip to Seattle and back getting ready to climb a pass we started smelling burning oil (we think) and start billowing out smoke. We pull over and open the hood. Driver side of manifold is covered in what we think is oil including the driver side wheel well. Let the car cool down for a couple hours and start checking fluids. Oil is topped off, all the way up to the line, tranny fluid was checked while hot and fine. Power steering and brake fluids all fine. Had some family that knows more about cars come and look at it. He is pretty sure the oil came out of what I have circled in the pic, he duct taped it and sent us on our way. Anti-freeze leaks bad now and I'll get that fixed soon. But since he duct taped this off, it's kind of sluggish, and runs a bit rough. Can anyone tell me what this is??

Thanks,
Eric

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Oh and he said that black tube is capped with that off white thing and looks to lead right to the engine block. He claims it's the oil pressure release valve? We had no check engine or check gauges light come on.

 

[FSTDANGO3]

Cant really see the picture clearly
STEVE

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Ok Steve sorry about that, I'll fix and add a new one.

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Ok hope this picture is a bit better...

 

[FSTDANGO3]

Front differential vent tube that is not entirely uncommon
Several have had that before
Clean and service that front differential and replace that vent cap
That was actually gear oil that was spewing out on manifolds and wheel well

STEVE

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Awesome Steve, thank you! Should I be concerned? I mean we just had the diffs flushed a week before we went on our trip... And should I take the tape off? One more thing, so the oil was differential oil?

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Nevermind the last part, you already stated that.

 

[FSTDANGO3]

Yeah that white cap is differential vent tube cap
So yes gear oil
Hopefully they put the correct oil and did not overfill it as that will cause the exact symptom
STEVE

 

[eric.eldred.56]

You sir rock! Thank you!

 

[tomk]

Synthetic gear oil helps avoid this. Pretty common on gen-Is..

There is a TSB that adds a reservoir to the line, but I just used an old-school fuel filter to make a reservoir on my '03 back in the day.

 

[FSTDANGO3]

You are welcome now get that fluid level fixed up with synthetic for front differential and add that filter that Tom has shown to line
STEVE

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Hey guys thanks! With that filter placed in the line, is it safe to assume that white top on it is fully removed?

 

[FSTDANGO3]

no keep it on as well it will deter water and dirt from going in there

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Ok thanks again Steve

 

[tomk]

Yup, keep the cap.. cut out a short section of the hose and connect it in. Try to keep it fairly vertical, and put the non-filter side (inlet, I think) down and toward the axle (away from the cap).

 

[eric.eldred.56]

Thank you! I'll get it all done up today.

 

[FSTDANGO3]

Another Happy Customer.....NEXT
STEVE