06 oil leak near valve cover

Diesel625

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I noticed my truck has some oil above the starter. Thought it might have been the turbo return tube so I cleaned everything really good and checked again. Just in case, I went ahead and changed the o-rings out. Still has a small leak. I’m almost thinking I might have an internal leak and it cutting through the upper valve cover gasket. What are symptoms of an internal leak? I run a scan gauge so I have a way of troubleshooting to an extent. Truck is completely stock except for exhaust work. Any help would be much appreciated.
 

Diesel625

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Fired it up earlier today with no problems. Took about 1-2 seconds. After about 10-15 seconds idling, the low oil pressure warning came on. Gave it a little throttle, and it went away. Killed it and restarted several times and it never did it again. When I replaced the oil cooler around 1 year ago, I went ahead and changed the oil pressure sensor while I was there. Could it be an issue? I’m thinking maybe the stc fitting. Any help would be appreciated.
 

6.0 Tech

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Stc will only cause an external leak if it completely blows and breaks the rear cover. Oil sender would cause your issue, as would oil feed line to the turbo, oil cooler gaskets, etc. Can you watch it drip? Is it coming from the valley? If its judt getting on the starter glow plug harnes is likely, cac boots also like to get porous and cause leaks, but you cant watch them drip typically.

In answer to your question about an internal leak, no. Those stay internal and cause hard starts. Only internal leak that will go ext e rnal is if the stc breaks the rear cover as i said before. I have only seen a handful that have broken the cover though.

And are you sur the leak is coming from thst high? The rear cover gasket likes to leak at where it seals to the bedplate, as does the front cover and it will run back along the bedplate seam, bedplates are also fairly common to leak, and cam and crank sensor o rings as well. All those, aside fromthe cam sensor as its on the drivers side, will cause oil to get on the starter.
 

Diesel625

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It’s definately on the bed plate. It’s not the turbo feed, return, hpop cover, or cac boots. I replaced the glow plug harness about 6 months ago. One oring does leak, but it’s on driver side and I can see it. I’m almost thinking the valve cover gasket is leaking. I’m going to have to brake clean it really well and check. I’ve restarted the truck 10x since with no low oil pressure warning. I’m going to check the sensor later today.
 

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