873 Oil Leak

[movindirt]

I have a 1999 Model 873 with a steady oil leak. The machine has just over 2200hrs. My local bobcat dealer is telling me that I need a head gasket. I have a couple of buddies with backgrounds in diesel machanics that are telling me that it is highly unlikely that the oil leak is coming from the head gasket. Anybody have any comments or suggestions? One mechanic that looked at it (I wasn't there at the time) told me that it is the rear main seal.

 

[StuZ]

The head gasket sounds likely. It is an oil cooled engine of course, but to make sure, wash it off, let it dry, and cover the suspected area with baby power to make it smell better. Watch to see where the oil washes the baby power away. After a few hours you should know.

 

[Jack]

If its a leak from the head gasket, you could do a temp possible fix by retensioning the head down, a little over spec. YMMV