Hi all,

I'm losing oil out of my breather cap (I have one of those stand-a-lone push in chrome breathers).

My valve cover is just covered in oil to the point that it's running over the back of the engine and transmission. If I clean off the valve cover and go for a drive, it'll be covered in oil again. Nothing comes out while it's just idling in the drive way, so it's not just a regular leak.

I replaced the gasket and breather, thinking it was a bad gasket, but after putting on a fresh gasket and breather, I drove to the corner and back and it was enough to already cover the valve cover again.

My PCV valve works, I don't have oil coming out of my dipstick tube, etc. Not sure what else to do. My engine's a mess and I keep having to top the oil off.

Thanks for any advice.

 

Has the cover been replaced or original?

Perhaps a baffle fell off.


Is there good suction at the PCV?

Can you blow air into the PCV connection into the engine?

I have seen instances where it has been very badly carboned.

 

Excessive blowby is what is coming out the breather. Excessive blowby is usually caused by worn out rings - maybe a broken or holed piston if it gets real severe.

 

It's been a year or two since I've had the valve cover off, but I didn't inspect the baffles. It's the original cover though.

The PCV is connected to a large rubber vacuum hose that goes directly to the manifold itself. However, I guess I haven't checked to see if the port itself is clean. I know it is working because pinching the hose causes the PCV to *click*, but that doesn't mean it's not a weak vacuum signal. I'll check that.

Other ideas are welcome.

 

That would show up on a compression test, wouldn't it?

Last test was about 150 in all cylinders.

 

Did this begin after the recent road trip?

 

No, this has been doing this for a while. I just figured it was due to a bad breather/grommet and hadn't gotten around to replacing it yet. However, I replaced the grommet and breather before my recent trip and noticed that oil was still blowing out, so figured it was time to ask the experts.

 

Not necessarily. Your compression rings could be good but your oil rings bad.

 

I hadn't thought about that.
Wouldn't that show up in my exhaust though? Blue smoke, that kinda thing?

 

Re read your post...As stated above its possible that that the oil rings are not sealing... Also worn valves stems/ guides... Faulty PCV valve..

 

Any chance the oil has become diluted and thinned with gasoline?

 

Hrmm... Maybe, but not that I've noticed. I'll look it over more this weekend. I'm wondering if my PCV setup is just lacking some attention.

 

Try checking the vacuum at the dip stick... A lot of leaks pretty much makes the PCV useless..

 

Hrmm.... I've never even thought or heard of that idea. Definitely something to look into. Will do.