First, let me thank you all for the previous help you've given. I have my old 88 Ranger running like a top. A very slow top with the 2.0, but a top nonetheless!

I actually drove the little Ranger on a 1000 mile trip last week! I was pleased, but noticed a problem. There's a LOT of oil in the air cleaner box. In fact, for the first leg of the trip, I had to put in a quart every 150 miles or so. For the uninitiated, my Ranger is carbureted, and there's a hose between the oil filler cap and the air cleaner. There's also a PCV valve, but it's down under the intake in a hose behind the carburetor and distributor.

When I replaced the carb, I went ahead and replaced the PCV valve since it was easy to get to then. I used the one recommended in Advance's computer; it's a Purolator. The replacement valve had a center plunger that was flush against the bottom and apparently held there by a spring. The old one had a steel plunger that was just loose in the PCV valve housing.

I'm wondering (hoping really) that the problem is that the PCV system is restricted. Would that cause the problem? I'm trying to figure out where else excess pressure would come from that would force oil out the oil cap hose. The engine runs so well I don't think that the compression is that low. The engine appears to have only 123k miles on it.

What do you guys think?

Thanks!

 

Pull the PVC and shake. It should rattle. If not, it's defective.

PVC defective = too much crankcase pressure = blowing oil in places oil ain't 'sposed to be.

 

Pull the air cleaner hose. Pull the PCV big end out of the fitting that connects to the crankcase. Rev engine gently. If you have blowby, engine hot, it will show up as vapor coming out of the air cleaner tube and the spot where the PCV plugs in.
Generally, the blowby will show more at higher rpms.
If you have vapor that increases with rpm, you may be overpowering what the PCV system can handle. That would lead to oil in the air box, as it would not be an 'intake' any more but an outflow for crankcase fumes.
If the critter was not maintained, it may have stuck rings. If overheated at one time, it may have de-tensioned rings that don't seal real well against the bore.
If you get a lot of blow-by with the system disconnected, you may want to run a compression or leak-down test. The latter is better, or at least more informative.
Other than that, you may decide to live with it until you can afford repairs. Just remember to keep it well oiled, cuz crankshafts are a lot more expensive than oil, and holes in the block, tho they may cut down on crankcase pressure, leave a lot to be desired.
tom

 

One more question. If I indeed have too much blowby, what can I do? I know that I could rebuild this engine, or buy another 2.0. I'm also wondering if I can install a 2.3, reusing my existing carb and intake. See, I have emissions testing here in No. Va., and I really don't want to go to the trouble of switching to a 302 or a computerized engine for that matter. If I could stay with a 2.0, or a 2.3 block with my 2.0 setup (carbureted, distributor) I think that would be the easiest thing.

Also, I haven't been able to find a junkyard 2.0 anywhere nearby.

Thanks for your opinions.

 

That's what I don't quite understand about this truck. The PCV valve isn't anywhere near the airbox. I think the pcv outlet goes into the intake under the carburetor, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm trying to figure out how the ventilation system works on this thing. The upper part, from the oil fill cap to the airbox, has no valves whatsoever. It's just a hose. Then, down under the intake is the pcv valve. It mounts into a hose, and has another hose coming from it to the intake just below the carb, iirc.

Thanks!

 

That's what I don't quite understand about this truck. The PCV valve isn't anywhere near the airbox. I think the pcv outlet goes into the intake under the carburetor, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm trying to figure out how the ventilation system works on this thing. The upper part, from the oil fill cap to the airbox, has no valves whatsoever. It's just a hose. Then, down under the intake is the pcv valve. It mounts into a hose, and has another hose coming from it to the intake just below the carb, iirc.

Thanks!

 

You just described the PCV system. The 'fresh' air comes in the tube from the air cleaner into the crankcase. It mixes with blowby and anything else crawling around in there, and is pulled into the intake to be burned thru the PCV. The PCV meters the flow of air, and is vacuum operated, and spring loaded. It can flow 'so much' and then it can flow no more. If the blowby is more than the PCV can flow, it will possibly send some of the blowby back, the wrong way, thru the tube connected to the air cleaner.
These lima engines have an air/oil separator mounted to the side of the block under the intake. They can get plugged and stop up the PCV system. If so, you can remove them and dunk in carb cleaner to remove the tar-like stuff. That's why I suggested to test with both ends of the PCV system open. If you get flow out the air cleaner side, but not the PCV side, figure it out... the separator is plugged, or the line headin' thataway. etc etc etc
tom

 

That's quite interesting for two reasons. First, I don't *think* I had this problem before I changed PCV valves. Second, the hose the PCV plugs into is very stiff and caked up inside. Third, I moved it around a good bit, and may have loosened up the old coke inside it enough to completely or partially stop it up.

I have a tendency to save up mechanical work and do a lot at once. Next time I'm getting dirty, probably next week, I'm going to take that whole hose off and clean out the system. I'll bet that fixes it.

By the way, do you think I'd be better off just to replace some parts? If so, what?

Thanks!

 

None of my PCV valves have had springs in them that I remember, try a Motorcraft one next time.

If the PCV hose is stopped up, chances are that your engine has some gunk in it too, and engines with gunk usually have excessive blowby, creating the oily situation you describe.

My LTD will do the same thing, a little bit always. Sometimes, it will do it a lot. The last explanation I heard on it was that the rings were rotating and when the gaps lined up perfectly, the excessive blowby was occuring.

I don't see why you couldn't use an '88 or older 2.3L, as long as they had a distributor. You might want to check about them being balanced differently, in the case that they are balanced differently, you'd want to obtain the correct flexplate or flywheel.

 

Rings rotating??? Wow, in 50 years, I have never seen that!

I have actually cured blowby by adding a molybdinum solution to the oil (in Canada it is "Molyslip"). It seems to penetrate into the rings and free up any of them that are frozen; it doesn't cure it right away, maybe 2 or 3 oil changes, but it has worked on a few engines I have owned...

 

And, of course, there's the old add a quart of ATF to the crankcase trick.
Auto trans fluid is reported to be very detergent. What the hey, it might work.
Some have resorted to adding kerosene just before changing the oil.

A mechanic in a bottle is worth just what you pay him.

If you knocked loose a bunch of stuff, it surely could plug the system. You can remove the hose under the intake on the side of the block to see if it is plugged, or the separator is plugged. You should get 'some' vapor out with the engine idling, not much if the rings are in good shape, if the separator is not plugged up with sludge.
You should be able to put your finger / hand over the tube from the air cleaner with the PCV hooked up, engine idling, and it *should* pull a vacuum on your finger/hand, as the PCV should be pulling air through the crankcase, and you are blocking its supply. If it won't pull a vacuum, it is not working...
tom