Crankcase pressure?

[BigPoser]

Couple items. First I have a massive amount of oil coming from the dipstick tube, both where the tube inserts into the block and out of the top. I picked up a new tube and dipstick, but can't get the new tube into the block. I have a Exxon Valdez oil spill under my truck from the drive into work this morning and need to figure out a way to get this sealed up enough to drive it around.

Second, I am still leaking oil from the top front passenger valve cover gasket and it's pissing me off. This was the 5th attempt at sealing it and we've tried a different combination of gaskets, silicone and no silicone, letting the silicone get tacky, dry, still soft, cork gasket, rubber gasket, etc. and it's still leaking bad. The breather on the valve cover itself was also leaking a lot before I found a cap that had better rubber, so now it's good.

WTF do I have to do to get this motor to stop leaking? Could I just have that much crankcase pressure that it's causing this? Are my rings toasted? I do have quite a bit of black smoke coming from the exhaust, but the motor is so frickin smooth when it runs.

I'm not super knowledgeable about motors, but need to get these problems fixed long enough to get my new motor put in.

Sorry for the long post, and I appreciate the help.

Brandon

 

[crazy4offroad]

The crankcase should be under vacuum, not pressure. It may be time to change the PCV valve (Positive Crankcase Vacuum).

 

[BigPoser]

The crankcase should be under vacuum, not pressure. It may be time to change the PCV valve (Positive Crankcase Vacuum).

Thought of that, and changed it out yesterday.

 

[skysurfer]

I had the same issue when I replaced the hose that runs between the valve cover & air cleaner with a push-in breather cap. I figured with the pcv valve on the passenger side and the breather on the driver's side everything would be fine. Nope. Oil spewing out the dipstick tube like crazy. Threw the breather in the trash and went back to a connected tube. Problem solved.

 

[BigPoser]

I had the same issue when I replaced the hose that runs between the valve cover & air cleaner with a push-in breather cap. I figured with the pcv valve on the passenger side and the breather on the driver's side everything would be fine. Nope. Oil spewing out the dipstick tube like crazy. Threw the breather in the trash and went back to a connected tube. Problem solved.

That could be it. I changed out the PCV valve yesterday and it's on my driver side. On the passenger side I have more or less a plug on the valve cover. I'll try to put a breather filter on there and see what happens. I had tried that before and the breather filter filled with oil. But that could have been because the PCV valve was bad? It's worth a shot.

 

[smoothandlow84]

Double check that you have the correct pcv valve. Most breathers dont have the correct pcv valve (too stiff of a spring in the pcv mechanism). I also had oil spewing from around the base of the pcv valve when I had a aftermarket breather installed. It took a trip back to the auto parts store and a purchase of the oem pcv valve based on the year, make , model and motor size. No more spewing.

 

[BigPoser]

Thanks for the help gents. I think I may have fixed it....for now at least. Put a breather in on the passenger valve cover, and changed out the dipstick and tube for a new one, and this morning on the way to work I wasn't putting out a smoke screen. Time will tell on this though.

 

[skysurfer]

...and this morning on the way to work I wasn't putting out a smoke screen.

Lol, mine was fine on surface streets but started belching smoke when I got on the freeway. I remember looking in the rear view mirror and thinking "Damn, somebody back there blew an engine." Then I realized it was me.