combatting pressure in crank case?

[averse]

I'm about as newb as it gets to auto mechanics, so bear with me please!

 

I think I need to redo the gaskets on my engine since I have an oil leak. I took out the distributor and replaced the O ring (was so brittle it just flaked off), but that didnt fix the leak like I hoped.

 

A mechanic I know suggested I ask if there are any mods for our cars that help with reducing the turbo induced pressure out of the crank case, which might help prevent gasket issues in the future. At least I think that's what he wanted me to ask. If I tear the engine up (with appropriate expert mentorship, of course...I want to keep this car as long as I can), I would like to use the opportunity to make it stronger if there is something that can be done during the rebuild.

 

The car (Jonboyb's, then Mazzarin's) has had some good work and mods done to it already, including a 19C turbo. I was running it at mostly 16-18 psi and had it up to about 20 for a few days, and didnt think that should cause a gasket to blow, although I may be wrong on that one.

 

Any advice or suggestions? [ If you are going to suggest I go buy a Kia and stop playing with a car that is mechanically above my head, save your frustrations because I love these cars too much to take that advice. You are forewarned on that one ]

[importwarrior]

first are all the vac lines stock? or did you remove the valve cover vac

line going to the oil sepperator and put in a filter. does your PCV valve

function properly? make sure all rubber hoses are not rock hard, cracked

or brittle. if it is all stock and hooked up properly then maybe it is your

rings.

 

great writeup.

 

http://starquest.i-x.net/viewtopic.php?t=1218

[averse]

Thanks for the response. That is a great writeup, and I'm learning alot from it even if that isnt my issue. The car has a SS line running from the PVC valve. Turbo hoses are from hosetechniques.com and look to be in great shape. The mechanic I am working with put some dye in the oil yesterday and I am headed back to see what it looks like today to help isolate the source of the leak.

 

The good news is, after cleaning the engine bay up yesterday my power steering worked much better! I think oil got into the belt/pulley and was making the ps pump slip some.

[Shelby]

i bet one of the first things you did was run out and get a new pcv valve,, well put your old one back in,, the stores don't have the right on all they sell is the na one and it's nothing more then an orface,,the turbo one is a one way valve

[averse]

i bet one of the first things you did was run out and get a new pcv valve,, well put your old one back in,, the stores don't have the right on all they sell is the na one and it's nothing more then an orface,,the turbo one is a one way valve

 

I havent touched the valve yet. Waiting on the results of the oil leak test first before I start tinkering with anything. Good info to know about that warning, Shelby! If I do anything with the valve first it would be to take it off and try to clean it up and reinstall to see what happens.

[Dad]

Does it have the breather system intact? or just a breather at the rear of the valve cover?

 

Dad

[Caliber308]

I'm about as newb as it gets to auto mechanics, so bear with me please!

The car (Jonboyb's, then Mazzarin's)

 

I suggest you ask them if they left the stock oil separator on, or ran a K.V. System. They would know more about the car than we would.

 

CALIBER 308

[marso]

What Cal said. Check the crankcase venting whether it be stock or aftermarket. I use the stock oil separator relocated. It always has a vacuum from the turbo intake. I've had no problems. Edited August 22, 2008 by marso

[averse]

Thanks! I was not intending to beg everyone to specifically troubleshoot my vehicle, so much as obtain some general information about how turbo pressure is vented. If I come across "begging" or such, here are my apologies. I bought a great car and I'm doing what I can to get my knowledge up to speed as fast as possible so that I dont become that "jamoke" that Mazarin didnt want to sell his car to

[importwarrior]

the link i posted describes how it is vented very well i thought.

 

do you have a pictuere of your engine so we can see what we are dealing with.

 

thanks.

 

in this link, 2nd 3rd, 4th pics ( going up from bottom pic ) show exactly how the crank case pressure is drawn out of the engine.

 

http://starquest.i-x.net/viewtopic.php?t=1...e50718fbbed85af

 

4th pic up from bottom is a hose from the valve cover to the catch can.

3rd pic up from bottom shows that the catch can hose goes to the intake rubber hose, where the vacuum source of draw comes from.

2nd pic up shows a hose that goes to the oil pan so what ever oil that is drawn out of the valve cover will drain back to the oil pan.

also the return line the goes to the oil pan is below the oil level held by the pan.

 

the very last pic is a catch can cut in half.

 

 

 

 

now

 

 

the 7th pic up from the bottom show the PCV valve and hose that routes to the intake.

when boosting the pcv valve should seal shut to prevent boost from entering in to the valve cover.

you can check this by blowing on either end of it to see if it truely seals shut.

 

 

if all that is hooked up properly then there should be little to no pressure in the crank case.

 

if there is still pressure then you have a bigger problem. :confused0024:

Edited August 22, 2008 by importwarrior

[shift1313]

Just as import said.

 

The stock oil separator system works very well for crank case venting. It uses the inlet side of the turbo to pull a vacuum on the little cannister next to your air can. this in turn pulls a vac on the fitting at the back of your valve cover right next to the fire wall. A lot of people that mod their fuel systems or just the air can remove this and stick a small filter back there. This changes the venting system from a vac to a restrictive filter. While it may not make much of a difference you would be building up slight pressure in the case.

 

And as import said the pcv valve should shut during boost, if not you could be pressurizing your case but it would most likely be blowing oil out of the VC gasket or out of the dipstick tube if i had to guess.

 

let us know the results of the die test to see if you can pinpoint the leak a bit more. Is the leak entirely on the intake side?

[Shelby]

i just went thru this exact thing with my g-sons car,, found out he had put on a new pcv valve,, yep an na one,, open to the crank case durring boost .. clean'd up the old one put it back in and every thing was fine

[PDX87Starion]

i just went thru this exact thing with my g-sons car,, found out he had put on a new pcv valve,, yep an na one,, open to the crank case durring boost .. clean'd up the old one put it back in and every thing was fine

 

 

I did the exact thing when I first got my SQ. You think that your just doing routine maintenance by picking up a new PCV valve when you get new plug wires or filters at the parts store. The are right there on the rack and the book says they are for a starion/conquest.

Luckily, before I installed it I blew through it to check it, and it would not hold the pressure from my mouth. So it went into the trash and the old OEM one was checked and put back in.

 

I can only imagine how many owners or mechanics have put a new "parts store" PCV without a second thought.

[MasterVivi]

I just did this, but I'm not sure if the one I replaced was OEM either. I kept the old one, should I clean it out and reinstall it? What is a good way to clean it?

[obsolete]

Carb cleaner should work fine. You could soak it in Seafoam if you want to get fancy.

 

Blow through the PCV valve from the threaded side. Does the air go through? If so, good, it's not clogged.

 

Blow through the PCV valve from the hose barb side. Does the air go through? If so, bad, it leaks, throw it away.

[MasterVivi]

Very helpful, thanks.