Intake manifold flooded with oil...

[TheJordanWhitte]

Quick backstory...

A few weeks ago I noticed my CCV/oil separator was leaking (small puddle of oil under the car) so I switched it out for a cheap oil catch can while I waited for the new CCV/oil separator to ship.

Drove it twice with no issues, when I went to replace the CCV the oil catch can was full of oil but I figured that was just due to it not having a drain to the dipstick tube like the OEM part.

The car sat for about a week before I started it after installing the OEM CCV, but once I did I got a big cloud of blue smoke and it was running rough so I turned it off immediately and started looking around but didn't have much time (had to get to work) so I just let it sit for another day, found another puddle of oil the next day but it was leaking from the filter on my intake.

Took everything from the throttlebody to the filter off and found oil on everything, I pulled the plugs and they also had oil on the igniter side.

So here's my real question, 1, what would've caused this to happen? And 2, after pulling the manifold and getting all of the oil out of where it shouldn't be what else should I do before I try starting it?

Thanks in advance!

[mitch500]

Check that the ccv drain is not plugged, also check where it attaches to the dipstick tube and also verify that is not plugged either.


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[hotdish]

Excessive blow-by could also cause oil issues

[TheJordanWhitte]

Excessive blow-by could also cause oil issues

What causes excessive blow by?

I'm not finding much for a clogs anywhere in the CCTV system so I'm wondering if that's my problem.

[hotdish]

What causes excessive blow by?

I'm not finding much for a clogs anywhere in the CCTV system so I'm wondering if that's my problem.

worn cylinders, bad or badly clocked rings, bad ring lands, broken pistons, etc. You can check with compression and leakdown tests

[TheJordanWhitte]

worn cylinders, bad or badly clocked rings, bad ring lands, broken pistons, etc. You can check with compression and leakdown tests

I finally found time to do compression and leak down tests, #4 was down 5psi (comp) and #6 was at 10% (3% previously)

I got everything cleaned out and reassembled, it started fine and didn't make much smoke, let it idle for about 10mins and drove it around the block and then I started getting more blue smoke.


Pulled the throttle body off to look for oil again and there is some (forgot to take a pic) and it was totally clear before...

I think the CCV isn't draining? What else should I check?


This was the first thing I learned how to do (find TDC) when I was in high school on my 79 Datsun 510

[hotdish]

I finally found time to do compression and leak down tests, #4 was down 5psi (comp) and #6 was at 10% (3% previously)

I got everything cleaned out and reassembled, it started fine and didn't make much smoke, let it idle for about 10mins and drove it around the block and then I started getting more blue smoke.


Pulled the throttle body off to look for oil again and there is some (forgot to take a pic) and it was totally clear before...

I think the CCV isn't draining? What else should I check?


This was the first thing I learned how to do (find TDC) when I was in high school on my 79 Datsun 510

Sounds like the ccv if you had noticable oil in the intake after running the engine for a few minutes

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[TheJordanWhitte]

Sounds like the ccv if you had noticable oil in the intake after running the engine for a few minutes

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It's a new CCV, I just ran it again for about 5 minutes and I have a clear tube for the drain and I'm not seeing any oil through that.

Is there a way that the manifold could be creating extra vacuum and sucking oil through the CCV before it can drain?

I'm getting a used but confirmed working CCV from my friend tomorrow so we'll see if that changes anything.

[hotdish]

It's a new CCV, I just ran it again for about 5 minutes and I have a clear tube for the drain and I'm not seeing any oil through that.

Is there a way that the manifold could be creating extra vacuum and sucking oil through the CCV before it can drain?

I'm getting a used but confirmed working CCV from my friend tomorrow so we'll see if that changes anything.

I don't think you could get extra manifold vacuum, but extra crankcase pressure is possible from blow-by. Your compression and leakdown don't look that far off, though.

It might throw a code, but you could probably also try pulling the ccv, venting the crankcase to atmosphere and plugging the intake to see if that stops the oil burning issue.

[blatant]

I had to physically take my dipstick tube out of the pan to clean the drain passage in the dipstick tube itself.
The CCV tube was not causing the blockage, it was the actual port on the drain tube. Did you check that ?

Also was thinking intake manifold gaskets not seating or needing to be changed from when you removed it the first time?
Did you replace them?

[TheJordanWhitte]

I had to physically take my dipstick tube out of the pan to clean the drain passage in the dipstick tube itself.
The CCV tube was not causing the blockage, it was the actual port on the drain tube. Did you check that ?

Also was thinking intake manifold gaskets not seating or needing to be changed from when you removed it the first time?
Did you replace them?

I did take out the dipstick tube and cleaned it with brake cleaner and compressed air as well, I also reused the manifold gasket's but they are only about a year old from when I did the M50 swap.

[TheJordanWhitte]

Quick update, I did a quick vent to atmosphere and blocked the CCV with a glove

No smoke at all, here's my question now... if the blow by is coming from the rings I would still see smoke right?

[weedshoes]

Yes.

[TheJordanWhitte]

Yes.

Thanks!

[TheJordanWhitte]

Time for a dumb question that I could've just googled

Still getting smoke but not until it's warmed up and it still blue but I'm noticing condensation on the exhaust tips so now I'm wondering if I've got a slight head gasket leak and I just think it's blue smoke?

So my question is, if the head gasket is leaking could they're also be oil getting through the head gasket?

Also if it's rings what else should I check to confirm it's the rings?

I'm at the point where my knowledge is maxed and I might just spend the money for a real mechanic:/

[weedshoes]

Do a leakdown test. A bad head gasket could get oil into combustion chambers. It can also make your coolant hoses very hard when the car is warm.

[jayjaya29]

Do a compression test when the engine is warm and then add some oil to the combustion chamber and do the compression test again. If the numbers go way up its the rings.

[TheJordanWhitte]

Do a leakdown test. A bad head gasket could get oil into combustion chambers. It can also make your coolant hoses very hard when the car is warm.

I did a leakdown test already but I'll check the hoses.

Do a compression test when the engine is warm and then add some oil to the combustion chamber and do the compression test again. If the numbers go way up its the rings.

i'll try this tonight, thanks for the help!

[TheJordanWhitte]

Do a compression test when the engine is warm and then add some oil to the combustion chamber and do the compression test again. If the numbers go way up its the rings.

Finally had time to do this.

Cold/warm
#1 178/138
#2 177/150
#3 158/150
#4 190/145
#5 178/145
#6 170/148

Last compression test I did #3 was 170 but I'm using a new tester as well.

[bluptgm3]

Odd that number would be lower warm. Cylinder #3 looks like it is the problem. If the number on the right side are cold, those numbers are all low (dependent on gauge quality.)

[TheJordanWhitte]

Odd that number would be lower warm. Cylinder #3 looks like it is the problem. If the number on the right side are cold, those numbers are all low (dependent on gauge quality.)

The higher numbers are cold...

[TheJordanWhitte]

I finally had time to work on this a little more and here's where I'm at.

I switched out the CCV for a confirmed working OEM unit, drove the car around the block for about 10 minutes and then I pulled the throttlebody off again to doublecheck for oil and there was some but nowhere close to as much as before and a little to no smoke.

The next day I went back to the vent to atmosphere and blocked off the CCV set up, here's where I think my problem might be with diagnosing?

Where should I be stopping the intake manifold vacuum? As of now it's set up that the hose that was running from valve cover is blocked off, so what I'm wondering is if the manifold is still creating vacuum to the CCV is it sucking oil from the drain tube?

Thanks again to everyone who's been helping me along the way and I wish I had more time to fix this faster than it's taking me:/

[Braymond141]

Those warm compression numbers are terrible.

[TheJordanWhitte]

Those warm compression numbers are terrible.

Yes.

[MauiM3Mania]

Did you pull the fuel pump relay prior to doing your compression tests? If not, fuel is washing your cylinder walls and skewing the results.