200hp smallport, fresh build, 5 min drive, half full catch can-dipstick out-oil everywhere.

[crunk81us]

Hi All,

So I just went for a spirited test drive (new diff gears) and when i got back there was oil dripping from engine.

inspect under the bonnet- dipstick popped out.. and my catch can is half full.

was only a 5 minute drive.

my engine:

>12:1 comp
e85
forgies
bullet proof bottom end
huge cams
max rpm 9500.

I currently only have the original pcv valve on the driver side cam cover venting to the catch can which vents to atmosphere.

The engine probably wasnt quite finished warming up when i started giving it a bit, could the forgies and this cause it?

i did hold fairly high rpm (6-7k) for a while during the rear tyre longevity test.

I am thinking a couple of decent outlets from both cam covers to the catch can.. but my catch can half filled!

any ideas?

tia

[Big T]

Oil takes ages to heat up even to 60 deg, especially in the cold + e85. Get a temp/pressure gauge if you don't have them already. Forgies can lead to extra blowby when cold. Can you hear piston slap when cold? Aries back in the day were reknown for this but have supposed to have gotten better in the last few years.


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[crunk81us]

no not really any piston slap,

but there is a point when idling up to temp where you can hear it change note and idle nicely, its lumpy as hell until this point and then its like it just comes on song.

I was thinking it was the pistons etc getting up to temp and giving the full compression it needs to run properly? could be wrong, might be in the ecu.

[LittleRedSpirit]

You put the rings in? Seems like your combustion isn't contained.

[crunk81us]

engine was built by a decent dedicated race engine builder.
leak down perfect, compression good, so far the probable culprit is high revs over oiling the top end as we didnt fit a restrictor to the block.
havent had the issue at any of my races, only once before with sustained high revs. It blows absolutely no smoke.

[Matt]

When running if you take the oil filler cap off does it make a weird noise?

[Big T]

Oil weight? Oil drain on head attached?


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[Slimer86]

Oil restrictor fitted into the head? Akin to bmw m3?

Also change of note during warm up likely be due to cold start enrichment from the ecu. Additional fuel during initial start and a tapering of fuel enrichment until ~65'C. Idle will initially be rough and lumpy getting slightly smoother after 5-10 minutes during warm up of cooling system and oil.

[bunki86]

Assembly issue.
hit up ppl that built it.

Pcv the right way ?
tried running it without pcv, just venting to atmo through can ?

[Hen may possibly be a nut]

There's plenty of ideas in this thrad, but the one thing that really worries me is the dipstick popping out. Too much oil in the head can cause it to be spat out into the catch can. But I can't see how that would give you dipstick problems.

The dipstick pops out if there is too much pressure in the sump, possibly meaning excess blowby, or non-functioning PCV system. I'd investigate further there, and hope it was just the PCV system that needs attention.

Good luck in any case.

[Jip86]

E85 makes the car idle rough while cold and then just changes like a switch when it's warmed up a bit. No idea why but I've seen it on multiple e85 tuned cars. So that's relativity normal.

Other than that I'm with Hen.



The dipstick pops out if there is too much pressure in the sump, possibly meaning excess blowby, or non-functioning PCV system. I'd investigate further there, and hope it was just the PCV system that needs attention.

[timbo]

Intake side cam cover is baffled below where the outlet is, it could be that it is blocked up and not allowing blow by to pass through properly, thus blowing the dipstick out. I'd take off the hose from the cam cover and feel if there is pressure emitting from there with the engine running. Cover the surrounding area with a towel just in case!

[LittleRedSpirit]

4age is famous for popping a dipstick out. My 20v even did it once in a while, and it has a shared cam cover not two small seperate ones.

Over time they made the engine designs more and more blowby proof. You could try fitting as vent between the covers and a massive oil drain from head to sump both sides. If your rings and valve stem seals are great, theres not much else you can do.

[bunki86]

Ive never known a 4ag to pop out the dipstick a normal thing. None of mine or other peoples i know ever did it.

[LittleRedSpirit]

Rev it harder.

The dipstick doesnt pop out completely it just pops up open enough to let gas escape. In the end I connected my dipstick tube to my catch can as well as the top cover.

[bunki86]

8500 9000 is hard enough for me. na, blown or turbo up to 28psi. Never once has the dipstick popped out.