Re: [alfa] oil back-pressure

["skippatnode" <skippatnode@xxxxxxx>]

Sam,
    Oil pumps pressurize the lubrication system but not the crankcase.  You
have too much air pressure in the crankcase which is blowing the dipstick
out.
    I would guess your culprit is a clogged oil separator, but how do we prove
that?
    Can you find another separator off another car and try it?
    Run a compression check.  That should locate a bad compression ring.
    With the engine running, pull the hose that runs from the valve cover to
the separator off at the separator and see if it has an extraordinary amount
of blow-by coming out of it (like the discharge end of a vacuum cleaner).
There normally is some, but not a great blast.

Skip Patnode
67 Duetto
Norfolk, Va


Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2003 18:56:39 -0800
From: Sam Kass <samkass@domain.elided>
Subject: [alfa] oil back-pressure

I took my Alfa out aiming for a good drive today-- the first one
(besides to work and back) since changing all the fluids.  I opened it
up on the freeway and all of the sudden smelled a burning smell.  When
I drove to a parking lot and opened the hood, the dipstick was out as
far as the hood would let it, and there was oil soaking anything within
a 1 foot radius of it.  I pushed the dipstick back in, drove home
conservatively, and opened it up again.  Same thing.
What could be pushing the oil up the dipstick pipe?!  I thought the
oil pump was basically suction OUT of the oil pan and that, if
anything, the dipstick would be pulled inward.  I asked Mark, and he
suggested possibly a clogged oil vapor separator (mine is in bad shape,
so this could easily be it,) or a broken compression ring.
Thoughts?
--Sam Kass
'87 Graduate
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