[70chevelle]

Can anyone tell me why I have oil in the air filter holder?

 

[Al]

Either the pcv valve is toast, the wrong one, or is not pulling enough vacuum. The other alternative is the rings are worn. Sometimes it will happen when you run 'em hard for awhile, clean it up, check the pcv system and see what happens.

If the filter is in the air cleaner housing then also make sure there is no restriction in the air intake (snorkel - if you have the warm air pipe, that the valve is not sticking).

 

[chev64]

Malibu 70, If you've got oil in your air cleaner along with all the other problems you've got a worn out engine. Low gas mileage oily residue, etc are the symptoms. Its time for an upgrade to a 350, its a straight swap and unless your strapped for cash, one can be had at your local chevy dealer for about 1200.00 dollars. You should also change to an HEI distributor.

 

[70chevelle]

I have installed headers and a new exhaust system and therefore I am not using the hot air pipe. Is that why I am getting oil? Come to think of it, there was not any oil before this.

 

[TW]

70chevelle, Removing the hot air pipe does not matter. Are you still running the stock, enclosed, snorkle type air filter housing? These can be restrictive under hard throttle use. The restriction causes it to suck air (and oil) through the oil breather tube. Pull the tube out of the housing and see if you still have any oil coming out of it. If not, the housing is probably too restrictive. If you do, probably PCV or rings. Good Luck.
Tom

 

[Joe Harrison]

Just saw it this week end on a buick 3.8 V6. The head gasket was blown to the intake side and creating a symtom like a worn rings. This problem I would say is not that common but check it out. You also might want to do a compression test and a leak down that is how I found this one. BTW the blown head gasket was not leaking water to the oil or oil to water. It was just leaking compression to the valley.

[This message has been edited by Joe Harrison (edited 04-12-99).]

[This message has been edited by Joe Harrison (edited 04-12-99).]

 

[70chevelle]

The compression has been tested and it was as low as 80 on a few of the cylinders. Do I need a new engine or could the problem just be a blown head gasket.

 

[Joe Harrison]

80 PSI is getting low, if the low readings are are on two cylinders next to each other (like 1&3) it is possible to have a blown head gasket and it is leaking between cylinders. most of the time with readings this low it is worn rings and /or valve seats. You can squirt a little oil in the cylinder to see if the pressure comes up,if it does this will tell you the rings seating is going away (IE worn rings).if the pressure stays the same you most likly have a problem at the head gasket or a valve seating problem. If the pressure does not go up and you have the equipment a leakdown test will help pinpoint your problem area. The air will leak to the area that is leaking. Intake valve air will come out of the carb. Exhaust valve air will come out of the tail pipe. Head gasket air will come out of Radiator and /or oil fill cap. If you have bad rings air will also come from oil fill cap area,this is when the oil test when doing a compression test will help out when doing a leakdown check.
Good luck.

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