Oil in air filter?

[simon-p]

Hi

I developed a leak from my rocker covers yesterday and after driving the car home I found loads of oil in the air filter and in the throttle boddy.

The rocker covers are definitely leaking because oil is splatted all over the bonnet right above the covers. I have not had any problems since yesterday.
Is the oil in the air filter and throttle boddy to do with the rocker covers leaking?

I removed the air filter a week ago and there was no oil anywhere so it's only happened since yesterday when the covers started to leak

I have removed the covers to re-seal them and cleaned up the oil

Simon

[Liam_]

You always get a little bit of oil in the air filter/ throttle body with the standard breather setup (i.e. plumbed back into the intake).

How much oil is loads of oil?

[simon-p]

There was a puddle under the car.
I removed the air filter and it was caked in oil, literally drenched

Its a raceland induction kit, probably should have mentioned lol

No issues before yesterday, doesnt burn oil
No black smoke from exhaust ever

Am hoping its just a one off because its never done it before and only occured yesterday when the cam covers developed a leak

[simon-p]

Bump :)

[iSlayeR]

When you removed the rocker cover, was the gaurd in place?

[simon-p]

When you removed the rocker cover, was the gaurd in place?

Which guard?

There were two rocker covers (16v engine)

[iSlayeR]

Which guard?

There were two rocker covers (16v engine)

oh nvm, didn't read, thought you had a vtr :P

[RustySkull]

Are you sure it didn't shoot from the dip stick?

Mine does, sounds like yours has too...

[simon-p]

Are you sure it didn't shoot from the dip stick?

Mine does, sounds like yours has too...

Nah the dipstick was full in when I parked up.

The oil has sprayed out of the front of one of the rocker covers and also shot up through the breather pipe and into the air filter and throttle boddy.

It was a boat load of oil, like 1/4 of a litre which came out of the induction kit when I removed it

[RustySkull]

Sounds like you over filled it then, it will build up pressure and then shoot up any hole it can! :D

[simon-p]

Sounds like you over filled it then, it will build up pressure and then shoot up any hole it can! :D

That's the thing thou, I haven't put any oil in it since I bought it

I checked the oil last week and it was halfway between the min and max marks

It's not an overfill of oil, the cam covers started to spray oil over the engine and under the bonnet and loads of oil suddenly went up the breather pipe

:(

[RustySkull]

What I'd do is, make sure the covers are tight, start it and watch to see where the oil comes from... :)

[Liam_]

What's the mileage on the engine? Fitted new rocker covers recently or anything like that?

If the engine is quite old/ high mileage, I'd be tempted to do a compression test - worn piston rings etc could be causing heavy breathing. If you remove the oil cap with the engine running, does it feel like there's a lot of air coming out?

[simon-p]

What's the mileage on the engine? Fitted new rocker covers recently, done an oil change etc.?

About 76k on the engine
I removed the covers about a week ago to paint them and then refitted them using gasket sealent.
I am guessing I didn't use enough sealent, hence the fact they are now spitting oil everywhere.

The only thing that worries me is the oil that has shot up through the breather pipe?

[Liam_]

Was a bit slow in replying and edited my last post. :oops:

The VTS cam covers have a built-in seal which can't be replaced as such, so you should only really use gasket sealer to fix any small splits etc in the seal. Although I think some people prefer to completely remove the seal and use gasket sealer instead.

If the problem has started after you did the covers, I'd take them off and see what's going on. Make sure the inlet cam cover still has the baffle plate inside, check the hole for the breather isn't blocked, and gasket sealer hasn't found its way into anywhere it shouldn't.

[simon-p]

Was a bit slow in replying and edited my last post. :oops:

The VTS cam covers have a built-in seal which can't be replaced as such, so you should only really use gasket sealer to fix any small splits etc in the seal. Although I think some people prefer to completely remove the seal and use gasket sealer instead.

If the problem has started after you did the covers, I'd take them off and see what's going on. Make sure the inlet cam cover still has the baffle plate inside, check the hole for the breather isn't blocked, and gasket sealer hasn't found its way into anywhere it shouldn't.

Just noticed you edited it lol

Yeah the seal was buggered beyond repair so I removed it from both covers and used sealant.

What would the baffle plate look like?

I have the covers in front of me and the hole for the breather seems ok although I can't see much

I guess I will just have to reseal and see what happens

[RustySkull]

I guess I will just have to reseal and see what happens

I would :)

[Liam_]

If you turn the covers upside down, the exhaust cover (with oil cap) will be hollow inside. From memory, the other cover should have a metal plate across it, with a hole for the oil breather. Check that hole is free, as well as the pipe to your induction kit/ airbox.

If you have any more trouble, a compression test may be a good idea.

[simon-p]

Yeah those pipes are both free

I will refit the covers and report back

Thanks very much for your help guys :)

[simon-p]

I just noticed something...

I took a picture when I removed the covers last week and there seems to be a rubber bung/washer resting on the head which looks like it goes between the breather hole on the underside of the rocker cover and the hole in the head itself.

I didnt notice this bung before now and wouldnt have thought about it when I refitted the covers last week. If the rubber thing got knocked into the head when refitting the covers, could/would it have caused this issus? :S

Help lol

[RustySkull]

Washer or bung? They're quite different lol.

[simon-p]

It looks like a washer but its made of rubber by the look of it lol

I am guessing it sits between the breatherhole on the underside of the rocker cover and the cam ladder (is that the right word?) itself

[Liam_]

I think the rubber washer is for the breather hole inside the inlet cam cover.

Mine stayed on the cover though, not sure why yours has come off?

[simon-p]

I think the rubber washer is for the breather hole inside the inlet cam cover.

Mine stayed on the cover though, not sure why yours has come off?

Looking at the picture I took, its just resting on the head itself, pretty much over the hole

There is a 'chance' that it could have fallen into the head when I refitted the covers last week (because I didnt know it was lose and resting on the head)

If it has, what would the implications be?

I had no issues for 6 days of driving after refitting the covers, until yesterday of course

[RustySkull]

I recon if it fell in you'd know about it before now :S

[Liam_]

Number 9 is it?

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/leeumh/vtsrocker.jpg

I've only had the covers off mine once, but I'm sure that seal was definitely part of/ attached to the cam cover.

EDIT: Found what I was looking for. Does this look like your inlet cover? (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a333/boff1979/P1000655.jpg)

[simon-p]

Yeah number 9, thats the one

Any Idea what it does?

I guess it must have come apart from the cover when I removed it last week

[simon-p]

Yes that picture looks exactly like my cover :)