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Engine blow by blowing out all my gaskets

68EFIvert

68EFIvert

Well-Known Member
As many of you know I am running a Vortech Supercharger on my car. I have been having problems with blow-by ever since I put in my engine. Last summer I lost a lifter which caused $2000 to get the car repaired and put back together. This time and last time the engine was put together I have had problems with oil leaks. I have tried everything from PCV valve fixes to even adding vacuum pumps. I thought the vacuum pump fixed the problem until it filled up my overflow tank and started to leak all over the floor of my garage. It took it about 50 miles for that to happen.

I am obviously frustrated and have been looking for a solution to my problem of the rings not sealing. I called the engine builder to disucss my ring options and we agreed on total seal rings should improve my problem. I called Total Seal to talk it over with their tech guy Keith Jones. He was great by the way. I told him I was using Probe pistons with a 3mm oil seal ring. He said that was my problem. It was not wide enough to do the job. I am getting a new set of rings that have a high tension oil ring and overlap upper Ring(s). He also recommended using a standard flow oil pump with my vacuum pump. Too much oil is being pumped up to the heads and is being sucked out.

I will be adding more baffling to the valve covers where I have the inlets to the vacuum pump when I fix the rest of the problems. Crap never seems to stop on this car. I hope this is the final bug that has been eluding me for the past couple years. Once it is corrected I think I can finally enjoy the car. Until then I have to pull the engine out and re-ring it. I'll it this time in my garage.

I called the engine builder to give him the info that I learned. He told me they use the 3 mm oil ring so that they don't need to go into the wrist pin area with the ring. I just wanted to pass on some of my experiences of small oil rings and how they work with boosted applications. Once I get the thing running again I will post what happened and if it fixed the problem. If it doesn't I may need a stick of dynamite. :guns
 
I do not have any experience with a vacuum pump there is some good reading in the thread below, seems the catch can us a must. On the flip-side my Lightning sucks oil from both valve covers due to the super charger depending if you are accelerating or decelerating. I have a catch can to add but it is another one of those round-to-its...

http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/ ... hp?t=8;all

Mike
 
I know this is really basic, but have your tried a compression test/leak down test. Maybe your rings just aren't sealing as well or poorly as you assume, and that your problem is in another area?
 
The results of a compression test would be interesting. I suppose you have dish pistons. Where are you picking up your vacuum source and is it shielded? Does the oil seem to be from the source hose? It may be as simple as a shield. Can you show a diagram of your PVC design?

PS We can take the .50 cal to it. The engine "will be" sorry it ever caused you a problem.
 
I don't have a lot of time today to look at the car but I did have enough time to pull a compression test on #5. It came in at 135lbs. I am running about9:1 compression. What should my numbers be coming back at?

I would like to see more than 135 I would think. Thanks.

#6 is 130.
 
I think you will find doing a leakdown test will show more than a compression test.
Your trying to find out why your getting so much pressure your popping the seals out.
If your rings are seating properly, there may be another reason your Sc pressure is leaking into the crankcase.
 
I have ordered a leak down test kit and will do it before I start to disassemble the engine. I have started to pull all of the accessories and blower off in anticipation of pulling the engine.

I already have found one area where I have a small leak. When I drilled out my timing cover for the dipstick I must have not held the drill bit perfectly still. My timing cover leaks around the dipstick even with a bit of silicon. I think I will get a new one or an original that has the factory drilled hole. Does anyone have an extra they want to sell?
 
Do you have a check valve in the PVC system? Its been a while and I can't remember. With those compression numbers I would look at the PVC system. Are you picking up the vacuum behind the blade (I'm dumb I know) if so, you've got to have a check valve there. Is there a secondary vacuum for when the engine is under boost?
 
I have a pretty good PCV setup. I have an aftermarket oil seperator that is targeted to terminator owners that is in the lower intake. I then am using a PCV from a turbo bird followed by a check valve. It is then connected to the upper intake.

I know I am getting a reasonable amount of blow by because when I take off the oil fill cap and put a piece of paper on it blows off. I am no expert but it is my understanding that the paper should be sucked down to the valve cover.
 
You have a vac pump setup and it blows off the paper from your valve cover?
After you do a leakdown test and have results, I would be looking at the intake gaskets closely for them not sealing at the heads along the bottom edge.
There is way too much pressure in the crankcase.
Can you test run the eng without the Sc running? It should give you a better idea of what to look for.
 
Are you sure your supercharger output isn't directly tied into the crankcase? :sarc
 
I have a few bolts left and the engine will be ready to pull. I went ahead and pulled both the upper and lower intakes. The lower was firmly seated and it looks like it was seated around all the intake ports. I am using Felpro 1250s3 intake gaskets which have a steel core. Too bad Thea things can't be reused. Very little miles and they look like new.
43a09787-0a4e-cca8.jpg
 
Is it just the photograph or are all the driver side ports darker (oil?). The passenger side ports look cleaner.
 
Not to knock a vacuum pump but there's no better vacuum pump than the engine itself. I know you've posted before but can you post a diagram of what you done? Also can the vacuum pump be defectave?
 
The pump worked great. It was pumping the oul out of my engine and overflowing me catch cans. :)

Here is a sketch of my PCV and vacuum pump setups.
43a09787-221a-1536.jpg
 
I don't think any of the plumbing in the lower picture is necessary and this may be where the problem is. Also I'm not sure what the pressure regulator is for on the valve cover. When you use a vacuum pump does this not eliminate the need for a vacuum source? If I'm thinking right the stuff in the lower drawing is not necessary and it seems like it would only pressurize the case during boost. Here's a drawing of how I would plump the system and eliminate all that is in the lower part of your drawing. Also I'd use clamps on all conections.
 

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The pressure regulator makes sure the pump does not pull too much vacuum. Too much vacuum will not allow the oil to lubricate the way it needs to.

Now that I think of it the PCV may be a but overkill but it shouldn't pressurize the crankcase. The check valve will only pull to the upper intake and not allow it to go into the crankcase.
 
I'm not sure what purpose connecting the upper and lower intakes does. If you connections are pre and post the TB blade in the lower half of your drawing, then I think that may be a problem. The diagram I listed will work without the vacuum pump but you need an unvented catch can. Also I'm not sure about using a oil/water separator. If there's a static positive pressure created by the supercharger then I can see where this could be a problem as the volume of air created by the spinning turbine could outweigh the ability of the vacuum pump to pull it out resulting in no vacuum or even a positive pressure in the crankcase. Do you have a vacuum gauge? What does it read at idle? I'm guessing this is a mass air system.
 
The lower intake connects to the crankcase and the upper intake feeds into the intake valves. It is basically setup the same way the stock cars are fromt he factory. Except the prefilter and check valve that is. I have a vacuum/boost gauge on the car and IIRC it stays about 14 lbs a idle. Vacuum seems good on the car. My problem now is I have started taking stuff off the engine to prepare for removal. I received the leakdown check kit today and will give it a try this evening. If I would have read the directions or knew how to use the kit I would not have touched the engine before doing the test. Now I can only do it while it is cold and listen carefully for leaks. I am very curious what it will come out like. It should be interesting. The car is a mass air car.
 
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