Catch Can/Dip Stick

[95TalonOwner]

Would it hurt anything if I put an oil catch can on my dip stick tube? Reason being I am sick of having the dip stick pop out and spray oil everywhere anytime i want to do a little WOT. I have a 91 Laser RS Turbo for my winter beater and I don't care about whats wrong because my dip stick is popping out. I just want to get through the winter and not have oil spraying everywhere every time i want to have a little fun. I will be parting out the car when spring rolls around since i will be using parts off it for my 420A turbo project. Thanks for your inputs.

 

[cyclonetsifwd]

The catch can is exactly what it says though. If you have it connected to the dipstick and it's popping out and having oil go everywhere that also means you're losing oil. Check your pcv valve. Usually that kind of problem is from too much pressure. It'd be a cheap fix if that's the problem. For more resolutions go to this thread, it'll help you out a little to find out what the problem is.

 

[95TalonOwner]

Well I don't care what the problem is, I just want to catch the oil so it doesn't spray everywhere and smoke. This car is just my beater for a couple months and I will not be putting my time into replacing the EGR valve in this 5 degree weather we are having every day. I just want to know if i can do this without anything being screwed up.

 

[GSTealth]

Why not just tether/secure the dipstick? If you try to put some kind of catch can on, you will be losing a lot of oil (from the amount of crankcase pressure it sounds like you are getting).

 

[BoostedWilk]

it doesnt like "catch" the oil literally....

 

[cyclonetsifwd]

Like I said before though, you're going to have to put oil back in if you're losing oil to your catch can. A new pcv valve would cost you like 5 bucks and would take 10 minutes to put on. It's gonna cost you a lot more than that in oil if you do it the way you're talking about unless you plan on putting the oil that you catch in the catch can back in your oil pan.

 

[Xtraction]

Just do what I did and secure a spring loaded hook to the dip stick tube. Back when I had pressure leaking into the crank case which was popping my dipstick out (by the way...that's your problem) that's what I did to fix the situation. A catch can would do you absolutly no good anyway. Even if your dipstick stayed in, oil would fill up the catch can very quickly and it would be pointless. Here's a pic of my dip stick set-up. I recommend you take this path.

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[cyclonetsifwd]

looks like a good idea^

 

[Xtraction]

Like I said before though, you're going to have to put oil back in if you're losing oil to your catch can. A new pcv valve would cost you like 5 bucks and would take 10 minutes to put on. It's gonna cost you a lot more than that in oil if you do it the way you're talking about unless you plan on putting the oil that you catch in the catch can back in your oil pan.

It might be his PCV valve but I would bet money on his piston rings. Worn or "blown" rings will cause your dip stick to pop out and that's a little more than $5.

 

[oldman]

looks like a good idea^

No, it's a terrible idea and should never be done under any circumstances. There are two reasons why the dipstick pops out.

1. A worn dipstick, the solution is a new one for $15-$25, easy fix. One might ask why not just pinch it shut, because dipstick acts as a last venting resort as well as a warning system when problems arrive in the future, problems associated with excessive crankcase pressure discussed in #2.

2. Excessive crankcase pressure, usually cause by 1) Poor ventilation due to clogged catch can, fuel filter/catch can, stuck closed pcv....etc. 2) Intake pressure (boost) leaking into crankcase via a stuck open pcv or valve seals/guide. 3) Excessive blow by due to worn rings. Shuting off the dipstick without addressing the cause, is not only just a bandage, it could cause internal and external seal leaks like turbo, valve seals, VC gasket.....etc.

 

[Xtraction]

No, it's a terrible idea and should never be done under any circumstances. There are two reasons why the dipstick pops out.

1. A worn dipstick, the solution is a new one for $15-$25, easy fix. One might ask why not just pinch it shut, because dipstick acts as a last venting resort when problems arrives, problems associated with excessive crankcase pressure discussed in #2.

2. Excessive crankcase pressure, usually cause by 1) Poor ventilation due to clogged catch can, fuel filter/catch can, stuck closed pcv....etc. 2) Intake pressure (boost) leaking into crankcase via a stuck open pcv or valve seals/guide. 3) Excessive blow by due to worn rings. Shuting off the dipstick without addressing the cause, is not only just a bandage, it could cause internal and external seal leaks like turbo, valve seals, VC gasket.....etc.

But he doesn't care (he's made that very VERY clear) because he's parting out the car. If you want a quick and easy fix...here you go. Enjoy!

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P.S. Please give me some good reputation points by rating this helpfull if it is. Only being able to post in the Newbie section sucks big nutz. I might be a newbie to this forum but I'm not a newbie to DSM's. Thanks and good luck!

 

[oldman]

Tell him he could be blowing out heavy blue smoke out of exhaust pipe, leaking oil pan, VC gaskets, cam seals, crank seals, cas.......etc. tomorrow and see if he cares or not . If he doesn't care and just wants to drive the car for couple months, the catch can idea, though not perfect, would be a much better option then your proposed solution. Like I said before, it should not be done under any circumstances, excessive pressure has to go some where, I would rather it be the dipstick then seals.

 

[Xtraction]

Tell him he could be blowing out heavy blue smoke out of exhaust pipe, leaking oil pan, VC gaskets, cam seals, crank seals, cas.......etc. tomorrow and see if he cares or not . If he doesn't care and just wants to drive the car for couple months, the catch can idea, though not perfect, would be a much better option then your proposed solution. Like I said before, it should not be done under any circumstances, excessive pressure has to go some where, I would rather it be the dipstick then seals.

OK......You could be blowing out heavy blue smoke out of exhaust pipe, leaking oil pan, VC gaskets, cam seals, crank seals, cas.......etc. tomorrow.
Do you care?

 

[lane829]

i had the same problem with my car. turned out to be a piston cracking then falling apart (after receiving a final beating!) id make sure the vent lines are hooked to the intake tube though. yea a bungee cord held my dipstick in for the beating, but i did screw up a crank that would have otherwise been ok and went through ALLOT of oil anyway, something to think about.

 

[Xtraction]

OK...I was just out in the garage staring at my engine, smoking a cigarete (bad habit) and comtemplating the meaning of life...this is what I came up with. Lets say your dipstick was held down by some sort of retention device and you already had the excess build-up of pressure going through it. The pressure is already there and can't go anywhere else so by sealing off the dipstick wouldn't it be forced to go through the exhaust manifold anyways? I don't see how this could damage anything if it's forced to go through the route that it's supposed to go through in the first place. I believe you (oldman) know more about this than I do...please enlighten me!

 

[oldman]

Explain in what way is the crankcase connected to the exhaust manifold besides piston rings, valve seals/guides and turbo seal?

 

[Xtraction]

Let me re-word that. If you have pressure that's leaking from a bad seal (where ever it may be) and it's trying to go through the dipstick how is it damaging to force it through it's original intended route? I don't know...it's late and how ever you could explain it would be great. What kind of damage could sealing off the dipstick do...why and how?

 

[oldman]

The only crankcase pressure intended route are the breather valve which routes back to the intake pipe under boost and pcv (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) which routes back to to the intake manifold under vacuum. Dipstick popping out, excluding the case of a worn out dipstick, indicates the crankcase venting capacity being compromised, either the intended venting routes are blocked or the rate in which the crankcase is being pressurized is exceeding it's ability to vent. With pressure building up and no where else to go, oil cap seal, valve seals and turbo seal are usually the first ones to go.

 

[xveganxcowboyx]

Ok, if this guy is actually planning on using parts for a 420A turbo project I imagine he might5 want things in some sort of useable condition. Not sure how much he could actually use, but I assume the turbo. Blowing seals and all doesn't sound helpful to this goal.

1. Change the PCV. It may well fix the problem and will take less time and money than any of the other proposed solutions.

2. Lay off the gas. If it's popping at high boost, don't boost so high.

 

[Xtraction]

I've been enlightened. So...if you don't care then knock yourself out using my method. If you do care than as some old man once told me...under no circumstances should you use this method for fixing your problem.

 

[oldman]

I've been enlightened. So...if you don't care then knock yourself out using my method. If you do care than as some old man once told me...under no circumstances should you use this method for fixing your problem.

I thought the original "humbled" was a better fit in this case. Good job in keeping the conversation civil.