Dipstick Dip Stick popped, popping, blow, blowing, blew out [Merged]

[scrcco]

I just installed a different head after my timing belt went. Everything is back together and the break-in period is over. Last night i revved past 5,000 rpm. for the first time and noticed it was struggling, I let off at 5,500. Then a riced-out Honda cruised by so i stepped on it, went to about 6,000 rpm's, now theres a huge cloud of smoke behind my car. I opened the hood to notice my dipstick shot up, and oil sprayed all over the underneath of my hood, then dripped all over the motor and exhaust. What could be the problem? I already replaced the PCV valve and does the same thing???

 

[oldman]

Any advantage/dis-advantage of venting the valve cover via hose straight to the ground? Or would vaccum pulling out the vapors be optimal?

The only advantage is a clean intake tract. From a crankcase ventilation point of view, stock location are the most optimal.

 

[ddavisaf]

If you're worried about the clean intake, buy the filter from Dejon tool. It's an oil catch air bypass type filter. It's about 100 bucks.
We highly recommend you route it normally.

 

[4wd-Eclipse]

Think about it, can you spell huge boost and vacuum leak? To do this, a pcv valve must go between the catch can and the intake manifold, not catch can between the pcv and manifold. Also, what happens when oil fills up to the level where the supposed "BOTTOM of the catch can" is? It's a dangers business and I have been debating as whether to route everything back to stock locations and be over with.

But what about the stock line between valve cover and intake pipe? will fill the intercooler and pipes with sucked oil which reduce the cooling efficiency, is in it? Is there any fix?

 

[oldman]

But what about the stock line between valve cover and intake pipe? will fill the intercooler and pipes with sucked oil which reduce the cooling efficiency, is in it? Is there any fix?

This is what I plan to do, return the pcv side to stock and install an in-line catch can with an internal filter and reroute back to intake pipe. This way if problem occurs with the catch can, I will have at least one venting route. I would rather dirty up my intake manifold than my IC for the reason you mentioned.

 

[4wd-Eclipse]

This is what I plan to do, return the pcv side to stock and install an in-line catch can with an internal filter and reroute back to intake pipe. This way if problem occurs with the catch can, I will have at least one venting route. I would rather dirty up my intake manifold than
my IC for the reason you mentioned.

I may do the same ... what you think of using BIGGER hose than the stock hose size, let say -8 or -10 AN size.

 

[oldman]

I may do the same ... what you think of using BIGGER hose than the stock hose size, let say -8 or -10 AN size.

The biggest you can go and still maintain a nice tight fit on all the valves/nipples involved.

 

[4wd-Eclipse]

The biggest you can go and still maintain a nice tight fit on all the valves/nipples involved.

I'll go for -10 AN size, but dose anyone know how to convert AN to inch or mm

Also what you think of using 12v SMALL vacuum pump between valve cover and catch can ... the pump maximum vacuum will be not more than 20 Hg and activated by the boost at 1 bar.

 

[oldman]

Also what you think of using 12v SMALL vacuum pump between valve cover and catch can ... the pump maximum vacuum will be not more than 20 Hg and activated by the boost at 1 bar.

Don't like to comment on things I have not work with before but I do think you have hi-jacked this thread long enough.

BTW, -10 AN is way too big, I doubt it will fit around the breather valve tightly, -6AN is more like it.

 

[4wd-Eclipse]

Don't like to comment on things I have not work with before but I do think you have hi-jacked this thread long enough.

sorry for that

 

[4wd-Eclipse]

I'll wield two -10 AN coupler fittings in the valve cover and leave the stock PCV and it's hole as it is with hose connected to the intake manifold. So all I need to mack one more hole .... maybe near the oil cap?

 

[ivanr4g63]

Re-reouting the PCV and Breather to a catch can helps keep your intake clean, just don't forget to use a rubber plug where the PCV line use to go in the intake manifold. Also releases a nice amount of crankcase pressure.

Now a temporary fix for an old Oil DipStick that keeps poping for either reason would be:

Get a small piece of galvanized wire, One small clamp big enough to go around your dipstick tube, bend the wire in a "J" shape, use that "J" upsidedown to hold down the Dipstick and hold it with the clamp, tighten the clamp just enough to hold the "J" metal piece in place, a small Allen wrench helps if you don't have any wire.

I recomnd this rather than crimp your dipstick tube, because if you have alot of Blow-by pressure from worn cilinder rings it could make leak oil thru the crimps...

 

[MyBeatGSX]

As you might remember I had some dipstick blow out issues in the past. I put in a new pcv and the thing hasn't budged a millimeter since, even with 4th-5th gear pulls down the highway.

But just today, I had been driving around like a grandma like I always do. But the road was wet so I thought I would have some fun and drift a corner coming off a light. I hit boost around the corner and I'm off the limiter in 1st gear most of the way around it (only like 1-2 seconds). I then come out of it and pull through 2nd and a little bit of third. When I stop at the next light I noticed a burning oil smell and smoke coming from under the hood. I pulled into a parking lot and sure enough the dipstick had blown WAY out (like if the hood was off it would have been in another town) and there was oil everywhere. What I don't understand is why it would blow out so bad doing something I've done tons of time in the past few months without an issue? Does the dipstick not like the rev limiter? Because its never popped up even the tiniest bit even being under full creep boost (19psi) for 10-20+ seconds on the highway. Other than it blowing out, the car runs fine. I bought a new dipstick that seems to be redisgned (it says "engine" on the top maybe someone else has one) and I made a 2-3 pull with no problem, but I'm still a little worried.

 

[MyBeatGSX]

BGGSTin, I was thinking the same thing. I had just topped off the oil a few days before and it was on the high side already. In fact after it all sprayed out the oil was exactly at the full mark. But its not like I wasn't wot many times before that, just never around a corner... whether the g forces would make a difference or not I don't know...

1gnasty, I thought of that, but there is zero smoke from the exhaust and the car burns NO oil. I don't feel any air from the dipstick tube at idle, but I don't know if that would indicate anything anyway...

The new dipstick still hasn't moved at all (knock on wood), lets hope it stays that way. But I'm still confused and I got a track day on friday....

 

[Defiant]

It's not oil, it's cylinder blowby. You're pressurizing the crankcase and blowing out the dipstick. The motor's too tired to work well at those revs. A cylinder leakdown would be a prudent test, or just stop romping that motor.

 

[King Salami]

I had the same problem until I lightly crimped my oil dipstick tube & tore out the check valve in my PVC valve (now it's a nipple!) and ran a piece of fuel hose and a fuel filter (ghetto valve cover breather) off the PVC valve. No problems since.

If you do this, make sure you plug the intake hose previously connected to the PVC.

 

[Amazin' Wasian]

My dipstick keeps blowing out, I've changed my pcv valve 3 times in the last 6 weeks and its still blows out, also I'm running my vent hose that went back into my intake straight to the ground, what else could I do to stop this? Thanks....
Nick

 

[Jafro]

Zip-tie the dipstick down into the hole. Easily replaceable after checking your oil.

 

[stinktown1]

have you tried taking a vise grip or larger pare of pliers and crushing the top
of the dip stick tube a little bit. this worked for me or
have you tried a new stick?

 

[oldman]

Dipstick popping out is a sign of excessive crankcase pressure, this can happen in several ways.

1. Excessive blowby from the cylinders as defiant has mentioned, a dry and wet compression test will give you some clue but a leakdown will probably be needed to confirm.

2. Pressure air leaking into the crankcase, pcv valve and valves seals are usually the culprit, a boost leak test will help pin point this.

3. Crankcase ventilation issues, mostly caused by a clogged or stuck closed pcv valve or full fuel filter/catch can waiting to be emtied.

Obviously, one can also have combinations of all three. It's also my oppinion that the dipstick tube should never be pinched as a solution even if the problem is a simple worn out dipstick which is rarely the case, a $15 new dipstick from the dealer should be the solution. Dipstick popping acts as a last venting insurance for the crankcase and a great warning sign as well incase of serious problems, pinching it will force the excessive pressure to seek exit else where, usually valve seals, turbo seal and gaskets. I would rather have a dipstick pop out than smoke out of my tail pipes as warning signs any day.

 

[oldman]

I just posted this on another thread.

Dipstick popping out is a sign of excessive crankcase pressure, this can happen in several ways.

1. Excessive blowby from the cylinders as defiant has mentioned, a dry and wet compression test will give you some clue but a leakdown will probably be needed to confirm.

2. Pressure air leaking into the crankcase, pcv valve and valves seals are usually the culprit, a boost leak test will help pin point this.

3. Crankcase ventilation issues, mostly caused by a clogged or stuck closed pcv valve or full fuel filter/catch can waiting to be emtied.

Obviously, one can also have combinations of all three. It's also my oppinion that the dipstick tube should never be pinched as a solution even if the problem is a simple worn out dipstick which is rarely the case, a $15 new dipstick from the dealer should be the solution. Dipstick popping acts as a last venting insurance for the crankcase and a great warning sign as well incase of serious problems, pinching it will force the excessive pressure to seek exit else where, usually valve seals, turbo seal and gaskets. I would rather have a dipstick pop out than smoke out of my tail pipes as warning signs any day.

 

[97EclipseGSTer]

gotta love old men.... I enjoy reading your reply's oldman...keep it up. If Oldman didnt post before I was going to say 10 percent of what he said. My old dip stick was popping out and here is my story. I pinched the sucker and guess what happened, I blew my oil housing gasket...yeah not once, or twice, but 3 times in just 2 weeks. cost me lot for tow, the first fix, and oil. My oil dropped down to the ground just as fast as my turbo said "oooo shiznet, hello, i'm running on farts and dreams.... Well, I changed the fuel filter and the oil pressure was still at a dangerous level, then a month later I was with my g/f in boston and it hit my head that I needed to replace the PCV valve. Went home asap, got yelled at by the "wife" and replaced it. EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NEW

so inconclusion....FOR GODS SAKE, DON"T PINCH THE DIP STICK>..............AHHHHH

change your oil filter......if that doesnt work, old man said the rest.

 

[ddavisaf]

I had the same problem until I lightly crimped my oil dipstick tube & tore out the check valve in my PVC valve (now it's a nipple!) and ran a piece of fuel hose and a fuel filter (ghetto valve cover breather) off the PVC valve. No problems since.

If you do this, make sure you plug the intake hose previously connected to the PVC.

It pops out for a reason. If it can't pop out, then you're causing that much more stressed on the damaged component.
A GOOD motor can pop out a BAD dipstick.
A BAD motor can pop out a GOOD dipstick.
Remember that.

 

[MyBeatGSX]

Thanks for the explainations, but I think everyone missed my point. Since the PCV valve replacement, it has never popped out. And since this incident, it has also never popped out again, never even moved a little bit. I'd like to know what would cause it to blow out in that situation so it can be corrected or just avoided in the future.

The guys at the shop I bought the new dipstick at never even mentioned blow by. They immediately said it was the PCV and recommened replacing it with a real check valve (not a ball and spring like a pcv).... any thoughts on that?

 

[ddavisaf]

You're the first person I've heard of this happening to. Possibly you had checked your oil and not pushed the dipstick all the way back in? Or possibly a quick lapse in the pcv operation. If the dipstick is new, and the pcv is new (even new ones are bad... ) and you've ruled both of those out, a leakdown test might shed some light on whether or not you're experiencing extreme blow-by.

 

[Mist3r Spool]

My dipstick popped out once. It sounded like a gunshot under the hood. I popped the lid and saw a bit of oil here and there and noticed that the dipstick had shot itself free from the tube and broken itself from the handle completely. It was already broken (the dipstick sat low in the oil pan and the handle just sat on the top of the dip-stick line. Anyway, I replaced the dipstick, PCV valve, and rigged a $5 oil-catch setup and haven't had the problem since.