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???

 

[kpt4321]

Just crimp the top of the tube a tiny bit, or safety wire the dipstick down to something so it can't come out.

Don't use a dipstick from another car.

 

[slowAWDTSi]

as long as u cut and re mark the dipstick it wont hurt anything to use the other dipstick, i use a modified dipstick from a 90 dodge daytona 3.0l it works great
dru

 

[mclerc]

i just recently bought a 91 talon awd tsi...... first stop was mechanic to deck the head and new headgasket (blown gasket, was overheating real bad)

2 weeks later get the car back, runs great. 3 days later i wake up, take my dad for a ride down the road, get about 1/8 mile from the house and notice the oil idiot light is going bonkers. check under the car and there is oil from nose to tail...

we check the car that weekend and notice the oil filter is on there *crooked*, also noticed on a few occasions before it spewed 5 quarts of oil, the oil dipstick was popped out a good 1/2 inch. the oil filter was also fairly loose on top of being crooked, and after we removed the filter, the seal fell right off which tells me thats what caused the oil to spray everywhere.
so we drain what little oil was left, put the filter back on correctly and put oil back in it. works great, atleast for another 3 days or so. barely got down my driveway that morning and it blew out all 5 quarts *AGAIN*. popped dipstick, seal blown off filter, and filter crooked again...

i'm baffled. some people think the gasket isn't seal or blown again, with the intake side leaking into the oil and when the turbo spools up is creating pressure in the crankcase... other say its getting pressure in the bottom end somehow... the mechanic said something about the oil pump not working correctly or something...

anyone else have this problem? what the heck would cause the oil filter to come loose like that?

thanks..Marc

 

[BUCK]

Very common - your POS Water to Oil Cooler is crushing & allowing the Oil Filter Gasket to "spit" under pressure & soak your undercarriage. Check my Gallery for my Air to Oil Cooler hookup although there are certainly nicer jobs with A/N fittings out there too.

 

[98RedGs]

Dipstick popping out fix...
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99025&highlight=Dipstick+pops
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83461&highlight=Dipstick+pops

 

[mclerc]

OK, that helps a little (saying crankcase pressure was already suggested to me)...

so what would cause the crankcase to be pressurized? is that good or bad, and is it supposed to be under that much pressure?

also when the dipstick pops, it doesn't spray oil all over the engine... if any oil DOES happen to come out from there, its not much at all, just a little bit to drip down the side of the dipstick tube.

 

[BUCK]

The Oil Filter problem is NOT related to any Crankcase pressure problem - I found the Mitsu Oil Filter with the T shaped gasket would not spit-out like the flat gaskets on most all other filters.

- But you really need to can that water cooler - It eventually cracks internally & cross contaminates Oil & Antifreeze - NOT good.

 

[mclerc]

ok, where can i find a good cooler and how much does it cost? even tho i haven't put alot of money into the car, i don't have much more left... that does concern me tho.......

so if its not the crankcase, what could it be? should i try another filter (as you said)
where can i buy that filter?

thanks alot!

 

[BUCK]

My Air to Oil Cooler Kit came from Bumper to Bumper for less than $100. Check my Gallery for pix.

Mitsu Oil Filters come from a Mitsu Dealer - & yes this entire issue is VERY IMPORTANT!

 

[98RedGs]

OK, that helps a little (saying crankcase pressure was already suggested to me)...

so what would cause the crankcase to be pressurized? is that good or bad, and is it supposed to be under that much pressure?

also when the dipstick pops, it doesn't spray oil all over the engine... if any oil DOES happen to come out from there, its not much at all, just a little bit to drip down the side of the dipstick tube.

http://www.plymouthlaser.com/dip.htm
The reason I suggested those two other threads were because they contained this link.

 

[mclerc]

yes, i did read those links you posted and i do appreciate the info. as buck said these issues are very important, and i'm just trying to find as much information as possible about any possible problem or solution this is throwing at me.

buck, about the air/oil cooler... how reliable is it, and how well does it work vs. the stock water/oil cooler? I'll start checking around about that...

Thanks again

 

[BUCK]

Dude the Water Cooler is a time bomb :thumbdown - for your reason & the internal failure reason - No probs with my install.

Stay out of Boost when engine is not up to full Temp (like you are supposed to anyway) - DON"T run 20W-50W (which you shouldn't anyway)

- & get a Mitsu Oil Filter on it till you can the water Cooler.

- BTW - I use a BIG Vacuum cap with a hole drilled in it for the handle threaded over my Dip Stick that grips the Tube - works great.

Put a new PCV Valve on the thing too.

 

[DevilSperm]

hey buck, quick question, are the filter housings different altogether? the reason i ask is i have the actual cooler but the housing that was on my 90 was water from a 91, just wondering if i would have to get a whole new housing...ive been wanting to switch over to air for awhile now

 

[mclerc]

hey buck, do you have AIM? if so, would you mind if i IM'd you?

and i'm running 10w-30 (or 10w-40 high mileage) mobil 1 non-synthetic. and i've been baby-ing the car like you wouldn't believe, shifting at ~2000-2500rpm until warm.
i've also heard someone tell me get a new pcv valve. i also seem to think it has a vacuum leak somewhere because sometimes it tends to bog out at idle, a few occasions bog enough to stall it. i think its either vacuum leak, or crappy air filter (still stock airbox, ugly as sin too..)

and my local autozone said air oil coolers run from 70-200$. not TOO bad i guess, cept god knows i don't know how to install one...

 

[BUCK]

Devil Sperm - I'm running a 91 OFH with NO Low Oil Temp Oil Cooler Cutoff Valve - I would NOT run my setup in freaking cold ass Nebraska in the Winter!! You'll be blasting your downpipe off with rocketing Oil Filters - Get a 90 OFH Housing - OR - an aftermarket Low Oil Temp Valve to isolate the Cooler & Throw the Water Cooler away - Cut your Oil Filter Bolt off & Loctite the long portion into your 91 OFH like mine - the go straight on the OFH with your Filter like a real car...

hey buck, quick question, are the filter housings different altogether? the reason i ask is i have the actual cooler but the housing that was on my 90 was water from a 91, just wondering if i would have to get a whole new housing...ive been wanting to switch over to air for awhile now

 

[BUCK]

MAC - No AIM - PM me if need be.

I like your Oil choice.

Yes - change the PCV Valve.

Check Spark Plugs - Set Base Timing & Base Idle CORRECTLY - see the VFAQ's

Mine runs like a bat out of hell with stock air box - don't go changing shit till you get it running perfect "kinda close" to Stock.

All YOU really need is a SMALL Cooler & the 2 Barbettes & proper type hose (see my Gallery) - You live even farther South than me so IMO you do not need the Low Oil Temp Valve - See what I said above about Oil Filter Bolt Mod.

hey buck, do you have AIM? if so, would you mind if i IM'd you?

and i'm running 10w-30 (or 10w-40 high mileage) mobil 1 non-synthetic. and i've been baby-ing the car like you wouldn't believe, shifting at ~2000-2500rpm until warm.
i've also heard someone tell me get a new pcv valve. i also seem to think it has a vacuum leak somewhere because sometimes it tends to bog out at idle, a few occasions bog enough to stall it. i think its either vacuum leak, or crappy air filter (still stock airbox, ugly as sin too..)

and my local autozone said air oil coolers run from 70-200$. not TOO bad i guess, cept god knows i don't know how to install one...

 

[mclerc]

I'm glad i'm not the only one that thinks that... i had no plans whatsoever of modifying anything until i get all these little annoying problems delt with... that, and not until i learn how to drive the damn thing. =) all i've ever driven is my 99 auto s10. I've driven a stick once or twice, but not enough to really figure it out. I've started getting the hang of it (when its not in the shop....) ALMOST to the point where i'm comfortable with it.

thanks for the help... if anyone can think of anyother reason this is happening, please let me know... otherwise i'll try to keep things updated when i know whats going on with the car.

 

[BUCK]

You are gonna have to get it up level on 4 Jackstands to clean up the mess from the Oil Filter- That's a great time to change all fluids, Check your Clutch Slave, etc, etc...

 

[mclerc]

update:

got car from shop the other day. tho he couldn't give me a straight answer on what he did this time, i need to call back and press on that.........
doesn't seem to be leaking oil now, but then again, its averaging on the 3rd day of me driving it when it starts spewing... 2 days left.

PCV valve replaced today. the old one was still moving, but you could tell the gunk inside of it, was moving somewhat freely, but not like the new one.

And either tonight or tomorrow i plan on taking about 2 cans of engine degreaser (once again) to clean `er out.

Also had to replace the upper radiator hose. Old/warn out, the clamp on the radiator side had cut into the tube a little and started leaking. I touched it and it came a flood =)

All the fluids seem OK too. Clutch seems fine (atleast, good for having 98,000 miles on it) drives smooth, idles smooth now. The muffler rattles like hell tho, can barely hear it spool up.

I guess we'll find out what it wants to do in the next day or so. Also (on another subject) any suggestions on a lower temp thermostat for this car? good/bad/don't do? I just put a 160 degree on my s10 and love it =)

Thanks alot again
-Marc

 

[BUCK]

ECU's & FIAV's don't like low coolant temps. Now what have YOU done on this car?

 

[mclerc]

well, since i purchased it:

New headgasket + fixed the heads
PCV valve
Upper Radiator Hose

and cleaned the engine bay out with degreaser =)
I do believe they also replaced the accessory belt as well. someone did, because its brand new.

Thats it so far. Just got the tag/title today for it. There are a few more little things it needs: new hydrolics for the hatch, maybe fix the leather seats (front drivers side has a tear on it), new exhaust (muffler rattles like hell, can't even hear it spool), the taillight plastic thing thats between the two lights has a crack in it, might replace that...

other than that, its in pretty good shape for a `91 with 98,000 miles on it.

 

[o0-TaLoNbOy-00o]

so i went for a cruise and at one piont on the way home a was givin'er and then i stop at a light a smelt oil so i thought it was the car infront of me and thpught nothing of it...so i pulled into my garage and i still smelt it. So i get out and i see faint smoke coming from between the cracks in my hood and i pop the hood and there was oil on like half of my heat sheild and on my valve cover and my dip stick was sticking out about half an inch!>
wut could of caused this?!

to much oil on the pan?

(90 tsi awd)

thx


jeff

 

[Bjeezy01]

haha, gotta love our DSM's, this is normal, it will happen, and it is not common, I am not sure how to fix it, the best is when your hood us up and you are tuning the car, and you shoot the thing 10 feet in the air..... :laugh:

 

[Nelstar800TSi]

I clamped a spring on the dipstick tube and attached it to the dipstick. Mine always popped out...least of my problems. I'd think nothing of it.

 

[steve]

haha, gotta love our DSM's, this is normal, it will happen, and it is not common, I am not sure how to fix it,

It may be common but that doesn't mean it's normal. Clearly, this isn't designed to happen.

First, check your PVC system.
Bad PVC valves will allow boost pressure to enter the valve cover and the crankcase.
Make sure your valve cover breather line isn't plugged.
Check that your dipstick seal isn't hard and dried out. It should fit tightly.
An intake pressure test will help you find out if your turbo is leaking from the compressor into the oil return, again pressurizing the crankcase.
Lastly, a leakdown test will uncover bad rings creating blowby.

Steve