Strange crank case pressure

[burntheblobs]

Here is my problem. When I go for just a normal drive, a lot of pressure accumulated under my valve cover. So much so that my valve cover breather will be launched off the valve cover if I boost at all, and oil shoots past my oil cap. When I take off the oil cap, hot smoke comes out.

So far this is what I have done to find/correct the problem:
-Replaced Oil Cap
-Valve Cover Gaskets replaced
-Replaced PCV Valve (Just tested it, works fine)
-Replaced breather filter (Just tested it, works fine)
-Did a Compression Test (150 across on 8.0:1 toplines, forgot to open throttle during test, don't know how much that would effect that)
-I get 22 in/hg vacuum during deceleration and 19 in/hg at idle
-Brand new Evo III 16g
-No smoke coming out my tail pipe
-My Evo 3 16g can't even get 10 psi untill 5000rpms
-I have done boost leaks checks and fixed LOTS of leaks with NO improvement in spool
-My car wants to die when I put in the clutch at a stoplight and catches itself at about 500rpms before rising back up to 750rpms

Please help guys, this pressure is REALLY worrying me. It seems that it would almost HAVE to be rings or valve seals, but my spark plugs aren't oil fouled and I have descent compression and healthy vacuum.

 

[burntheblobs]

I put on a new oil cap a few months ago and it still has a nice rubber seal on it. I replaced the dip stick which is the only reason it isnt popping out now. I tested all the hoses for ventilation and they all allowed air to pass. Again the pcv worked as a one way valve when I tested it today. As for as exhaust leaks, I JUST replaced the turbo with a brand new one and replaced the exhaust manifold gaskets and and 02 housing gasket. The exhaust manifold is also a 2g one with no cracks when I inspected it. My pocketlogger is arriving tomorrow so maybe that will help me out a little.

 

[mirkoelek]

Is your car overheating at all?

 

[burntheblobs]

As far as I can tell no. My coolant temps reach operating temperature (Right in the middle of the guage) about 3 minutes after startup. Then it stays put. I will say that it heats up a lot faster than my honda civic, but I just assume that this is from the turbocharger throwing some extra heat into the mix, even when not boosting.

 

[mirkoelek]

As far as I can tell no. My coolant temps reach operating temperature (Right in the middle of the guage) about 3 minutes after startup. Then it stays put. I will say that it heats up a lot faster than my honda civic, but I just assume that this is from the turbocharger throwing some extra heat into the mix, even when not boosting.

It sounds like your oil pressure is too high. Did you take your balancer shafts out? If you close the bearing oil lines, your pressure would go up. But again that shouldnt make a pressure under your valve cover... You've got a weird problem there my friend. Check a PCV valves, both of them, they may be clogged in.

 

[vr4play]

This is what I went by when my dipstick was popping out... it ended up being a bad dipstick for me.

Dipstick popping out - happens due to crankcase pressure pushing the dipstick up:
•A good running motor will blow out a dip stick with a shriveled hard rubber seal
•A dead motor (lots of blow by, busted pistons) will blow out a good dipstick
•A 1/2 dead motor will blow out a 1/2 dead dip stick

my valve cover breather will be launched off the valve cover if I boost at all, and oil shoots past my oil cap. When I take off the oil cap, hot smoke comes out.

I would think that since your breather is popping off and your dipstick stays in, you are venting good. You just need to tighten you filter. It would be a crankcase pressure problem if you weren't venting like you should and your dipstick was popping out. As for the oil and the smoke, if it is a good cap, you might be running too much oil. I have never had smoke come out of my valve cover when I take the cap off, but I hear that it is a common thing for folks running synthetic. I run 3qts 20W50(conventional) and 1qt Lucas.

-My Evo 3 16g can't even get 10 psi untill 5000rpms
-I have done boost leaks checks and fixed LOTS of leaks with NO improvement in spool

To only get to 10psi @ 5k rpms, it would be a big leak. If you are sure you have no leaks, I would say that it is a boost controller problem or a turbo problem. Either your boost controller isn't keeping the wastegate closed, or your turbo is bad and isn't creating boost like it should. With the front mount there should be a little bit of lag, but your 16g should be filling up the 2.5" pipes alot faster than it is.

-My car wants to die when I put in the clutch at a stoplight and catches itself at about 500rpms before rising back up to 750rpms

Adjust your BISS.

You really aren't boosting enough to need fuel compensation so you don't really need a logger. I also don't think your crankcase issue is related to your spooling problem. Try to figure out your spooling problem first... boost leak, mbc, or turbo.

 

[burntheblobs]

Yes, the balance shats are removed. I AM running fully synthetitic so I guess that explains the smoking problem. Now, when I say my breather was launched, I mean the whole thing. Not just the filter. Even the little connector to the valve cover. And it isn't a BISS problem with my idle, because it idles perfectly at 750 untill I try to stop at a stoplight. Also, I don't know if this makes a difference, but it seems like no mattter WHAT my turbo will get full spool at 5000rpms...wether I set it to 10 psi or 14psi.

 

[99gst_racer]

burntheblobs - Assuming you have an aftermarket boost gauge; How much boost are you running? Are you creeping or spiking?

 

[90blacktsiawd]

Exhaust leaks could affect your spool time. Especially anything before the turbo. Make sure all the nuts on the studs holding the manifold to the head at tight, check for cracks in the exhaust manifold, and make sure the 4 turbo to manifold bolts are tight for starters.

 

[burntheblobs]

burntheblobs - Assuming you have an aftermarket boost gauge; How much boost are you running? Are you creeping or spiking?

I have an aftermarket boost guage. Right now I'm running my Evo III 16G as low as it can go which it 10 psi. It hold 10psi untill redline which is strange, because even though I ported it for creep, I have a three inch exhaust. It has some sort of a cat but I assume its a high flow since it's got 3 inch outlets and it welded to the rest of the exhaust. (It came with the car so im not 100% sure). I was running 14psi before on my small 16g. Also, again, There shouldn't be any pre turbo exhaust leaks anymore. My exhaust manifold to turbo gasket came off in three peices during the swap 20 miles ago and I replaced that. I also replaced the turbo to o2 housing gasket and head to exhaust manifold gasket for good measure. I'm giong to do another compression test today just for the hell of it. Also, I'll post up what my logger has to say about fuel once I get it today.

 

[90blacktsiawd]

Ok you just replaced all the gaskets. That right there tells me there's a possibility that one or more of those nuts on the head studs might not have been tightened enough and have loosened themselves alittle. One of those coming loose can make a big difference. Did you inspect the manifold for cracks while it was off?

 

[99gst_racer]

I have an aftermarket boost guage. Right now I'm running my Evo III 16G as low as it can go which it 10 psi. It hold 10psi untill redline which is strange, because even though I ported it for creep, I have a three inch exhaust. It has some sort of a cat but I assume its a high flow since it's got 3 inch outlets and it welded to the rest of the exhaust. (It came with the car so im not 100% sure). I was running 14psi before on my small 16g. Also, again, There shouldn't be any pre turbo exhaust leaks anymore. My exhaust manifold to turbo gasket came off in three peices during the swap 20 miles ago and I replaced that. I also replaced the turbo to o2 housing gasket and head to exhaust manifold gasket for good measure. I'm giong to do another compression test today just for the hell of it. Also, I'll post up what my logger has to say about fuel once I get it today.

Are you 100% sure that the wastegate is opening and you are only running 10 psi? Are you positive that the boost gauge is functioning properly and displaying correct readings?

 

[burntheblobs]

Are you 100% sure that the wastegate is opening and you are only running 10 psi? Are you positive that the boost gauge is functioning properly and displaying correct readings?

I am not 100% sure, but I can feel that it isn't creeping. If I do a second gear pull the boost doesn't seem to change after it hits 10psi. I just did another compression test and got 152 psi across.