Blowby

[CaptHowdy]

So I just got a Festiva two weeks ago. 88 L 4 speed. I got it for $600 and have thrown about $200 into her for: Valve Cover Gasket, Longer Bolts to accompany Valve Cover Grommets, Air Filter, Oil Filter, Oil, Door Handles and Window Cranks from junkyard, PCV Valve, Water Pump-Alternator Belt, Plugs and Wires, Oil Pan Gasket. So, thing is Im still having blowby. I figure the pistons/rings arent sealing properly as its throwing it back into the airbox (carby). I bought (still waiting on it to arrive) and Envalve off of Ebay. Supposively its suppose to stop the blowby by adjusting the vacuum pressure. Not really wanting to spend $2-300 on a set of pistons and rings. Anybody have any luck with these Envalves or try them? Any other methods of keeping oil out of the airbox? I've read into where some people use catch cans. All help is appreciated. I really love my Festiva as it is saving me a ton on commuting. But if the blowby keeps happening Im not saving anything with having to buy lots of oil and air filters/degreaser.

[getnpsi]

Can you link to an envalve? never heard of that. You can run a catchcan and not lose any vacuum pressure. Let gravity be your friend and mount it lower so no heavier oil has any chance of making it back to the top. I've seen catch cans mounted in non logical places, i like them below the vc.

[MTec007]

it looks like its a PCV Valve replacement.. the guy claims he changed the oil in a '72 pickup, 3 times in 12 years and the engine is supposedly still clean

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=envalve&_sacat=See-All-Categories

http://envalve.com

[getnpsi]

Also try to do the cheap stuff first. Squirt some cleaner down the spark plug holes to try and give the pistons a cleaning. You might have junk in the rings not letting them seal all that great. You can then do a seafoam and hot water treatment as well. If the oil problem isn't that bad and you are able to drive this car pretty regular you can add the marvel mystery oil in a huge percentage of the crankcase fill and drive 1,000 miles or so and change the oil again.

Hm. I used a ford 2.3 turbo pcv on a different car before thinking that a turbo pcv should be more stout because it has to deal with boost. It's bigger around but nothing hose clamps can't fix. I also liek it because its inline design, not a tight 90 degree barb.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/Content/Images/ProductImages/Medium/ev98b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/EV76C&usg=__lIgqD7H6nbQhc6tNb2U-FaOUun4=&h=216&w=216&sz=8&hl=en&start=18&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=SB22G8iS47jULM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpcv%2Bvalve%2B2.3%2Bturbo%2Bford%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1

[FB71]

it looks like its a PCV Valve replacement.. the guy claims he changed the oil in a '72 pickup, 3 times in 12 years and the engine is supposedly still clean

(bullcrap) COUGH, COUGH (bullcrap)....

[FB71]

right here, look at these readings;

Right Pic, Test 1 without En-Valve:
350 CI, with 78K miles, 3,200 miles on oil. Tests 2 and 3 with En-Valve.
#1 Iron=210, Chrome=8, Lead=97, Copper=99, Alum=24, Silicon=45
Readings After En-Valve (Average):
Iron=71, Chrome=3.5, Lead=45.5, Copper=128, Alum=11.5, Silicon=25

with the valve, lead went down and copper went up... babbit surface of bearings is gone!! he's down to the copper intermediate layer!!! He also does not say if there was an oil change between tests, which would significantly alter the iron and silicon readings.

Snake oil until proven otherwise by an SAE lab.

[Evil D]

You might get away with changing the FILTER every 3k or so and just topping off the oil, but there's no way in hell he only did a complete oil change (as in including the filter) only 3 times in 12 years unless he never drives it.

[FB71]

You might get away with changing the FILTER every 3k or so and just topping off the oil, but there's no way in hell he only did a complete oil change (as in including the filter) only 3 times in 12 years unless he never drives it.

exactly. the 260 v8 in my 64 1/2 Mustang looks like that on the inside (have to adjust the rockers every few years) after 18 years, 5 oil changes and 15k miles, and it has a regular ol' pcv on it.

[resuwrecked]

it looks like its a PCV Valve replacement.. the guy claims he changed the oil in a '72 pickup, 3 times in 12 years and the engine is supposedly still clean

LOL. That guy is silly. And by silly I mean retarded.

[resuwrecked]

If someone truly believes that a certain pcv valve alters the way oil is broken down and cokes in an engine, may God help them.

[CaptHowdy]

I know I probably wasted my money but I thought it was worth a shot. $40 sounds better than $300. It has been sitting for awhile so it might have some serious gunk. Ill just have to wait and see. If it doesnt work then I will try the Mystery Oil Test. If that doesnt work then its catch can time.

[resuwrecked]

Marvel mystery oil won't fix worn rings. The only way to fix worn rings is to replace them with new ones. Or you can get an engine from the j-yard and swap that in. Will be cheaper than 300.

[TominMO]

LOL. That guy is silly. And by silly I mean retarded.

It's not politically correct to say retarded. We have to say mentally challenged now. As in, "I mentally challenged the ignition timing three degrees and it runs great now."

[eurotiva]

It's not politically correct to say retarded. We have to say mentally challenged now. As in, "I mentally challenged the ignition timing three degrees and it runs great now."

Did you? I think you should put 1-2 degrees in it.

[JohnGunn]

The catch can/tank sounds like it would work to prevent some of the oil reaching the carburetor, but if you are complaining because of the amount of oil you are having to add, you might fill one of those up in a day or less. Ebay has lots of them, the level can be monitored and drained through a plug when full.

What I would want to do is test the engine compression with the oil you are currently using. Then switch to a high mileage oil of a somewhat higher viscosity, e.g. 10W-40, and test it again to see what effect that has on compression. Your mileage will go down a few miles per gallon, but it might make the problem manageable.

Here is a question for the engine experts. I have read that it is possible for rings to become stuck in their grooves by baked oil residue. Has anyone ever seen this or is it just the story told by people selling engine flush treatments?

With all that blowby, I would be interested in knowing what mileage you are getting.

John Gunn
Coronado, CA