Negative pressure in the block?

[baker]

I have an 89 auto stiva with 93k original miles that seems to be creating negative pressure in the block or cylinder head. Its blowing out gaskets such as the valve cover and spewing oil into the intake before the throttle body..im guessing from one of the vent hoses coming off the valve cover. I had the cylinder professionally cleaned, pressure tested and a new valve job. Still spews oil and same symptoms. I took a pcv valve off a running festiva and switched it out. Still spews oil and same symptoms. Vacuum advanced distributor causing issues maybe? What else could this be?!

[baker]

Think i found the issue. Put compressed air into the cylinders and on cylinder 3 it just about blew the dipstick completely out of the tube, lol. Im thinking the rings are either stuck, or somehow lined up to let air by.

Tid-bit of information: never buy a 89 auto festiva.

[GenevaDirt]

Think i found the issue. Put compressed air into the cylinders and on cylinder 3 it just about blew the dipstick completely out of the tube, lol. Im thinking the rings are either stuck, or somehow lined up to let air by.

Tid-bit of information: never buy a 89 auto festiva.

I was going to say rings but was not sure.

What is the issue with an 89 auto...I have one that when I was driving it had no issues....the deer fixed that.

[iceracerdude]

You can try doing a thing called a piston soak. You pull the spark plugs, and drop about a quarter of an once of sea foam into each cylinder and let it soak the rings for a 1/2 hour to 45 mins. That will help to free up those gunked up rings. It will not however, repair broken rings. A couple of treatments like that might set you free for as litte as $8!
While you're doing the soak, take some time to read the speculation on the value of synthetics vs dino oil in one of the other threads.

[Eaglefreek]

You have positive pressure not negative which would be vacuum. Looks like you found the problem. Marvel mystery oil works at freeing stuck rings also. Pour a generous amount in the offending cylinder's spark plug hole and let it soak overnight. Do that a few times and see if that helps. Hopefully it's just stuck and not broke. If it were broke I would assume you would have noticed some damage when you removed your head.

[baker]

I was going to say rings but was not sure.

What is the issue with an 89 auto...I have one that when I was driving it had no issues....the deer fixed that.

I say that because this is the same exact issue I had with it before when the original block started puking oil into the intake, and burning a quart every 50 miles. I put a running engine out of a mint 93L into it just to get this car back on the street and 2 months later same issue again? 89 auto = EVIL

I'll be sure to try the seafoam and mystery oil before I start another rebuild. The cylinders and pistons looked clean. No scratches or weird coloration. Hopefully it is just a stuck ring or something.