Oil everywhere!

[Nalleywhacker]

I just picked up a 88 carb'd 4speed car. Its leaking oil everywhere on top of the valve cover. There is also a bunch of oil in the air breather cover, any ideas where it's coming from?

[Movin]

Pushing up from inside the engine. Causes can be fuel build up in oil then boiling out, water build up from short drives then boiling out, Carbon restricting PCV action causing PCV to not pull vapors and burn them and they get pushed out the top, Carbon build up inside the valve cover causing oil to hang up and and get pushed out the top, Poor ring seal causing blow by to push oil up faster than it can drain back down, sever overfilling the oil level.

[Nalleywhacker]

Yeah my worst fear is Its the rings. Can you just remove all the pcv and egr bull shit and run a catch can system on these and still run alright?

[Movin]

Leave the suction side of the PCV but the vent that goes to the air filter could be routed to a catch can.

[Nalleywhacker]

What about egr? I believe that's what it is. Its got the two tubes in the air breather and one runs to the header the other runs down towards the cat. Trying to simplify this thing. Just run a filter on top of the carb.

[WmWatt]

On the carb'd '88 the hose out of the top of the PCV valve goes into a port in the carburettor. Maybe that has to be plugged if the hose is left off.

EGR = Exhaust Gas Recirculation, routes gas from exhaust back into intake to cool engine and lower nigtrogen oxides going out tailpipe and poisoning air we breath. What you want, AFAIK, is crancase gases containing oil leaking from combustion chambers. It'll come up into the valve cover where it can be routed outside using hole in cover for PCV (Positive Crankcse Ventiliation) valve. Before PCV valves they did just than, vent the crankcase inot the open. Hanging a can under the end of the open hose will catch oil. I think you're supposed to empty the can from time to time instead of letting it overlfow onto the pavement?

[bravekozak]

I am willing to bet that the PCV passages on your valve cover are all sludged up after over a quarter of a century. You could remove it, carefully take it all apart, have it cleaned, repainted and then put it all back together again OR just buy a replacement valve cover that has already been cleaned, from me ($16 + shipping at cost from 14092).

[Nalleywhacker]

Shoot me your payment info. I'll take one of those vavlecovers.