Oil In Catch Can

[WazR32GTSt]

EDIT: to summarise, oil in the catch can post-going to the drags @ willowbank..

turned out to be a blocked PCV, which when replaced with a $20 new one fixed the problem...!

Edited June 6, 2007 by WazR32GTSt

[paulr33]

oil in the catch can is usually from the crankcase ventilation or leaking from the intake

the usual culprit is the oil seal on the turbocharger, they can die / perish

a catch can simply catches it and does nothing more

its more like a fail safe / press F8 to go into safe mode kinda device

empty it out

check your intercooler piping for oil marks and clean them away

drive around for 2 days and check all again

if you have more oil back and piping is oily (as in substantional) then it could be shagged oil seal on the turbo

[WazR32GTSt]

thanks paul...

yeah i know what the catch can does, i'm just basically asking whether it soulds like the problem is the engine or the turbo or something else?

so you think turbo on its way out?

i might go get a compression / leak down in the next few days while i keep my eye on the turbo and catch can..

[-SKYLINE-]

As the other guys said.............. also.... could be happening is that u cracked a piston....... usually number 5 or 6. thus letting oil into your cylinder thus causing detonation thus no good!!! The car will run fine for a while but these are a couple of signs. Get it diagnosed properly. Ask your mechanic to do a 'leak down test' this should work out what and where its happening. I know all this coz i have the same problem!!!! except mine has not only cracked it has sh%t it self!!

[overpowered]

dipstick blowing out is definately excess crankcase pressure = stuffed ringland on piston or rings not sealing correctly.

a blown turbo seal wont push the dipstick out

[blind_elk]

Yes, you have a problem with pistons / rings sealing inside the bore. I once saw a R34 GTR that would effectively empty its sump into the catch can as soon as it hit boost - turned out to be a hole in a piston.

[Marlin]

Definately do a comp test..... my bet is broken ring land.

[WazR32GTSt]

last comp test was done 1 month ago and was all fine. have spoken to the mechanic and he is going to do another one next weekend

he seems to think it might be PCV valve bolcked or stuffed, so i took it off properly and gave it a good clean

after a few days of good hard driving i haven;t seen another drop in the catch can yet..

[MotoMan]

if in doubt replace the PCV

its only a few dollars from nissan

[CEF11E]

I may be able to shed some light on it.

you were not suffering from blow by before the cams by the sounds of it. but since they were installed and even on the dyno you were getting blow by

I am guessing the cams have a much longer duration. if that is the case the overlap would be greater. and it has to go somewhere

I have seen it once before and the problem was cured with adjustable cam gears and 3 deg retard on the exhaust and a whole 5 degrees advance in the inlet.

There cars were regrinds and i do not remember the specs.

the car was making more power after the cam gear adjustment and no more blowby

Hope this helps!

did the cams produce more power?

[WazR32GTSt]

cams produced about 7rwkw more at the top end but heaps more midrange... but that was with adjustable gears as well... not just cams on their own.. i have no idea what the gears are set at though..

when my mechanic checks the compression i will get him to look at the cam gears also to see where they're at..

yeah the poncams are 256deg duration and 8.5mm lift

[Cubes]

Another vote for leak down test. Forget the comp test as it doesn't always show until its obvious something is very wrong.

[WazR32GTSt]

yeah but if there's severe blow-by caused by a piston problem, then its going to show up on a compression test.. or so i have been told

the car is not blowing any smoke, and still drives exactly as it has the last 4 years i've had it. if there was no oil in the catch can that one time you would swear there's nothing wrong...

[Cubes]

You can drive around on a broken ring land for 1000-2000kays before drivability problems arise.

[neshgtr]

sowwie guys not offering any advice on this matter but just wanting to know how much leak down test cost and last.. my rear turbo exhaust previously ended up in the cat and i was told to get a test done to make sure it didnt damage anything else.. cheers

[Roy]

Is your catch can plumed up correctly

[silver gts-t]

what i would also like to ask, to add to the conversation is, if there was a cracked ring land what could make the issue worse?

boost?

revs?

load?

or all of the above?

thanks

[WazR32GTSt]

catch can has been installed as is for the last 12 months and nothing has changed, so unless one pipe has become blocked for some reason, its not the plumbing...

well will see how the drivability changes

obviously i'm trying to grasp hold of any hope here (thus why i'm trying to tell myself its something not serious) and denial is a powerful thing, but i'm just going to keep a close watch on it as its still driving fine

i appreciate everyone's input

Warren.

[Cubes]

Leak down always shows stuffed ring lands, usual comp test doesn't always. Piece of mind to stop those sleepless nights get it done. As a bonus you know the condition of the motor a little better. Maybe take it some where else just for the leak down if your current mechanic believes a regular comp test is as good as a leak down at showing engine problems.

Good luck..

Give in to the dark side............<looks at avtar> You know you want to.

[WazR32GTSt]

my mechanic knows his shit, particularly rb20's

if it is a piston problem, funds will limit my options for fixing to simply a stock rebuild of the rb20..