Blowing out dipstick...

[09ONE_32]

Hey, how you all doing?

I have this problem, ever since my car was TUNED, by a specific Performance place. It had never done this before, however now it does. As soon as I saw the dipstick had "popped up" I thought bad stuff, and yeah I had sat down and thought about it and come to the conclusion that it must be shot rings to allow the blow-by to pressurise the sump and blow out the dipstick.

I was worried, but I thought that it may also be because The oil breather line was not plumbed into the intake, it was just cut off and blocked, installed oil catch can and yeah it still blows out.

The mods I have are: FMIC, Button clutch (great for skids) 600hp in tank pump, SAFC, And the turbo is a T3 highflow. It is making 205RWKW on 15psi. If my rings were blown would it still be making this power? No oil smoke when dumped/revved or anything, just runs like a dream. should I notice anything in particular? By the way this has been going on for 6 months and no drop in performance. Engine has 73,000km on it.

Any ideas? $1200 for a new RB20?

[BHDave]

I'd say she's just starting to breath a bit as she gets older. Also the higher boost pressure will have a bit to do with it as the higher the pressure above the piston, the more can be pushed past it. Mine did it when running 16psi, doesn't do it at 12.

I wouldn't be overly concerned at this stage, just keep an eye on it. If it still makes power and doesn't ping then i'd just carry on as you're doing. When the engine gets tired then replace/rebuild it.

[sweetr33]

umm u could try new o-rings on the end of ur dipstick to try and increase the grab effect to help keep the dipstick inplace. I remember poping my bonnet and seeing an oil misst all over the drivers side of the engine bay was abit dazzled till i looked around and seen mine had shot the dipstick up abit so the oil was coming out abit. Put it back inplace and it hasnt done it since. Will urs do it if u give it afew revs with ur bonnet up? If so then its something more serious i would imagin. Crankcase pressure is increase from blowby naturally. May be an issue but u could try an engine treatment additive in ur oil on its next service?? They are designed to build up areas that have wear and rings are one area, well cylinder wall around ring anyhow. Slick 50 or a pro mar ML8. Good luck

[09ONE_32]

Thanks guys for your replys.

I was not too worried, because it doesn't have any of the other assosicated problems with blown rings and ring lands. When engine is running open the oil filler cap, and no escaping air, not using any oil.

I know what you mean about the oil in the engine bay, when I picked up my car from it's first good tune, Read (decent power, after fuel pump and turbo went on) There was oil over the windscreen, and through the engine bay.

What I was doing to combat the problem, was a small piece of 100MPH tape around the top of the dipstick when it is sticking into the sump, then a small zip tie around the neck. It's not really clamped tight at all but it stays in, so yeah I figured that I didn't have heaps of blow by.

Once again thanks for the replys.

[RedDrifter]

I bought a new dipstick from nissan (about $25 from memory). This fixed the problem but now I can fill the oil catch can in a week if I drive it hard enough.

If yours is not that bad then don't worry about it to much.

[BOOSTD]

Fills the oil can in a week......hmmn sounds all to familiar. I found my can was filling up when the first ring lan went, then the upper and lower both went and it started blowing smoke.

Also have had issues when the oil catch can filter gets blocked causing pressure in the Valve cover and sump. My can filled up alot quicker then aswell....with no engine problems evident at that stage.

[RedDrifter]

Yeah I expect maybe 12 months max out of that motor.

The seals in the turbo are gone now too. Lots of oil in the system after the turbo.

[GTRgeoff]

12 months....expect 1200km and you will be cleaning up oil everywhere man. Been there before. Was controllable at first then just kept getting worse.

[RedDrifter]

Arhhhhhhhh the oil everwhere syndrom.

Hahaha too late. My engine bay used to be clean as now not so good.

[Cubes]

oh...

I've been running 17psi with the std turbo for quite some time.

It hasn't been using any oil (I don't have a catch can) but fuel consumption has increased from ~470km to 400km & I swear it feel sluggier.

When I bought the car she had 67,000km's on it, now it has ~153,000. The suspension is starting to show its age.

[LBR33]

Do what Holden did with the VL commodore Rather then fix the oil pressure problems. use a clip on dip stick.

[DCIEVE]

i get plenty of visilble gases coming out of the catch can at idle after some hard driving, but the can has never filled up any more than a drop or two when i check it? seems a bit weird. it doesnt blow smoke under load but occasionally pumps out a plume of smoke when backing off, say one in ten times of full load acceleration. not black or white, more a dark misty cloud that immediately dissapears. every other time its either blows a large flame or nothing at all. car doesnt burn any oil at all.

has only happened since the exh sprung some large leaks and the cat 'blew'

[Cubes]

I'd say there is a problem with your engines. Mine has never blew out the dip stick.