Oil Leakage..

[Nick]

Right... I'm encountering a persistent oil leak, and from what i can tell (by a couple of RR sessions) an usual loss in power.

The Engine was Fully rebuilt around 4-5k ago, using Quality Gaskets/seals and the quality of work is top-notch.

The Crankcase Breather goes up to the camcover where it meets a rather smallish T-peice and both Breathers go into a catch tank. Now, Quite alot of oil seems to be making it's way up into the tank, And i've also managed to get it spurting out the little Piper X filter i have on it !

So i'm thinking too much crankcase pressure, which is why i'm gettin a leak from somewhere, and the sudden explosions up into the Catch tank. This would also result in a reduction in power surely (More pressure behind the pistons) ?

Should i weld another in-pipe into the tank and seperate the cam and crankcase pipework ? Where can i get lengths of (preferably good looking) Larger diameter pipework ?

Thanks. Nick

[Dexter]

Hiya mate i know this might not be much help but ive been experiencing a similar problem.

Recently since ive fit the dellortos ive been having some oil leakage issues. Firstly i had a problem with a temporary breather tank i was using (a coke can) in which oil ended up smearing half the bay.

So i swapped it for a fanta bottle and put holes in it until i can get a catchment tank like you have on your setup.

(have you any pics of the setup you have so i have something to go off?)

Now when i actually traced the leakage back i actually found that it wasnt the bottle breather method i was using (bodged i know) but still.

Oil was actually being forced out of the rocker cover bolt joints and the filler cap too. It might be worth checking there. I only found this out after i polished up the cam cover because it was too dirty to see and oil leak before hand.

I dont even have a crankcase breather mate well not one i can see anyway but it really does sound to me that it just isnt escaping quickly enough causing the pressure in the crankcase to build up and force the oil out. Id definitley try a larger T peice or pipework and give that filter a good clean as well. Obviously if its all oily there is no air escape as it is.

Im sure you might have already thought or done some of these im just firing anything that might possibly help ya buddy.

Dex

[Nick]

You will have a crankcase breather lol !

Yer i've got a picture. My tank isn't The best, but it fits nicely in the inner wing !

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/j829nick/IMG_2674.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/j829nick/car005.jpg

Definetly not coming from the cam housing/rocker cover.

[Dexter]

Sorry lol yeah i do have a crankcase breather i meant cam case breather!

Anyway. It does look quite clean too.

The only thing id be tempted to look into woul be the distance from the crankcase breather to get to the tank bearing in mind it will be picking up yet more fumes from the camhousing breather. Try a larger diameter pipe from the t peice to the tank with a larger T peice?

[Adam]

Maybe worn piston rings.
How was it run in?

The breather pipe on my 16xe just sits on the wing atm, and no oil comes out of it, just a bit of vapour.

[Nick]

It runs Fine, just a little down on power. No smoke from the exhaust.

It was Run in under 5k, Only half Throttle load MAX, but plenty of overrun !

And i did that for about 600miles !

[Dexter]

Why is the vacuum unit disconnected mate?

[craig green]

Compression or leak down test on the rings is next IMO.

Sounds like excess crank case pressure. Hope not!

[Adam]

Why is the vacuum unit disconnected mate?
Dont need it with t40s

[Nick]

But surely worn piston rings would result in me going through oil i.e Combusting it ?

As far as i can tell, it doesn't smoke At all, nor does it use oil untill it starts dripping ?

[Adam]

So when it starts leaking from the catch tank, is the tank physically full of oil? :eek:

Or is it just vapour etc spitting out the filter?