oil blowing out of my dipstick tube - Ford Muscle Forums : Ford Muscle Cars Tech Forum

RDubs62 · 05-09-2009, 06:40 PM

Hey guys,

I've got a 390 in my 62 galaxie. It got rebuilt about 3,500 miles ago with a stock bottom end. standard bore, and just a Edelbrock performer cam and intake and FPA headers.
Question is, under load, at about 4,000 rpm oil blows out of the dipstick tube. and when the motor is hot you can see the tube steaming or smoking. Any idea what could cause this? The rings should be seated by now, and I am using a stock oil pan and dipstick tube.

FEandGoingBroke · 05-09-2009, 06:44 PM

ineffective pcv.

ford4v429 · 05-09-2009, 08:01 PM

didnt some ofthe oldones use a road draft tube to suck the smoke away rather than burn it like with PCV?

if so I'd put a pcv in it anyway just to keep it cleaner

ShotRod64 · 05-09-2009, 09:10 PM

They had the road draft tube so maybe it's clogged for some reason or something.

I had a '69 that the little brillo pad like thing in the air cleaner housing was clogged and it blew oil all over the place from the dipstick tube. It was where the pcv went into the air cleaner housing.

So somewhere it's not getting air to breathe I would guess. Not too up on the road draft cars. Don't those also have the filter like thing in them like sos pads?

Domino · 05-09-2009, 09:36 PM

When you installed the intake I am assuming you are using later model or aftermarket valve covers. Do you have pics or a description? Oil fill? Breathers? PCV? I agree that the PCV has something to do with your problem.

coosbaylumber · 05-10-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

They had the road draft tube so maybe it's clogged for some reason or something.

I had a '69 that the little brillo pad like thing in the air cleaner housing was clogged and it blew oil all over the place from the dipstick tube. It was where the pcv went into the air cleaner housing.

So somewhere it's not getting air to breathe I would guess. Not too up on the road draft cars. Don't those also have the filter like thing in them like sos pads?

Not always true....

For 1962 the engines put in California cars were designed NOT to have the road tube. Thus the PCV does little good, as it would suck fresh outside air up the draft tube and into the crankcase.

Wm.

gbic1 · 05-10-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coosbaylumber

Not always true....

For 1962 the engines put in California cars were designed NOT to have the road tube. Thus the PCV does little good, as it would suck fresh outside air up the draft tube and into the crankcase.

Wm.

Actually that is how a PCV system works. It uses engine vacuum to pull fresh air in and keep from building crank case pressure. The correct pcv system would have a pcv valve in one spot (usually the valve cover) and a fresh air intake (usually the other valve cover) hooked to either the engine air cleaned or their own small filter. You could use the down draft tube for the fresh air but you would be pulling dirty air and water from bottom of car which is not a good Idea. I would put a pcv on any street engine unless it is a concours show car and not driven much. But when running you MUST have some type of vent to atmosphere or you will burn oil or suck in you weakest gasket. I am going to Install an old style manifold on my Galaxie and plug the Down draft system and hook up the PCV to back of the intake and run two breathers, one in each valve cover.

gbic1 · 05-10-2009, 09:33 AM

The PCV System

Domino · 05-10-2009, 07:07 PM

California cars did not have a road draft tube? Do you have any diagrams of the system they used? My intake had a freeze plug in the back of the intake and this aroused my curiosity. The plug looked original. I removed it to install a modified PCV setup.

FEandGoingBroke · 05-10-2009, 07:12 PM

Like I told you, you have an ineffective PCV system.

Make it work and you will not have the issue anymore.

There are several way's to do this, but the link gbic gave is the simplest.

Domino · 05-10-2009, 07:20 PM

The original poster hasn't made a peep. I was just curious to why things were different for the California cars.

coosbaylumber · 05-10-2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domino

California cars did not have a road draft tube? Do you have any diagrams of the system they used? My intake had a freeze plug in the back of the intake and this aroused my curiosity. The plug looked original. I removed it to install a modified PCV setup.

You bettcha. In California Circa 1962 the only permitted system applicable to new cars was the PVC valve. It went onto a closed tight system. Which means no road draft tube. The PCV was connected in on all autos (trucks like the Jeep note in the above link) were exempted. This also was not a retro fit installlation either. It did not initially apply to 1959, 1960, and 1961 autos, but after discussion in Sacramento that got changed. It only applied to brand new autos sold within the state, unless they were of flathead design (like your B&S lawnmower engine), or had multi carburetors, or F.I. like the Corvette. Later in 1962 they modified the regulations to apply to older (pre-1962) vehicles still on the road, but not trucks.

The principle was simple. The California Air Board thought SMOG was caused by BLOWBY of oil or what ever got past the piston rings. Thus they figured out a reburn system, similar to the air pumps of a few years later on. The crankcase was put under negative pressure, awaiting the blowby, and the negative pressure then made the bad elements go through the one way valve, and then get sucked into the carburetor, and burned once again. The valve is one way. This because of possible backfires. They did not want the crankcase to explode. So the one way check valve was used. They also did not want fresh air entering the crankcase via a third way (an unplugged road draft tube), and lousing up the operation of the PVC system.

There were no holes permitted in the valve covers, no road draft tubes permitted, or any other thing to let outside air into the closed system. They also had a special non-vented oil filelr cap for the cars. They used to test the the 1962 engines via a gauge on the valve cover and it had to pull about one PSI in order to pass. If it was higher, like your engine had blowby, then it had to be torn down and fixed.

For 1963 all rules got altered, again, the PCV had to be used but in conjunction with a few other items too. Nothing was altered in 1964, but when 1965 came along then.....

I think that later on, the auto manufacturers (with new rule changes) said da Hell with putting in a hole in manifold back for a road draft tube, if the laws are going to say no. To go along with the change in legislature, when you bought a conversion kit for a 1961 or earlier auto, they gave you a tapered rubber plug to shove up the road draft tube.

I still got all my required (Retro) equipment on the 1961 Thunderbird, and am 100% legal to drive it.

That plugged off manifold was for a reason, not a freak.

Wm.

Wm.

coosbaylumber · 05-10-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domino

I was just curious to why things were different for the California cars.

I dunno, but it sure is annoying. Have to state if you got a California car or a 49 state designed one. I read via older magazines that New Jersey and downtown New York adopted the same rules as California within one year, (every year then after too) but they were a bit looser on emission counts too. One thing was investigated and that was the only "approved" device available to auto manufacturers was via a company owned by Edmund G. Pat Brown, Governor of the state. You could install a better working Mouse trap, but only his was approved for installations. He died long before the patents or requirements went south.

But things sure changed across the nation circa 1971 and 1975 per the magazines.

Wm.

Domino · 05-10-2009, 07:48 PM

I have seen some that had a fitting out the back of the intake that went to a PCV valve and some with a road draft tube. I have actually seen both on 62s. What decided the setup each engine got?

RDubs62 · 05-10-2009, 08:24 PM

Hey guys, sorry for not responding sooner I've been away from my computer.
I never thought about the PCV system, come to think of it this problem started shorty after I put a new pcv breather on. One valve cover has an open air breather, the other side has the pcv plumbed into the carb base vacuum port. I will take apart my valve and see if it is stuck. Is it better to go to the air cleaner base rather than the carb base?

thanks for all your replies. I didn't mean to start any arguments haha. I live in wisconsin so I don't keep up on all the California pollution laws.