I put down the pedal for the first time on my new forged 383 the other day. On the 4th pull, I got some smoke from the engine bay. Popped the hood, and saw the dip-stick had blown out and oil spray was burning on the headers.

Obviously I want to prevent this from happening again in the future. What tricks to you guys use to keep the dipstick in under high boost? My shop told me they have heard of guys rigging up a spring to hold it down?? Any pics of this? Other tricks? Would a valve cover breather do it?

 

If you have enough pressure in the crankcase to blow out the dipstick, you need to correct that problem. A spring on the dipstick only solves one issue, the dipstick coming out, not why it's coming out. Who did your install? I would take it right back to them to be fixed.

By the way, where in the heck are you driving your car around here, the roads have been crappy for days?

 

I just finished reading a boatload of threads on this from prior posts, so I guess I'll try a catch-can system, or KrankVents setup and see how that works.

Ya, roads suck. I had no business being out, but I had to take it out to bowling night to show the guys. It was a tractionless show of engine revving noise pretty much. Is it May yet?

 

It's coming. Mine is on jackstands right now with the driveline out, so let it snow! So who did your SC install?

 

Either you have a path for boost to reach the crankcase, or you don't have a big enough hole to vent blowby. Could be excessive blowby or too small a hole. A single 3/8" vent hose probably won't cut it.

 

FLP did the motor, and put back on the Blowerworks (Carroll Supercharging) kit that I already had.

The PCV system is stock, so it looks like I'm going to have to order some aftermarket stuff. A catch can with larger tubing and those KankVents look like they should do the trick.

 

You might want to have your tuner pressure test you motor. That's a lot of blow by. You may have a problem.

Suggest you might want to call ECS, EPP or Andy at A&A for a second opinion. Something sounds off.

Good luck. Hope it's nothing difficult to fix.

 

Mine did the same thing when my blower was installed and the culprit was the hose on the side of the throttle body that allowed the pressure to go back into the crankcase. I took this hose off and capped it and it's been good since.

I already had a catch can and took the pcv hoses off and plugged the openings that run along the rear of the motor and also installed the LS6/Z06 valley cover with the nipple on it to hook up the catch can and also put a vent where the oil cap goes. That worked for me.

Putting a spring on the dip stick is kind of like putting a cut off finger back on with duct tape. It solves the situation, but not the root of the problem. I vote for the pcv system being the problem! Good Luck!

I also agree with Snitz. I'd also leak down the motor just to be sure that something didn't happen. Just my .02

 

Make sure the check valve in your PCV line is working. If it wasn't installed correctly etc you will be pushing air into your crank case when you go into boost.

 

A few things to consider:

An engine leak down as suggested above is a good idea along with a breather/catch can system along with disabling the PCV system so boost doesn't go into the crank case.

Another point to consider is that detonation at WOT will also create excessive crank case pressures. You may also have one or more of the following: Too much timing, too much compression, low fuel octane, elevated inlet air or coolant temps, bad fuel pump, clogged fuel filter or the fuel system may be inadequate for the power, not enough injector (check DC), wrong spark plug heat range, tuning.

Julio

 

[QUOTE=JCOB2;1563826819]I just finished reading a boatload of threads on this from prior posts, so I guess I'll try a catch-can system, or KrankVents setup and see how that works.

Here is what I did with my set-up:
http://www.racetronix.com/product/RX-CEPH/RX-CEPH.html

This Racetronix harness utalizes the SMOG AIR PUMP as an evac pump!

Most of us have ours already turned off and it is just sitting there! It is an easy hookup and install.

More than likely your AIR PUMP has been turned off by your tuner (Or yourself) and can be utalized to evac pressure under B@@ST!

Take a look and see for yourself! It is at least going to help to a degree!

If you use a "BREATHER" then you will only make the Crank Case the same as the atmosphere and it's pressure. WHY?

Because what happens is an equalizing in pressure your evac system will pull from the breather (Which is open air INLET to the closed Crank Case) and minimaly from the crankcase! That is why so many have the mess from the breathers becasue it still pushes the pressure out from the crank case ( The dreaded "OIL MIST") and all over the motor.

But if you have a evac system you want to keep it as a closed circuit - either your evac system will be from the valve covers into the AIR INLET on the SuperCharger or from an evac pump it will need to be closed to be effective!

DO YOU HAVE A ONE_WAY CHECK VALVE? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-3...2em118Q2el1247

Just put two fittings on it and intersect the line from the TB or Manifold

so when it goes under B@@ST it closes and does not pressurize the crankcase! many over look this and blow out the dipstick or worse!

Most come off the manifold right behind the TB then to the Valley Plenum Cover or to a Valve Cover and don't use a check valve to close when it goes under B@@ST and actually B@@ST the crankcase!

I can give you more info on this set-up so you don't pressurize or B@@ST the crankcase!

Thanks,Matt

 

[QUOTE=madmatt9471;1563883273] Matt, I respectfully disagree, here is why. While the idea of evacuating the crank case is great and will help make more power, you really need a purpose built (Moroso and alike) belt driven vacuum pump system with breathers, liquid to air separator and regulator that would be very difficult to install in a supercharged C5 with all accessories. These systems are often found on race only vehicles since they aren't designed for daily driving.

The OEM electric air pumps will fail in a short period since they were not designed to pump hot air containing oil and exhaust (blow by) for extended use and also may not be able to keep up with the amount of blow by depending on power level and engine build. With a check valve preventing boost from flowing to the crank case you will probably end up with oil in the intake, not good for a boosted engine or even an NA engine. So considering what I just mentioned, I opt for a well implemented breather system in a high HP C5 and a purpose built evacuation system in a race only vehicle and a PCV system on a bone stock engine.

Julio

 

If you already have a blower than you have a dedicated system to pump air and is probably as reliable as they get for vacuum pumps. Each type of blower is diffrent but on the centris you plumb valve cover to inbetween blower and airfilter and as rpm's increase so does blowby and the amount of vacuum created between suction of blower and airfilter, therefore drawing more air out of crankcase and maintaining a pressure less than atmosphere. When you first set it up you need to use a vacuum gauge to ensure you dont draw to much vacuum or simply get a mini vacuum relief valve and set it at the desired pressure. Also make sure you use a catch can to catch any oil before it makes it into the blower. Now you have an extremely reliable system for a very low price and less parts that can fail and you should pick up 10-15hp by drawing a decent vacuum on the crankcase. Especially on a 97 block. On a PD blower these setups work even better because you always have a very strong suction on the intake of the blower not only under wot.

 

[QUOTE=tekhombre;1563897770]I certainly appreciate the response and open opinion here!

I just want to clarify that this is not the only source of EVAC that is being used it is juat a secondary "PRECAUTION" or help for the blower motor application.

I have mine plumbed into the opposite side valve cover and into the air intake of between the blower and airfilter so while under B@@ST it sucks from the power of the blower! and the opposite side closes under B@@ST otherwise one would B@@ST the crankcase

The "RACETRONIX" wire harness does "NOT" run all the time as you made it seem!

If you look closely it has a B@@ST operated HOBBS switch that comes on under 4 PSI of B@@ST so it does "NOT" run continuously - which it is not inteneded to do even under factory settings (Has a run time of 30 seconds on start up) as we do not run around under B@@ST continuously!

OIL will "NOT" be running through! WHY? because there will be an inline catch can!

AGAIN it is only a means for secondary evac of the crankcase pressure.

One can do whatever they want on their application this was just a mere extra that I've been using recently -

All this is only IMHO!

Thanks,Matt

 

I'm not fond of running blowby under boost back through the intercooler and engine unless it's necessary for emissions. It can't do much for power because it's hot, and doesn't contain much oxygen. It's corrosive. Vapor components may condense in the intercooler.

 

I run a 1/2" line from the top of the oil filler cap. This allows a lot more flow than a 3/8" line. With the line mounted so high, it is much less likely to drag oil with it.
I do this on all my supercharger installs.
I also take a pair of wire cutters and put a very slight crimp in the top of the tube, above the o ring. That really helps to hold the stick down. Some of them are very loose.
This is the way to fix it if there is not an engine problem. It is not intended to cover up blowby due to a burnt piston etc.

 

Andy where is this line going from the filler cap?

 

Thats what happened to my stock block when it went BOOM

 

goes the the air filter

 

How about a vented oil cap?