Hey folks...at the risk of starting another 74 page post that gets waaaay off track(as found in the old posts), I have a problem with my '71 Dart. it keeps on sucking oil thru the breather into the air filter, fouling the filter and causing the engine to run really rich. It has done this since I bought the car 2.5 yrs ago, when it only had ~32K miles on it. I now have ~ 44K miles on her, and it's getting to be a real drag. I realize that it's related to pressure in the crankcase, my PCV valve is good (and has been replaced a few times), but even after reading 4+ pages of the old post, I don't know what causes the over pressurization, and how I can get fix it. Someone suggested that there was an additive that I could use to help mitigate the problem, but I'm loath to start adding junk into her, if I don't have to. Any fix suggestions would be most appreciated! BTW, great site!!!

_________________
'71 Dart 4dr /6 - "just broken in"
'70 Charger 383 - "just broken" 8-(

Maybe the piston rings are worn out, and pressurizing the crankcase.
If so, it is time to tear it down...

It is not that hard, but it is a bit of work.

Can you (or someone else) do a compression test on it?
Or a leakdown test?

What kind of valve cover are you running? Stock 3-hole, or an aftermarket (maybe chrome) one? How old/good is the breather itself? And have you verified that you've got good, strong suction through the PCV line by removing the valve from the valve cover and putting your finger over the end with the engine idling?

Try this: Remove the breather hose from the breather, and remove the PCV valve from the valve cover. Put your finger over the PCV valve grommet hole in the valve cover to stop-up that hole. Now put the palm of your hand over the breather fitting with the engine running at a fast idle. If significant pressure builds up, you've got internal engine problems (stuck or broken rings, probably). You can try to free them up with Kroil(!) in the cylinders and assorted other chemical tricks, but you'll most likely wind up doing a rebuild.

I had the same problem with my original engine in my '72 Satellite. One cylinder had 20psi, the rest around 110psi. Worn rings causing excesive crank case pressure, over powering the PCV and going out the breather cap into the air filter. It was so bad, I had to change the air filter every week (80 mile round trip to work daily)! Time for a rebuild. Yes, your engine has low miles, but 44K miles isn't alot in 34 years, so some sitting must have happened some time in its life....not good as corrosion can set in, and wreck havoc inside an engine.

You guys are making me sad...I don't want to do a rebuild just now! Thanks for the ideas, hopefully later this week I'll have a chance to do some more investigation work on the old gal...

_________________
'71 Dart 4dr /6 - "just broken in"
'70 Charger 383 - "just broken" 8-(

you could always drive around with the problem

Wierdos and their "car must be working well" ailments

_________________
My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.

Is a breather really necessary?

Honestly, my truck doesn't connect the breather to the air filter housing. Instead, there is a long hose that hangs down near the ground to vent blowby. (protecting my truck's underside from corrosion.)

It's certainly not the enviornmentally correct way to go, but I can only do so many things at once. My engine doesn't really have much blowby any more, now that my PCV valve is corrected.

I see that you've replaced the PCV valve, and I suspect that you have already checked out the PCV system, but just in case, make sure the PCV port on the carb isn't clogged or blocked by an incorrect gasket. (which was the problem with my truck in the first place)

_________________
1980 Aspen 225 super six

In my experience the /six is very sensitive if you put to much oil in the engine, keep it between low and full, and not near the "full" mark.

_________________
Lasse

Signet -66 225
Holley 600 Offy-5270 Dutra Dual,regrind. cam 272 0,420 110, head shaved 0.100 slight.ported
MSD6A
A904
7 1/4 3.23

Sounds like you may have a mismatched dipstick/tube/oil pan combo. When you have the correct stick/tube/pan, the "Full" mark is the correct level at which for the oil to be maintained.

Do not entirely agree with you, but what the "h" you may be right to!

_________________
Lasse

Signet -66 225
Holley 600 Offy-5270 Dutra Dual,regrind. cam 272 0,420 110, head shaved 0.100 slight.ported
MSD6A
A904
7 1/4 3.23