I have an '85 B250. it could have up to 300,000 miles on it-only shows 69,000. my latest problem is a lot of oil in the air filter. problem was not there three months ago when I changed filters. pcv seems o.k. and the compression was 150 all around when last checked. also, oil is very black just after 1000 miles after changing. any help would be welcome

Oil in the air cleaner housing is a symptom of excessive blow-by. Blow-by points to worn rings/pistons/cylinders. I would change the PCV valve and crankcase breather, Stant 10075, and do another compression test.

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Joshua

thanks for the tip. My ''master mechanic' brother was wondering if there were baffles in the valve cover that might be clogged. He says that the pcv does have a working vacuum but not at the fresh air intake into the cover. also, no blue smoke has occurred in exhaust

I had a Duster with a lot of blow-by and oil consumption. It didn't smoke, but when the engine was torn down every top piston ring was found to be broken.

There are baffles in the valve cover directly under the crankcase breather and PCV valve, but they don't really clog. It's just a plate to keep oil splash out of the breather or PCV.

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Joshua

oh, drat!-- that's not what I want to hear!!-way outta my budget to do any thing like that any time soon. and to think I junked my collection of /6's a few years ago-some were really gone-real hard to find any up here in the north east. well, I have to change the gasket any how, will find out then. will keep ya posted. thanks for the info, da Prof

See here. Not sure what your brother means by "the pcv does have a working vacuum but not at the fresh air intake into the cover". The whole system has to be present, correctly installed and connected, and in good condition or bad stuff happens (like oil in the air cleaner, for example).

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

bro says he could feel the suction on the valve. but, guess that don't mean it does work- it's cheap enough to replace,I'll pick on up (if I can find one at Advanced Auto tomorrow) nobody stocks any thing out in sticks where I live. still hoping for the cheap fix. and true this only started sense I replaced the air filter a few thousand miles, and a cold winter ago- thanks for the info, da Prof

check out Restore oil additive, it may give the worn engine
a few more months/ miles

to continue my brothers train of thought- there's vacuum at the pcv, but he reasons that there should also be some at the clean air intake - after all-''what goes out, must come in''--any thoughts??

Napa in Candaquia will have the Pcv valve. Just give them the Stant Number. Check the hose from pcv to air cleaner for blockage. You should have noticable vacuum at the air cleaner.
Frank

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Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

-- plenty of vacuum through the hose and pcv-some parts on order from local NAPA- Q- shouldn't I feel some suction on the air intake port?

No but is the air pump hooked up? If not plug the hole.
Frank

_________________
Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

Correct answer is yes, with the engine idling you should feel some suction at the crankcase air inlet port on the inside wall of the air cleaner base. If you do not, either the engine has excessive blowby or air's getting into the crankcase via some other path.

The air pump has absolutely nothing to do with the PCV system and thinking about it will just lead you down the wrong rabbit hole.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

thanks for the input- right, SSDan- the air pump was froze up a long time ago, and I will be eliminating the two cat-verts and running right to the muffler. As stated, no suction at all on the air in port, which leads us to baffles. I do know that the cover gasket leaks a bit, not as much as seen on any other /6 I've owned, but air could be getting in there. most gaskets on this van are died up, doors, pcv, washer hoses, heater door foam-etc so, could be any where- but I will persist!!! -
p.s. has any body heard of clogged cover baffles??

No, it leads us to air leaks and/or blowby.
That's almost certainly not it.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.