blowing smoke through oil dip stick

[rideglobally]

1981 2h engine, it is blowing smoke though the dip stick and the oil filler cap when the cap is open. is this normal? if so how much is allowed. how do i fix it? i notice this after changing the oil. thanks...

 

[Granite Grinder]

Can you say... blow by. Mine does the same thing, then pretty much ejects it out the tail pipe. (The crankcase vent is plumbed into the air intake). My compression is OK, so I assume it's either rings or valves. This motor has 370,000 Km's on it... as well as a turbo. The turbo is dialed way down (8 lbs boost) to keep the engine alive as long as possible.
GG

 

[roscoFJ73]

1981 2h engine, it is blowing smoke though the dip stick and the oil filler cap when the cap is open. is this normal? if so how much is allowed. how do i fix it? i notice this after changing the oil. thanks...

It was probably doing that before but you never noticed. I seem to remember you had good compression test results a few months back.
I dont know the 2H breathing system too well,but my guess is that taking the cap disrupts its correct ventilation.Possibly the fumes going to the point of least resistance so to speak.

You didnt use a thinner oil by any chance?

 

[eleblanc]

I was once told by a diesel specialist at Detroit diesel to connect a rubber hose in the oil stick tube and read the pressure under load with a magnehelic gage (inchs of water) if you are over 3-4 inchs, your rings are tired...

 

[rideglobally]

It was probably doing that before but you never noticed. I seem to remember you had good compression test results a few months back.
I dont know the 2H breathing system too well,but my guess is that taking the cap disrupts its correct ventilation.Possibly the fumes going to the point of least resistance so to speak.

You didnt use a thinner oil by any chance?

i use same oil as last oil change, what oil would you recommend i use? i was gonna drain the oil in there and put 60% lucas oil or 100 lucas oil just to shake the piston ring loose just in case that is the reason. where is the oil breather? i want to check that also maybe it is clog. i am taking is for a 1000 mile trip this weekend want to make sure all is good......thanks

 

[Eric Winkworth]

I think thickening your oil with some lucas is a good idea on these tired oil engines, but I have seen test that say otherwise....

My 3B has just under 300 000 on it, and from the look of what comes out of that blow by/stink pipe, I wouldn't want that going back into my intake... Well maybe a diesel likes the motor oil vapors, but if it were a gas engine it would choke it out with carbon etc...

Whenever I do big trips just make sure you have extra oil/coolent, some wire, basic tools, maybe a bottle of ether and giver...

the one time I blew a core in my rad right before I even left, sprayed on the drieway and it somehow clogged itself up and made it 1500km's and then some regualr driving to work and back, until the rad was completely done... I didn't even have to top it up very much.... Although that was risky... in my opinion if your rad is half decent, you have oil and fuel, there isn't much reason to be stuck... I've driven home without the engine fuse from algonquin, because of a wiring issue... unless your engine drops a precup or something,she will usually make it home even if it barely makes it... Thats why so many people love these trucks...

 

[rideglobally]

Can you say... blow by. Mine does the same thing, then pretty much ejects it out the tail pipe. (The crankcase vent is plumbed into the air intake). My compression is OK, so I assume it's either rings or valves. This motor has 370,000 Km's on it... as well as a turbo. The turbo is dialed way down (8 lbs boost) to keep the engine alive as long as possible.
GG

i was driving the cruiser with out the snorkle for a while and i noticed oil/diesel blowing out of the intake (sprinkle of oil on the fender). the crankcase vent plumbed connected to the intake may explain this. sorry for my ignorance but where is the crankcase vent located? i want to check make sure it is breathing through there clearly....thanks

 

[Granite Grinder]

Breather tube on mine comes off the valve cover and is plumbed into the air intake (stock, it's between the air filter and throttle body) on mine it's between the air filter and turbo, but same idea.
GG

 

[Tapage]

I dont know the 2H breathing system too well,but my guess is that taking the cap disrupts its correct ventilation

here you can see the factory setup in the 2H egine ( under intercooler ) the S hose that conect the valve colver with the TB ..

 

[rideglobally]

thank you, very helpful i will look for the breather hose, i take from this that there is a certain amount of blow back, i will drain the oil tomm put 2 gal of diesel oil and one gal of lucas oil.

 

[amaurer]

Has anyone checked how much "puffing" there is from the cap in the valve cover on a fresh 3b/2h? I assume there always must be some, and Toyota put pretty big breather tubes on these engines. I wonder what the baseline is...

 

[roscoFJ73]

i use same oil as last oil change, what oil would you recommend i use? i was gonna drain the oil in there and put 60% lucas oil or 100 lucas oil just to shake the piston ring loose just in case that is the reason. where is the oil breather? i want to check that also maybe it is clog. i am taking is for a 1000 mile trip this weekend want to make sure all is good......thanks

I would check the FSM for lube details but 40-50 diesel oil is about right.
Breathers are usually a rubber hose from the valve cover and either pump the fumes out the bottom via a hose or recycle it back through the air in take.

Imo "shaking the piston ring loose" with different oil on an old engine is a big no no. You may dislodge some gunk and end up rebuilding.

Do your 1000 mile trip and monitor things as you go.

 

[Granite Grinder]

Could worn injectors also be adding to the problem? Rhetorical question. I'm replacing mine tomorrow, I'll let you know if I notice any changes.
GG

 

[canucksafari]

I would avoid Lucas "oil conditioner". Check out the study on Bob The Oil Guy. Go with a heavier weight oil like a 20-50 or a 20-60 (if you can find it here) is a safer bet.

GG, your worn injector tips will only give you a lousy spray pattern and affect your combustion and hence your power. The power will be heading out the back end in a pile of black smoke. It sure made a big change in power and smoke when I replaced mine. Are you replacing the injector tips yourself or getting a FI shop to do it. The breaking pressure needs to be checked; and if it is out then the injector needs to be properly reshimmed to adjust it.

I still think the best bet is to build or buy an oil catch can and then just redirect the oil free gasses back into your intake. That way, you can see how much oil is disappearing in blow-by and how much is being burnt or leaking out from underneath.

 

[Granite Grinder]

GG, your worn injector tips will only give you a lousy spray pattern and affect your combustion and hence your power. The power will be heading out the back end in a pile of black smoke. It sure made a big change in power and smoke when I replaced mine. Are you replacing the injector tips yourself or getting a FI shop to do it. The breaking pressure needs to be checked; and if it is out then the injector needs to be properly reshimmed to adjust it.

I got Jim at Jim's Fuel Injection to service them. He said they were badly worn. I was going to throw them is as is, hoping they'd be better than the one's in there. Then I figured I should get the spray pattern checked, now they are completely rebuilt. I'll be over at Ciarans this aft if you want to stop by.
GG

 

[Granite Grinder]

OK, swapped out the injectors today. Night and day! A lot less smoke from the tailpipe, more power.
GG

 

[rideglobally]

I would check the FSM for lube details but 40-50 diesel oil is about right.
Breathers are usually a rubber hose from the valve cover and either pump the fumes out the bottom via a hose or recycle it back through the air in take.

Imo "shaking the piston ring loose" with different oil on an old engine is a big no no. You may dislodge some gunk and end up rebuilding.

Do your 1000 mile trip and monitor things as you go.

i will look for 40 - 50 on the truck stops on my way back tomm, that seems to be the prevailing opinion ....heavier weight oil, will give that a try...thanks

 

[lostmarbles]

i will look for 40 - 50 on the truck stops on my way back tomm, that seems to be the prevailing opinion ....heavier weight oil, will give that a try...thanks

Reading all this ........ I'm not too sure that you have a problem necessitating that you alter anything at all.

Perhaps I should take the filler cap off my engine while it's running to check what my blowby is like? ---- ...................................................................................................

Nah. Couldn't bear to make a mess of my lovely clean engine bay.
(I think my blowby would be enough to make a mess but I'm still not worried about it.)

I do want to do a leakdown test myself though (once I can afford the test gear) - but only out of curiosity and because I intend fitting new glow plugs and reconditioned injectors - so that would be a convenient time to do it.

 

[amaurer]

Reading all this ........ I'm not too sure that you have a problem necessitating that you alter anything at all.

Perhaps I should take the filler cap off my engine while it's running to check what my blowby is like? ---- ...................................................................................................

Nah. Couldn't bear to make a mess of my lovely clean engine bay.
(I think my blowby would be enough to make a mess but I'm still not worried about it.)

I do want to do a leakdown test myself though (once I can afford the test gear) - but only out of curiosity and because I intend fitting new glow plugs and reconditioned injectors - so that would be a convenient time to do it.

Try it out! I'm eager to know what you find. I just did it and don't worry, there is no spray.

I didn't get any *visible* smoke, but I could definitely feel it "puffing". Since yours is in great shape Tom, we could use you as a comparison...

 

[lostmarbles]

Try it out! I'm eager to know what you find. I just did it and don't worry, there is no spray.

I didn't get any *visible* smoke, but I could definitely feel it "puffing". Since yours is in great shape Tom, we could use you as a comparison...

OK. But it'll have to wait till I get the RH fender back on Andrew(with the air cleaner and all the other junk that sits on that fender).

And I'm not sure when that'll be because the weather's lousy here now. (We're heading into winter!)

PS. - I won't use your term "fall" for "winter" because it doesn't make much sense here. Almost none of our native trees are deciduous.