oil out dipstick

[FordPrefect]

I think everything is now in order on my 77, but oil kinda mists out of the dipstick tube, which I think isn't good, but thought I'd ask.

I just changed out the oil, since I had been flooding it quite a bit during my no-start condition which was remedied with a new alt, batt, setting the points, and adjusting the float in the carb. I wondered if the new oil change would help anything, abut alas it's still a-misting out of ye old tube when it's running.

Any ideas? Last time I drove it it bogged down at high rpms...

[131]

Might be worth removing and cleaning the oil breather/separator on the side of the block. Don't forget the wire gizmo in the rubber outlet hose.

[So Cal Mark]

if you have oil coming out of the dipstick tube, you probably also have oil coming up the crankcase breather into the air filter. You either have too much oil in it, or lots of blowby. At high rpm, an over-filled crankcase will cause oil to be pushed into the air cleaner, and then of course, the carb. That will cause a huge loss of power since you have a gas engine, not diesel

[bradartigue]

If the seal is old and hard it won't seal well and will send oil all over the engine bay.

[FordPrefect]

Might be worth removing and cleaning the oil breather/separator on the side of the block. Don't forget the wire gizmo in the rubber outlet hose.

I actually did that not to long ago, it was a real pain trying to get that short elbow hose on.

if you have oil coming out of the dipstick tube, you probably also have oil coming up the crankcase breather into the air filter. You either have too much oil in it, or lots of blowby. At high rpm, an over-filled crankcase will cause oil to be pushed into the air cleaner, and then of course, the carb. That will cause a huge loss of power since you have a gas engine, not diesel

I just changed the oil, filled it with 4 quarts of Rotella, so it shouldn't be overfilled. I have always had an oily airfilter....

If the seal is old and hard it won't seal well and will send oil all over the engine bay.

The dipstick tube seal?

[So Cal Mark]

a constantly oily air filter indicates blow-by

[AndyS]

can also be a bad ring. do a compression /leakdown test to be sure. this happened to me.

[So Cal Mark]

blow by is a result of bad rings

[FordPrefect]

I guess I'll do a compression test tomorrow. In the meantime, any ideas what I'd be looking at to get the rings done? I assume it's pretty far out of my reach to do myself, guess I'll either have to find a pro or... get a new engine?

[RoyBatty]

Is the breather line to the air filter kinked or plugged?
If the engine can't breathe thru that line to the carb, it'll find other places to relieve the pressure.

[FordPrefect]

Is the breather line to the air filter kinked or plugged?
If the engine can't breathe thru that line to the carb, it'll find other places to relieve the pressure.

I think there were healthy puffs of air out the breather, I'll check that as well.

[bradartigue]

If the seal is old and hard it won't seal well and will send oil all over the engine bay.

The dipstick tube seal?

Yes the little seal between the block and the tube (or prior to 1979 the stick and the block). Seems innocent enough, then when you run the car oil just blows everywhere.

[FordPrefect]

Alrighty, did a dry compression test (gotta do a wet one next):

The results are 120psi on every cylinder but #4 (which was a little low last I checked), which was 100.

When I pulled the plugs, #2 was black, #4 looked white, and the others were a mildly grey.

As an aside, this county wants an emissions test before I can register, if your car is '75 and up.
Mine is a 77 on paper, but the wiring diagrams and other bits match a 75/76. I wish I could claim a 74, but alas.

Any advice on passing emissions? (Tennessee, in particular) I figure I need to get the engine sorted prior to any testing.

Edit: Oh, and the plug threads tend to be surprisingly oily.

[bradartigue]

Is #1 sooty or oily? Sooty is its too rich, oily is you have an oil leak into the cylinder. It is a bit odd to have the next plugs white (lean) and the fourth sounding fairly normal.

When is the last time this car had the head gasket replaced?

[FordPrefect]

Uh, 1. was grey, 2. sooty, 3. grey, 4. white.

I have no idea when the head gasket was last replaced.