Loose and oily air cleaner

[Fiatlanta]

While I was changing out my heater core earlier this week, I noticed that my air cleaner seemed a little loose on top of the carb. Looked a little closer and realized it was only being held on by a single screw.

It's the oval style, so I popped off the wire bracket holding it down and opened it up...this is what I found:



I feel lucky that none of the screws or washers fell down into the carb. Oil is everywhere. The foam filter element is absolutely saturated...did my best rinsing it out, but still getting big globs of oil dripping out when I squeeze it.

So...what would have caused this? I have the original air cleaner box...might it be worth it to go back to that? Also have what I guess is a "lunchbox" style cleaner. But if there's oil getting in somewhere, any of the others would have the same issue, huh?

Edited to add...I have noticed a faint white mist gently wafting out of the carb/cleaner when I've had the hood up. Not sure if that's related?

[TX82FIAT]

crankcase ventilation system is flowing backwards-could be excessive blowby or totally messed up valve its not doing its job to relieve the crankcase pressure. Rings? Pressure should relive through exhaust. It could be something as simple as a blockage in the exhaust. Do you notice any color out of your exhaust? Any oil around the head. Check your crankcase breather tube.

[Fiatlanta]

I'm going to be diving a little deeper into the engine this weekend and see if I can find some more clues. Fwiw, I haven't noticed any strange exhaust, but I'll be looking a little more closely now.

I did notice that 3 out of the 4 screws holding the air cleaner base were extremely missized. Only one actually was holding it...the other three were simply rattling around in their holes. I can at least fix that problem.

Would it be appropriate to use cork gasket material to cut a new gasket?

[tartan18]

I would concur with the suggestions about verifying the crankcase venting system is working correctly. However I would also suggest not using the oval style air cleaner. The foam element is NOT fire retardant (especially when soaked with oil) and it will burn to a crisp if exposed to a flame such as would occur if you have a intake sputter ("back fire"). I had one of these oval air cleaners and I almost had an engine fire while adjusting my carb's mixture setting. Yeah I know ... I should have taken the cleaner off before fiddling with the carb settings.

[Fiatlanta]

Yeah, I'm going back to the original air cleaner. Still learning my way around this engine, but that's on the list right now. Along with changing out carb and intake manifold.

Now to go read up on crankcase system...

[So Cal Mark]

make sure the crankcase isn't overfilled, next problem is that the crankcase breather fitting in your air cleaner isn't large enough. The elbow fitting reduces the size of the breather and doesn't allow proper crankcase venting. Worn piston rings can also cause the issue, but the most likely issue is the small breather vent into the air cleaner.
This has nothing to do with restricted exhaust
As previously mentioned, that style of air filter is an excellent fire source

[seabeelt]

A BIG +1 on the fire source. Don't ask me how I know. I have since change to the large lunch box.

[kmoses]

My bet is when the choke closes and the engine RPM is at a high idle untill warmed up the crankcase vapor has no where to go. When everything gets warmed up it is sucked down the carb. because the choke is now open.
I run the stock air filter setup and there is a small line that runs from the side of the carb. (below the throttle plates) and attaches under the air cleaner housing just where the crank case breather attaches. This allows crank case vapors to be sucked back in even when the throttle plates and choke is closed. Let me know if you need photos showing connection locations.

[Fiatlanta]

My bet is when the choke closes and the engine RPM is at a high idle untill warmed up the crankcase vapor has no where to go. When everything gets warmed up it is sucked down the carb. because the choke is now open.
I run the stock air filter setup and there is a small line that runs from the side of the carb. (below the throttle plates) and attaches under the air cleaner housing just where the crank case breather attaches. This allows crank case vapors to be sucked back in even when the throttle plates and choke is closed. Let me know if you need photos showing connection locations.

Pics would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

[kmoses]

Hose runs from bottom of carb. to air cleaner boss where crankcase vent attaches.

[Fiatlanta]

Still dealing with this issue...found one piece of the puzzle...old, hard, cracked hose. It was actually puffing out white smoke from the crack. Started getting pressure pushing up the dipstick, as well, with oil spraying out of there. Going to replace the hose today and check the vacuum lines and see what difference that makes.

Thanks for the pic!

[So Cal Mark]

if pressure is pushing the dipstick up you either have too much oil in the crankcase, excessive blowby or restricted crankcase ventilation

[Fiatlanta]

Thanks. I know it's not too much oil. Reading up on the other possibilities.