Since getting rid of the 1300 and dropping in the 1600 with dellorto 40's on I have had nothing but trouble!!

Now that it is running I'm having no end of problems with the breathing side of it. I added a oil catch tank and plumbed it to the rocker cover and block, it has a breather filter and drain back to the sump. The problem is when I take it for a spin oil is pouring out of the breather filter, I have tried various methods and distances from the catch tank to the filter but still the same. Is this plumbed in correctly? Am I missing something? the compression on each cylinder is correct so what is the chance of an oil ring gone?

Any help would be a god send!!!!!

Many thanks

Mark
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oh yes...... took the filter off and put the pipe end in to and empty bottle, no oil came out but when I got home the oil pressure light came on.


HELP!!!!!!

Was the engine rebuilt or was it a second hand unit , if the latter it may be well worn even with good compressions

I can't diagnose your engine problem, but your plumbing doesn't look quite right to me, Mark.

Is that pipe from the bottom of the sump going to the bottom of the catch tank? What's that all about?

Surely the crankcase pressure will force the sump oil straight into the catch tank?

Perhaps, instead, a simple pipe should go from breather to catch tank and then an outlet from the TOP of the tank to the engine bay to vent the vapour to the atmosphere, or even pipe the vapour into an air filter.

From time to time you'll need to throw the contents of the catch tank away. There shouldn't be much. It'll tend to be a creamy emulsion due to mixing with condensation in the catch tank (from the atmospheric vent).

That emulsion gunk mustn't get back in the engine.

If your sump is shallow and the oil surge sometimes tops the crank breather, then there could be a shot of oil expelled to the catch tank. Otherwise it sould only be vapour. If after you do what I described, you still get shots of oil blown out then consider running the breather into the rocker cover to catch those odd shots of oil back into the engine, and then run another pipe from the other end of the rocker cover to take the vapour to the catch tank, and a tank breather to atmosphere as before.

Does that make sense?

Also I recommend you get an oil pressure gauge, preferably a mechanical one (easy to find, approx £20 from halfords)

regards
Dave

thanks for the reply dave,

the pipe from the bottom of the tank to the sump is so that it drains straight back to the engine and I don'tt have to empty it.

I'll give what you sugest a go. I have nothing to loose and everything to gain.

Cheers mark

I understand the theory on the bottom hose but suspecvt that it may in fact be your problem, try just clamping it off and see if the situation improves i am betting it will.

Mac

Ok......tried replumbing and following the advise so far, the engine is now plumbed in like this, I have put a bottle in to catch the oil. After a 15mile trip the bottle was half full. I have taped the dip stick up otherwise oil pours out of it. oil light doesn't come on.

How can you tell if the piston rings are any good (simple tests without taking them out)

Keep the ideas coming please

Cheer mark
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Run the engine with the oil filler cap removed and put your hand over the hole to see if it's pressurising. Have you got a gauze filter in the rocker cap and is it clear.

I'll try that thanks.

The sump has been sortened, the oil level on the original dip stick would still be the same wouldn't it. If not how do you work out how much oil should be in it?

just another thing to look at I suppose.

The dip stick level may have to be changed, depending if the original capacity of the sump has been changed, some people weld additional bits on the side. I would suggest that if your sump capacity has been changed, maybe you could see what the capacity should be from a a Hynes manual and put that amount in and mark on dipstick ?

Have you got a compression gauge? if so get the engine hot, remove the plugs ,disconnect the pos feed to coil then get someone to sit in the drivers seat and with the throttle fully open crank the engine over with the gauge in the plug hole , note readings on all cylinders . squirt some oil into cylinders using an oil can if possible try to get the oil around sides of pistons (maybe 1/2 doz pumps) then repeat compression test . If readings increase by more than about 10% then pistons/rings/bores are worn If that is the case suspect afull rebuild would be in order?
If oil is coming out of dipstick hole try reconnecting breather system , remove filler cap and put hand over filler neck, if pressure is building up then it's another bad sign. Think oil capacity should be around 6.5 pints?

Thanks for all the advise given.

I tried ALL suggestions but nothing worked, I took it to a local engine company who said it's past it's life as a 1600 and would need a rebore. Not a problem but stoneleigh is only days away.

I took a small trip on Monday and got hold of another block. Finished putting it in tonight and will be testing it tomorrow.

Lets hope it goes a little better.

Thanks again

Mark.

I have the same set up. Have you fitted an aftermarket rocker cover, one of those chrome ones. I did and my engine was blowing oil out of the breather and dip stick. That may well be the problem. If so try a standard one but if it works you may have to move the filler cap to the back. Your breather pipe from the block should go into your inlet manifold and not the rocker cover by the way.
Andrew

yep. I bought a chrome rocker cover. I didn't put the breather from the block in to the inlet manifold as I'm running 40's.

It is all tried and tested.

Stoneleigh is always better when you are in the car

Cheers Mark
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Hi it may be a shot in the dark but i had this problem with my 1300 and found out i had no holes in the catch tank thus making the oil system pressurised. worth a try drilling some holes in the top of the catch tank.

gary