E46 vacuum question
Discussion
I have an odd issue with my e46 330.
About a year ago I diagnosed a faulty CVV and so changed it and all of the pipes. The cam cover and oil filter gaskets were leaking, so I changed these too. Now the car is using oil (about 1 litre per 800-1000 miles, which is surprisingly 'ok' for these engines), however it isn't using oil, it appears to be losing it.
The symptoms-
1. Oil spray around the filler cap
2. Cam cover gasket is leaking (again)
However there is a change in the engine note when the oil filler cap is removed and air is being sucked in (even more so when I press the accelerator)- this is, to my understanding, a sign that the CVV is in fact ok.
So, there is a vacuum yet still oil spray is being pushed out of the filler cap. I can't work this out. The behaviour of the oil suggests a blocked breather somewhere, yet all other signs suggest that the CVV is ok and the crank breather pipe is clear too.
Any ideas anyone?
About a year ago I diagnosed a faulty CVV and so changed it and all of the pipes. The cam cover and oil filter gaskets were leaking, so I changed these too. Now the car is using oil (about 1 litre per 800-1000 miles, which is surprisingly 'ok' for these engines), however it isn't using oil, it appears to be losing it.
The symptoms-
1. Oil spray around the filler cap
2. Cam cover gasket is leaking (again)
However there is a change in the engine note when the oil filler cap is removed and air is being sucked in (even more so when I press the accelerator)- this is, to my understanding, a sign that the CVV is in fact ok.
So, there is a vacuum yet still oil spray is being pushed out of the filler cap. I can't work this out. The behaviour of the oil suggests a blocked breather somewhere, yet all other signs suggest that the CVV is ok and the crank breather pipe is clear too.
Any ideas anyone?
Remember the oil volume going down is a mixture of loss and use, so topping the oil up isn't a major worry (about £10-15 a month on oil, which I can live with having previously had an RX8!). So I reckon we can cross off the piston rings for now.
I need to research how the oil and the separator work, and truly understand how the whole lot work.
One job I am considering doing to hopefully resolve this is taking everything off to access the CVV again, including the intake manifold. I didn't remove that last time as I was advised that it's a b
h to put back on properly. That way I can really investigate the pipework, clean up the DISA and throttle etc.
I did vow never to do a CVV again. I did not enjoy.
Oh, and I just noticed last night that the water pump is leaking. That's the only component of the cooling system I haven't replaced. FFS!!
I need to research how the oil and the separator work, and truly understand how the whole lot work.
One job I am considering doing to hopefully resolve this is taking everything off to access the CVV again, including the intake manifold. I didn't remove that last time as I was advised that it's a b
h to put back on properly. That way I can really investigate the pipework, clean up the DISA and throttle etc.I did vow never to do a CVV again. I did not enjoy.
Oh, and I just noticed last night that the water pump is leaking. That's the only component of the cooling system I haven't replaced. FFS!!
I don't think so, certainly not to that extent. Access is very difficult, so I pulled out the dipstick, connected up the CVV pipes and replaced it.
That might explain the problem...
In that case, at least it's not a matter of accessing the CVV again but just the sump/dipstick area (correct?).
That might explain the problem...
In that case, at least it's not a matter of accessing the CVV again but just the sump/dipstick area (correct?).
ftypical said:
One other thing you could check, given that both the oil and cooling systems are leaking: test for oil or exhaust products in the coolant header tank.
Are you guys trying to scare the st out of me?The headgasket is fine- I have changed the coolant recently as part of my pre-winter servicing. Also, there is no gunk under the filler cap whatsoever. The coolant loss is exceptionally minimal- I only noticed it by chance and the level in the header tank was still ok.
Edited by STW2010 on Wednesday 7th January 19:01
OP here, with a conclusion.
Well, I went back in and removed the dipstick tube and disconnected the pipe from the CVV to the dipstick. Here is a diagram of the dipstick-
The bit circled was absolutely blocked solid. I cleaned it out thoroughly, put the car back together and can confirm that the issue is resolved and that the car runs great.
Moral of the story- if you are mental enough to DIY the CVV then make sure that you clean out previous blockages!
Next job is to replace the cam cover gasket but I'm holding off doing that until the vanos seals arrive; I'll do both at the same time.
Here's another picture-
Well, I went back in and removed the dipstick tube and disconnected the pipe from the CVV to the dipstick. Here is a diagram of the dipstick-
The bit circled was absolutely blocked solid. I cleaned it out thoroughly, put the car back together and can confirm that the issue is resolved and that the car runs great.
Moral of the story- if you are mental enough to DIY the CVV then make sure that you clean out previous blockages!
Next job is to replace the cam cover gasket but I'm holding off doing that until the vanos seals arrive; I'll do both at the same time.
Here's another picture-
Edited by StuTheGrouch on Tuesday 26th May 11:03
The big blue puff of smoke is commonly noticed after fixing a busted CVV, according to other forums I've read before I fixed mine (I haven't witnessed this though).
What sort of oil consumption are you seeing? Also consider that a blocked CVV may also damage oil gaskets (cam cover and oil filter housing are common).
What sort of oil consumption are you seeing? Also consider that a blocked CVV may also damage oil gaskets (cam cover and oil filter housing are common).
Edited by StuTheGrouch on Tuesday 26th May 14:42
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