10 replies to this topic

[minidan]

ok this goes out to all those with very good A series engine knowledge !

ok, the 1380 in the Minus decided to dump the best part of 4L of oil out in about 20 miles. noticed it today while parked up.
It seems the all the oil came out of the breather hose on the rocker cover so the underside of the car is plastered in oil...

lucky for us there is an engineering firm really close to work and the guy there said its probably because the breather hose on the clutch cover was kinked.
we put about 3.5 liters of oil back in and drove the 13miles home without any probs. and no more oil was lost. (after unkinking the hose).

is this sounding like a load of bull? if so why would 4L of oil get 'pumped' out of the rocker cover breather hose?????

thanks for any advice.

[Steve W]

ok this goes out to all those with very good A series engine knowledge !

ok, the 1380 in the Minus decided to dump the best part of 4L of oil out in about 20 miles. noticed it today while parked up.
It seems the all the oil came out of the breather hose on the rocker cover so the underside of the car is plastered in oil...

lucky for us there is an engineering firm really close to work and the guy there said its probably because the breather hose on the clutch cover was kinked.
we put about 3.5 liters of oil back in and drove the 13miles home without any probs. and no more oil was lost. (after unkinking the hose).

is this sounding like a load of bull? if so why would 4L of oil get 'pumped' out of the rocker cover breather hose?????

thanks for any advice.

i had the same was a blocked breather, cleaned the breathers, it stopped. to do with oil pressure methinks!

Edited by chargedzetec, 19 September 2007 - 05:59 PM.

[minidan]

really? did you lose all the oil?

[ginigwunkle]

thats got to get high pressure to go out the highest point of the engine! lol

sorry to sort of highjack but i removed my clutch breather and it was full of yellow/brown runny stuff and smelled slightly of petrol is this to be of a worry?

[jonny d]

Some engines don't have that clutch breather my mg metro engine dosn't so I don't think it could be that check the split pin that hangs
out of the bottom of the clutch casing and see if it is covered in oil if it is your problem could be a faulty fuel pump letting petrol into your engine
and thus dilluting the oil making it very thin and then escaping by the easiest route if you find it is this then don't drive the car as it could
granade the engine, a change of fuel pump should cure your problem. Im not an expert but speak from personal experiance on this one I hope its not anything more serious for you im sure someone else will post other ideas on this one goodluck

[Sprocket]

Normally when an egine drops its oil so quickly its due to a broken gearbox casing, or, i have seen it on here a while ago, some one left the half moon seal out of the gearbox when re assembling it!!!

[minidan]

Some engines don't have that clutch breather my mg metro engine dosn't so I don't think it could be that check the split pin that hangs
out of the bottom of the clutch casing and see if it is covered in oil if it is your problem could be a faulty fuel pump letting petrol into your engine
and thus dilluting the oil making it very thin and then escaping by the easiest route if you find it is this then don't drive the car as it could
granade the engine, a change of fuel pump should cure your problem. Im not an expert but speak from personal experiance on this one I hope its not anything more serious for you im sure someone else will post other ideas on this one goodluck

the engine has an electric fuel pump mounted in the boot. the fuel goes from the boot straight into the carbs so im thinking the fuel pump isnt the problem?

the car done a few journeys since wednesday and so far seems ok. the oil did seem a little thin but i did check that when the engine was very hot.

[Ethel]

You'd have to pump oil into the rocker cover faster than it can drain back into the engine. I suppose a kinked hose could allow pressure in the crankcase to get higher than in the cover which might slow drainage down but I'd suspect the oil is escaping somewhere else. After all, small bore A's with just a tappet chest breather should behave the same if that was the case.

[jonny d]

Hi again check your oil dosent smell of petrol it still could be the fuel pump if you are parked downwards the oneway valve in the pump could have failed allowing
the fuel to fill engine via the inlet manifold Have you got more than one breather on the engine or is the clutch one the only one?The engine would have to severly
pressurise itself to shoot it out the top breather and this could mean piston rings are shot causing blow by.

[Sprocket]

Hi again check your oil dosent smell of petrol it still could be the fuel pump if you are parked downwards the oneway valve in the pump could have failed allowing
the fuel to fill engine via the inlet manifold

Not sure how that could happen without noticing other major symptoms, like - not starting!!

The chances of the float valve in the carb AND the check valve in the pump failing being remote

[nev_payne]

In any case - I bet thats made for a very interesting road surface for anyone behind you