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High oil pressure and this puddle...

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Congratulations Goose, you managed to get an actual answer from "ntc" on the UK Register.

This guy knows a huge amount about TRs. But somehow, although he likes posting, he does not really like to share any knowledge.

Take up the offer of a 4A set-up from the "radio-presenter".
 
Ha thanks, Al! Yeah he even put in a little research to dig up the link and everything!
 
I went the original route and bought a Smiths PCV off of eBay for a decent price. I'll update when I see if it fixes the seepage problem. Fingers crossed. I really don't want to have to replace piston rings as well.
 
Even though though you solve the underlying problem, the seal may continue to leak. If it does, hopefully not as bad as when the oil was being pushed out.
Was there ever any determination of why there was an emulsion and not just more or less pure motor oil in that puddle ?
 
SMGoose said:
One small thing he suggested I check is the length of the rearmost sump bolts. He said they should be shorter than the rest (~3/8") or I could put another washer on them to shorten 'em up. He said those bolts are often too long and cause bad sealing and are often overlooked. Anyone heard this before?
Click to expand...

Yes I recall them being different I believe slave stay longer, sump shorter. Parts catalog shows:
100749 Sump to cylinder block
105220 Slave cylinder stay to sump and cylinder block
HU0855 Sump to front sealing block

TRF lists the first two not the last.
 
Some of the frequent posters on the UK register are into hill-climbs and circuit-racing. Their views on stuff like the PCV is untypical.

Also several are pro-rebuilders, very knowledgable, but again not quite in line with a typical owner.

Having said that they are very knowledgable and there are eminent professional engineers of all types.

Some are just rude and the thing is only barely moderated. So there are "bust-ups and apologies" from time to time.

Al.
 
Still not sure about the emulsion. It does look like I had a separate coolant leak. There's an overflow bottle fitted, clumsily, and the hose was kinked so maybe that caused some pressure on the coolant side as well. I've remedied that. I'm going to put in the PCV, and I'm planning on taking it somewhere to do a compression, a leak-down test, and a coolant leak test as I don't have the proper tools for all that.
 
I think the possibility of those 2 landing together and looking like that are nil
That got mixed together somewhere
 
OK here are the results from the compression test:
#1 - 175
#2 - 185
#3 - 190
#4 - 185

They seem pretty good, right? The engine was cold when I did it. I'm still trying to get in touch with the shop that did the "rebuild" for the PO, but they don't seem to be near the phone very often...

So next step is to test the head gasket, which will probably happen Saturday when I can borrow the kit from Autozone. Is it unnecessary to do a leak-down test now?
 
Scott

I have a '66 TR4A which came with the Smiths PCV valve. Motor was rebuilt in 2000. Everything worked great until about 2008 when I started getting crankcase pressurization and oil leaking from nearly every seal. I did tones of tests and checks (concerned I was getting excessive blow by from worn rings).

Dry compression test was a perfect 180psi/ 175psi/ 180psi/ 175psi. Manifold vacuum pulled perfect 20" at idle and 22" at 2,000 RPM. Eventually, I traced it all back to a failed original PCV. I tried everything including cleaning and rebuilding the original, purchasing quality used ones from eBay, purchased new ones from one of the big three. Nothing worked. Plus, I identified 5 different models which were all slightly different (part no. stamped on lid).

FVP 2001/02 Original installed on my car 1964-65

FVP 2003/02 1966-68

FVP 2003/08 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] model ordered from eBay

FVP 2003/10 Moss Motors. Listed in catalog for TR4A

FVP 2003/11 for TR6?

I pretty much concluded the original PCV was a poorly designed stop-gap measure by Triumph to meet US emissions laws. I don't think the design was optimized and performed marginally, at best.

I would love nothing better than to update to a modern day PCV system creating 8-10" Hg vacuum in the crankcase but, in the meantime I plugged the manifold connection for the PCV and running a 1/2" rubber hose off the valve cover. The hose runs over the carbs and down near the chassis into the free air below the car. I cut a 90 degree angle on the end so the passing air creates a venturi effect and pulls air from the crankcase. Overall, the hose is about 3' long.

It appears to vent the crankcase as well as anything and no more oil leaks. Not to mention, the car idles much better w/o the PCV installed (since the PCV is essentially a controlled vacuum leak into the intake manifold, it makes it hard to get the idle perfect).

Here are two excellent articles on crankcase ventilation and PCV valves:
https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/cv102.htm
https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/cv103.htm

Regards

Bob
 
Thanks, Bob. I actually read that article and it's exactly what made me decide on this type of PCV system:

"The inlet restrictor in the valve cover limits the fresh air inlet flow to a relatively small amount sufficient for crankcase ventilation (not to overly affect fuel mixture). The PCV valve will accept this flow plus any amount of cylinder blow-by gasses in variable volume, while all the time maintaining a narrow range of low level vacuum in the crankcase...This type of PCV valve is a slick little device which I highly recommend..."

But you disagree? Did your PCV only cause problems after 2008?
 
Scott,
My experience with the Tr4A type PCV valve is an exact opposite of the one that Bob had.
So far I have driven some 87,000 miles with the PVC installed and my engine has remained sludge free and given me no problems as far as the engine crankcase breathing system is concerned.
I do change my oil regularly every 5,000 miles and do clean and check the PCV system along with the valve cover port and hoses for blockages, leaks, etc at every oil change.

If you look into the emission system used by '64-'67 MGBs it is almost identical to the Tr4A system, except the PCV picks up the gasses from the oil separator in the front tappet cover vs the valve cover.




Merlin
 
Well, from 2000 to 2008 I wasn't as anal about oil leaks and possibly had some minor, although otherwise "acceptable", oil leaks. Hard for me to say or recall. Then following a service by my local "British Mechanic" I started blowing oil out the oil filler on the valve cover while driving and would get 1"-2" puddle in the garage after a drive. Totally unacceptable in my book. Somehow the crankcase was becoming pressurized.

I was chasing down all sorts of things until I determined the PCV was not operating correctly. I "believe" the "British Mechanic" serviced the PCV and re-assembled it incorrectly. So, I disassembled it, cleaned (carb cleaner) and reassembled in what I thought was the proper configuration. So, now the leaks were better but, now that I was sensitized to it, I was looking to get it perfect. That began my suspicion that it was broken and my chase for a good PCV. I tried all those other PCVs and nothing worked ideally.

So, until then, I've resolved myself to running the 1/2" hose off the valve cover. This solution appears to result in the fewest oil leaks (now my only leak is the oil seal on the timing chain cover - future project) and, believe it or not, the best idle.

Bob
 
3 Updates:
#1 - Block test turned out OK (the one where the blue liquid turns green when combustion gasses are present in the coolant). So it seems like my head gasket is fine.

#2 - High oil pressure. I double-checked my oil filter installment and apparently I had put an extra o-ring in it without seeing the old one still stuck up in there. :applause: When I started it and ran it to do the block test, the pressure was back down to ~70-80 cold. That's more like it. I had also cleaned out the pressure adjusting apparatus, but decided to just put it back in as it was and didn't make any adjustments. Glad I did.

#3 - Got my PCV valve, opened it up and noticed some small cracks (3 in the picture and one under my thumb) in the diaphragm:
IMG_0588.jpg
I'm going to order a new diaphragm but in the meantime, I'm just going to clean it up and install this as-is anyway. This weather is just too perfect!
 
That's a good question, Al. I'm not sure either would. Although I would think there'd be more evidence of water in the oil pan, no?
 
One of the problems with getting emulsified oil is that the glup can block the oil ways and lead to bearing failure.

So I'd be filling with flushing oil and then new oil at the least.

Al.
 
That's probably a good idea. And I can justify the cost because my PCV valve was apparently free! I contacted the seller through eBay telling them about the cracked diaphragm and asking if they could send a replacement. Thought it was worth a try. Well an hour later I get a full refund, no questions asked. Never had that happen before!
 
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