Oil on air filter and lots of oil in catch can

[Hodge]

After our Tallarook run I found a fair bit of oil has leaked out of the catch can through the tap somehow. circled below. Hard to tell how much oil has actually leaked out as I only spotted it the morning after. Fair bit was on the suspension below and a small puddle on the ground.
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So I took the catch can out completely to re-tighten everything, and re-mount properly as the catch can was sort of just sitting there loosely. (catch can is still out of the car, pipe re plumbed to factory conditions. )

Today I thought I'd clean the air filter and found a rather large oil stain/sludge build up on one side of filter.
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Unsure how long this has been there for. Could well have been from after that run and may have something to do with the leaking catch can, and it being loose, bouncing around on rough track and sending oil splatters up the air pipe through filter?

As far as I know, oil on filter could be by blow-by? And slightly alarming amount of oil in the catch can is caused by.. ?

[Rumcajs]

That oily looking stain is standard fare. Air filter paper seem to be slightly impregnated/oiled. The stain is on the snorkel intake side.
What is an alarming amount? I drain 100 ml every thousand kays.....
Major issue with oil blowby is amount of oil in the sump. Put it to max (8.2 L) and it will breathe it (OIL) like mad.
If you have your car serviced by someone else chances are they're overfilling the engine with oil because the way the oil drains down after engine was running.
Less is more in this case, I keep the level only 3/4 to 1/2 on the stick. That makes it about 7.5 L of oil.
Keep it to the max or over and it will be just spat out of the breather.
Cheers

[Hodge]

Thanks Rumcajs. When I rub my finger onto that oil stain it's actually wet like it leaves a smudge of oil on my finger. I didn't know this happens a bit as you have mentioned?

How much oil is in catch can? I don't/won't know until I plumb the catch can back in again. Since it all leaked out that day at Tallarook.
It had a tiny bit of oil as well as the film of oil around it before we set out into the mountains as I done my oils inspection prior. So why it had that much after the day is unusual.

[threedogs]

by having oil in the catch can, tells me its doing its job.
When was air filter last changed ??
@ Hodge go buy the xc-xb heater hose it has flared ends and makes plumbing up
the catch can much neater

[Hodge]

by having oil in the catch can, tells me its doing its job.
When was air filter last changed ??

Definitely, doing its job. But mine seemed excessive, it's hard to judge how much ended up on the suspension below, but it seemed like a fair bit.
Air filter was last changed about 10 months ago.

[Hodge]

@ Hodge go buy the xc-xb heater hose it has flared ends and makes plumbing up
the catch can much neater

I saw few people using those, where does one get one, wreckers????

[Rickie3]

I saw few people using those, where does one get one, wreckers????
you can get them at repco

[Yendor]

The stain on the air filter is normal, as per post above it's on the intake side.

[Rumcajs]

The problem with heater hoses is that they're not oil resistant, coolant maybe and they swell up.

Cheers

[Hodge]

you can get them at repco

Cheers. So they're pre-cut to side and would suit the patrol scenario fine?

[Hodge]

Just quick one... Which way does the filter go back in correctly. One side is that foam type round thing seal and the other a rubber seal. I'll assume rubber seal down, closer to intake?
I got preoccupied with other s***, and few stubbies later i realized filter is still out, and i cant remember which way it came out.

[kevin07]

can I ask what size reducers do you have on the catch can

[Hodge]

can I ask what size reducers do you have on the catch can

Hey mate. They are 1" - 1/2".

[boots]

Your inlet and outlet hoses look fine mate but your drain hose is way too short mate , get another length of it and run it half way along the chassis rail and plastic tie accordingly , 100ml of oil per 1000km is not unusual as Rumcajs has pointed out . Oil resistant hose is the go if you want to do the job once and forget about it .

[Hodge]

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Thanks mate. I've already extended it. Just working on a proper mounting bracket before I re-fit it tomorrow.

I got some of that flared falcon hose today. One flared end. The bloke asked what year, engine size falcon, I said no idea, and when he showed me this one for example it looked right. Then I told him what my purpose for it is, and he said, I'll be changing it in a months time since oil will degraded it big time. Was dirt cheap so I got it anyway to try.

[Rumcajs]

Just quick one... Which way does the filter go back in correctly. One side is that foam type round thing seal and the other a rubber seal. I'll assume rubber seal down, closer to intake?
I got preoccupied with other s***, and few stubbies later i realized filter is still out, and i cant remember which way it came out.

This one is a source of great arguments. Depending who you ask you'll get different answer.

Nissan tech bulletin ==>


new “viscous” air cleaner
element (P/No. 16546 VB300) ensuring that the lip seal is “down


......the "official" Nissan Australia position is the seal must go down.


Japan has nearly always fitted them opposite to this advice.

If you look at ZD30 reference document in there is an argument which puts the rubber seal up.

I keep it fitted with rubber lip down.

Cheers

[Hodge]

I'm resurfacing this thread as I just realized again that my catch can is filling up at an alarming rate. The photo below is after a 130km run mostly at 100km/h. I estimate roughly 200ml in there, and once again my little tap at the bottom of the drain hose was leaking so, oil has leaked out too, how much is unknown.
Rumcajcs mentioned too much oil in the sump. Say it isn't so? Am I looking at blow by created by worn piston rings? Or a stuffed turbo letting too much oil into the intake?

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[Rumcajs]

I'm sorry but that isn't 200 ml. Grab your kitchen measuring cup and see how much is 200 ml (use water of course).

Too much oil in the sump will contribute to excess oil out of the blow by. I don't know how it is on CrD but on Di 7.5 L is all it takes to go to full mark on the dipstick.

There is a picture somewhere with oil sump removed and filled with 8.2 L of oil, it literally almost overflows at the side edges.
That's plainly wrong but is a result of Nissan doing a dodgy fix on early 5.6 L oil volume.

If you are not doing oil changes yourself chances are that mechanics are overfilling the engine every oil change progressively as it takes a while to drain it properly (I allow for + 1 hour)

No garage will do that, at best it will be like 10 mins.

Check the oil level in the morning before you start the engine so you can see where it is on your dipstick.

Cheers

[Hodge]

Thanks for the reply mate. I overestimated that bit of oil in the tube. It ended u being around 70-80mL. That was on top of a massive puddle under the car due to my leaking drain tap, and then who knows how much leaked out during the trip. If right, then the filling up of the catch can will settle down, as the excess oil is gone. It's been nearly 6k since last oil chance, and maybe 600 of that, was with the catch can fitted.
Nissan serviced the car last few times, and i can tell you right now they didn't wait long to drain the original oil, as it seemed like I was in and out in no time.
Maybe I'm panicking too early but, to me it just seemed very excessive.

[Hodge]

I'm resurfacing this, just to say that Rumcajs is spot on with the too much oil theory.
I just emptied my catch can drain-tube again, which I do weekly to keep an eye on it. 1600km gave me exactly 100mL drained out of the catch can. Now, 60mL of that has only been caught during the last 400-500kms. What happened 400kms ago? That's right, Nissan changed my oil and filter.
So seems like they haven't drained the old oil long enough and topped it up with new oil, and overfilled it, and now excess is coming out via blowby and into the catch can...
Or my engine is doomed. But so far the timing of the oil change and the kms done, vs the amount drained, adds up to too much oil. I hope so anyway...
Thought I'd update this for future reference in case anybody else questions excess oil out of the catch can.

[lhurley]

I'm resurfacing this, just to say that Rumcajs is spot on with the too much oil theory.
I just emptied my catch can drain-tube again, which I do weekly to keep an eye on it. 1600km gave me exactly 100mL drained out of the catch can. Now, 60mL of that has only been caught during the last 400-500kms. What happened 400kms ago? That's right, Nissan changed my oil and filter.
So seems like they haven't drained the old oil long enough and topped it up with new oil, and overfilled it, and now excess is coming out via blowby and into the catch can...
Or my engine is doomed. But so far the timing of the oil change and the kms done, vs the amount drained, adds up to too much oil. I hope so anyway...
Thought I'd update this for future reference in case anybody else questions excess oil out of the catch can.

Check the dipstick, if its high then its overfilled, if its normal, then its not overfilled.

[mudski]

I'm resurfacing this, just to say that Rumcajs is spot on with the too much oil theory.
I just emptied my catch can drain-tube again, which I do weekly to keep an eye on it. 1600km gave me exactly 100mL drained out of the catch can. Now, 60mL of that has only been caught during the last 400-500kms. What happened 400kms ago? That's right, Nissan changed my oil and filter.
So seems like they haven't drained the old oil long enough and topped it up with new oil, and overfilled it, and now excess is coming out via blowby and into the catch can...
Or my engine is doomed. But so far the timing of the oil change and the kms done, vs the amount drained, adds up to too much oil. I hope so anyway...
Thought I'd update this for future reference in case anybody else questions excess oil out of the catch can.

Eric. You worry too much mate.

[Hodge]

Not so much worried mate, just trying to keep an eye on this money pit grenade.

[mudski]

I hear ya mate. I'm trying my hardest to save whatever I can to get this TD build happening. Once it done and in. My life is complete.

[Hodge]

Half your luck mate. Doubt i'll ever have the time, knowledge or funds, or a ballsack big enough to do a 4.2 in this thing. Think I'd just buy a ready done one.
Till then, I'm stuck with this 3L bottle of sour milk. Spent and done way too much to it, crossed the point of no return. So just keeping an eye on things and working out some final kinks.

[Sir Roofy]

I cant beleave what im reading your both over reacting
hodge is scaring him self to death
mudski is talking him self into a 4.2

[mudski]

Roofy. I talked myself into a td42 before I even owned my car. Just couldn't afford to buy one with a td42 in it. It's something that's been on my bucket list for a long time.

[Sir Roofy]

roofy. I talked myself into a td42 before i even owned my car. Just couldn't afford to buy one with a td42 in it. It's something that's been on my bucket list for a long time.

you might have to go a gq something like winnies man that thing flys

[mudski]

you might have to go a gq something like winnies man that thing flys

Was your mouth out Roofy! While I like the Q's, I love my U.

[Sir Roofy]

was your mouth out roofy! While i like the q's, i love my u.

have to admit i like my u better it never missed a beat on the trip
and far more comfy than a q

[jimspenz]

Pull down your catalytic converter and see if it's plugged. Excessive back pressure can cause the oil to back up into the intake.