Crank Leak and CB Performance Breather Box - Video Included!

[dentfreeimage]

Hello everyone! I been fighting a leak around the crank pulley area for some time now. I was not 100% sure where it was coming from and I ended re-sealing the oil pump cover and checking everything around that area.
I ended installing a CB Performance breather box and venting the right side valve cover and the mechanical fuel pump location with a block plate. The leak minimized greatly but I still had oil residue from around the crank pulley are, but lightly and inside of the decklid and fan shroud coming from the filter I have venting the top of the breather box. This was also a mist.

Well today I decided to go ahead and install some Brillo pads inside the breather box to minimize the oil misting and I put two pads inside the box.
After driving the car for about 30 minutes on the freeway and reving it twice to about 4,500 rpm to ensure no leaks at higher rpms, this is what I found! A worst leak than it had before, you can see from the pictures it was slinging oil to one side at engine rotation and it was much more saturated at the pulley bottom tin than before?? Also, it is still slightly misting oil from the vent filter on top of the breather box.

Can this be due to the brillo pads causing restriction and not letting the engine vent? What can you guys recommend me? Is there a better way to vent the engine?
I was looking for a box that was simple and kept the engine compartment looking as original as possible, that is why I went with the CB box.
My engine is a 1776, 9.1 compression with about 4,600 miles on it.
The engine is build with decent components and statically balanced, I want to rev a little higher than normal every now and then without worries about leaking oil!
Your help is greatly appreciated.

[ps2375]

I'd take out the brillo pads, as that box has some baffles in it already. As the filter should be good for venting. I have the same tower along with a breather box that the heads and tower are connected to. I rev to 6K rpm (and on occasion more) and have no oil issues. I don't have anything connected to the pump block-off plate.

Have you made any recent changes lately, or is this a continuing problem.

I would also connect the line from the pump block-off plate lower on the tower and move the valve cover line to the upper connection.

Here's how mine are:

[bugguy1967]

Remove the Brillo pads. I don't like that tower. Everything feeds into the tower, then vents out of one tiny opening. If they all exited out of a 3/4"-1" spout, that'd be one thing...

I think you'd have better crankcase ventilation by running two or three hoses to the cleaner tops, directly over the velocity stacks using some cheap plastic 1/2" oil separators inline. They're little 2"x2"x2-1/2" white boxes with a gauze element to catch oil mist. I found mine at Autozone.
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"A petrol engine can start readily, run smoothly and give every appearance of being in good order, without necessarily being in good tune." - Colin Campbell, "The Sportscar Engine"

[esde]

If you make connections high up on that breather tower, there are less baffles to separate the oil. I use it, and made all of my connections down low on the box. How fine is the brillo pad? As mentioned, it might be too fine and act as a restriction. I have a coarse stainless scrubber in the top of mine, with no problems.

[raygreenwood]

And it could be simply that you have excessive blow-by. Ray

[dentfreeimage]

The only change I made was install the brillo pads, which made things worst.
Would excessive blow by be caused by worm rings? The engine only has 4,,600 miles and it has the same problem from the very beginning, except the breather box help it turn into a light mist and eventually a drop of oil will drip down and sit at the bottom tip of the case.
What area would have the most oil venting out, the valve cover or the fuel pump area?
I will remove the brillo pads and maybe switch hose position?

[esde]

At that number of miles, I would expect the rings to have seated, but maybe not? Are the heads new or used? Does it use oil?
Most engines will have some blow by till the rings seat. Sometimes it's quick, sometimes it takes a while.
What rings? I've heard that Deves and total seal can be finicky about finally seating (second hand info, admittedly)

[vwracerdave]

Try a different pulley. It could be yours is boogered up and causing the oil leaks.
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2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK

[jfats808]

Take your oil cap off and drive around as normal. If your blowby ceases, u need more breathing. As mentioned some good suggestions about adding an additional line to the pump block off and lowering line to the bottom could very well help.
The test above will shed light immediately.
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2017 48 Trijet DRLA's W125

[Ragman]

As bugguy1967 mentioned, the CB Breather does not breathe any better than a stock breather how you have it mounted up.

A stock engine has a vent connected to the carburetor and the road draft tube. So, it has 2 ports "breathing".

Your CB box is only venting out one vent on its top.

Your CB box is really only acting as a better collector as it is. So, to improve its breathing characteristics, you can add more vents. One to a carb is a common addition. I've even added a vent under the engine tin breast plate like a road draft tube does. Your tin already has the hole for it

Oh and another thing I see is you've flipped your belt. Either its too loose,or you need a new belt, you should probably address that too.

[TheAmazingDave]

[Ragman]

ahhh, you're right. thanks

[Alstrup]

[slalombuggy]

I have your same set up on my 2332 that sees 7000rpm a lot. I vent the fuel pump cover into the bottom of the tower and don't vent the V/Cs at all no problem with oil. As others have said, move the lines to the lowest ports on the box and take out the brillo pads, you don't need them. I also took out the baffle plate under the generator stand with no ill effects.

brad

[Brian]

[dentfreeimage]

Thanks guys for all the tips, I will follow the advice and post results!

[dentfreeimage]

Well guys, I moved the fuel pump block off vent to the bottom of the breather box. Now the right valve cover and pump block are at the lowest spot. I also removed the brillo pads from the box.

I cleaned all residue from the tins and from the oil pan and oil pump area and went for a 45 minute trip on the freeway. What I found was still a mist on the pulley tin and to my surprise the oil pan seems to have an oil film on it. It is not heavy enough to drip on the ground but it is pretty saturated.

No oil residue is present at the oil pump cover or full flow fitting and hoses.
What gets me is that if all this was coming from the crank pulley it will be traveling to the rear of the vehicle while going down the road and not rear to front, I think? I had oil leaks with this engine from day one from somewhere underneath and I have removed and re-sealed the oil pan, oil pump cover, full flow fittings, drain cover plate and even put some rtv sealer between the case halves since it seemed to be coming from the case lower split. I was able to make it go away for about 1,500 miles, but it looks like its back!
Can a leak underneath the car make its way into the engine compartment and make it seem like is coming from the crank pulley?

It is my first build and I have tried many things and it is still hunting me!
I am almost regretting not spending the $$ on a new case since everything else is new. Back to the drawing board!
Thanks for the help everyone has given me, please keep it coming.

[ps2375]

Last picture seems to show oil leaking from fitting threads. And is there oil coming from dip stick tube? What did you use to seal case halves?

If your tins and seals are all in place, the upper should be separate from the lower.

[dentfreeimage]

The fitting has the permatex sealer, the liquid type. I guess I over did it trying to seal every thread, specially around the oil pump cover. The case was sealed with yama-bond the gray color. I am using a save my bug dipstick that fits pretty loose on the engine, can it be causing the problem? There is no sign of leaks on the top tin right around the dipstick, can it run down the stick and not create a stain on the top area?

[bugguy1967]

You have excessive blow-by. The fix is to buy new rings and re-hone.
_________________
"A petrol engine can start readily, run smoothly and give every appearance of being in good order, without necessarily being in good tune." - Colin Campbell, "The Sportscar Engine"