My engine isn't what i would call broke in yet, but i've put a few hours on it, idling in the garage and about 30 miles driving while data logging....low rpm stuff, short drives, roughly 4-6 miles at a time. It's been heat cycled dozens of times.

I've got a problem with oil shooting out of the passenger side breather. i'm not sure if it's a oil pressure issue or a design issue with the valve covers. under certain conditions, usually cruising rpms or higher, it spews oil all over the passenger side valve cover and hood. i've got it tempoarily remedied until i find the actual root of the issue, here's my "fix"




Another issue i have is with my fuel. i know my tune was pretty rich from the get-go, i adjusted the Flow rate vs. KPA and that helped substantially, but i'm still having problems. This MAY be tune related, but i don't think so, that's why i posted in this section. My wideband took a **** on me, (LM-2 showing E2 error code) but i had this issue since the start when it was working. At idle, i have 14.7:1 AFR, or close to it. it will bounce around a little but usually hovers pretty close. I'm having issues with spark plugs fouling out, like this:



The car seems to need a plug change after every hour or so of operation. Granted, i haven't been tuning on it in a while, mostly moving in/out of the garage, loading on a trailer, and showing off for friends/board members that stop by. Nonetheless, like i said, it's around stoich most of the time, lean if anything else usually, but i'm fouling plugs. AND...the other fuel related issue i have is i have to change the oil after so much run time because fuel is getting into the oil

My question is this: Is my spark plug issue related to something in the VE table i'm missing AND the oil/fuel mixture related to the motor not being broken in, i.e. rings not seated?

Also, is my leaky valve cover due to the breather hole being too close to the top of the rocker arm(s)? Or is it just MY breather? do i need something that isn't open 360* around, just on the top side? I'm wanting the new "LSX 454" GMPP valve covers, the passenger side cover has provisions for a cap and a pipe fitting for running a breather hose to the throttle body...would this solve my oil puking issue?


thanks in advance

 

I was running really rich on my freshly rebuilt 6.0 and had lots of fuel in the oil from washing the rings. Now there is black soot coming out the exhuast and I think it's possible the rings haven't seated properly. It doesn't seem to be burning oil but then again I haven't driven it enough to check. Anyways I think it's the rings on mine and possibly yours. Just a thought though. I plan on doing a compression test to check maybe you should do the same. I'm not sure about your valve cover breather though. That's not a pressurized area....Do those valve covers have any sort of baffles in them?

 

No, no baffles. That may be the problem. I suspected I might have issues with them, but not to this extent.


I might try to do a compression test. It seemed like everything was good and tight on the engine stand, but I never put a gauge on it.

 

Maybe since they don't have baffles try just using a regular cap. But stock valve covers have the port on the cover with a hose that goes to the TB (LS1) or Intake tube (LS2) to draw metered air INTO the engine. So it's weird that it's blowing oil OUT of the breather.

And if you've fixed the running rich issue yet still have plugs fouling with oil then like I said my best guess is rings.

 

I originally had a cap on both breathers, but when I started the engine it built up enough crankcase pressure to blow the breather off and the dipstick out about 2 inches...the cap flew about 10 feet away....

 

Whoa that's A LOT of crankcase pressure...Then I agree on keeping the breather but the oil blowing out of it is definitely a issue...Maybe someone else will chime in about it....

 

Sounds like your rings didnt seat to me.. those first 30 miles are the time when you should seat the rings..

 

If the valve covers dont have a baffle , you will have a lot of oil coming out the breather, the reason why ,is the rocker arms are being oiled by the pushrods witch is squirting oil and with 8 rocker arms spraying oil at 2000 to 3000 rpm the oil is hitting the top of the valve cover and making a mist or vaper and with the breather being open, and some not a lot of blow by the oil is being collected in the filter and blowing oil because the blow by is trying to get out , Take the breather off and look into the head and see if you can see a rocker arm, you might be squirting oil straight into the beather, I had the exact same problem and put a baffle in and stopped 99% of the oil, Just something to look at, but wont hurt to add a baffle.

 

yeah you can definately see rocker arms. i don't have to pull it off to tell you that. i do remember the oil squirters don't have direct line of sight with the hole, but i think you're right. i need a baffle or a different breather. That's why i wanted the other newer style GMPP valve covers (or sheet metal), one cover has no holes, the other has one for a oil cap and also has a pipe fitting for routing to the TB.

As for the rings, i'm hoping i just haven't given them the right conditions to seat and that they will eventually settle in. I've only driven for short distances/durations, but they've added up to 30ish miles. i haven't driven it lately because it isn't aligned and i have new tires on. It's hopefully getting aligned monday and if it does, i'll be putting some miles on it with some nice hills and valleys to put a load on the motor and see what happens.

 

Yes, you need to put some load on the motor, The rings need some pressure on them to seat, That were the ring gap comes in, The compression goes down the ring gap and be hind the ring to push it out to the cylinder wall, Thats why nitrous motor has a larger ring gap to push the rings tighter to the walls because of the high cylinder pressure so it wont bypass around the rings

 

alignment is scheduled for tuesday, as soon as its done, i'll be putting a load on it all day long.

i'll look into some new valve covers too

 

is there any reason to believe my spark plugs/gap might have an effect on the situation? i've got TR6's gapped at .040" now.