I’m experiencing excessive oil inside the air filter housing past the PCV valve (which is NEW) and a cleaned crankcase vent filter. To the point of dripping out the back of the filter box causing embarassing blue smoke after a hard acceleration up the highway.
It is not as if liters of oil are spewing out, but, it is enough to cause smoke when it drips onto the exhaust manifolds.
I doubt this is a normal scenario for a proper functional V12 I can’t imagine this happening as one rolls off the dealership parking lot in 1989. Can anyone here point me in the direction to start looking? Aside from this the engine is flawless it’ll snap into gear and redline without skipping a beat. I should note to this happens while flooring it up an inclined highway, never seen blue smoke on straight runs. Oil level is fine as per dipstick.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
2
My suggestion would be an Italian Tune-Up. Engine fully warmed up, second gear, hold pedal to floor until the tach passes 5000 rpm – which means somewhere past 100 mph, so choose your back road carefully. Release throttle, coast down to sane speeds, then hammer it again. Repeat until there are no black clouds behind the car when you do it.
Check to see if you actually have vacuum reaching your PCV valve. Make sure that the other points of entry into the crankcase are air-tight. (Rubber camshaft inspection plug and oil filler cap.)
I did an Italian Tune-up, the red line is only a suggestion right?
Lots of blue smoke but it definitely idles and starts more smoothly. Having gone over every point of entry I noticed the dipstick was not seated properly, the bottom section of the little handle broke and I removed it awhile ago, thats the only access the plugs etc are actually quite new.
Naturally this dipstick C45151 seems to be impossible to find.
“Everyday XJ” might be able to help you find a dipstick. Perhaps Kirbert will explain how an Italian Tune Up will help your “oil dripping on to exhaust manifold” situation. Did you find out whether you have suction on your PCV when the engine is running?
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
6
His description indicated that blowby coming through the PCV system was dumping oil into the air filter housing. Such blowby is often caused by piston rings that are stuck in their grooves. The Italian Tune-Up is designed to free stuck rings.
What about oil from the transmission?
Is oil in both air filter boxes or just the right side which has a breather tube to transmission.
How is the transmission oil level?
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
9
When was a breather tube from the transmission to the right side air filter box introduced? My '83 had no such thing.
Day 2 no issue at the red line up the side of a mountain, while looking at the engine I noticed some hoses were about to pop, replaced all that and repainted the crossover pipe. Also ripped off the stupid smog pump.
I’m aware of the trans issue as Mex50 said, had that before when a shop overfilled it, the smell was distinct and I’m sure that isn’t it.
While changing out hoses I had to remove the crankcase vent assembly, for a car with 220,000km is it normal to have crud built up in and around there?
I do use a fair bit of LiquiMoly or Archoil additives and cleaners when doing oil changes with amazing results so I’m suprised by the shit there… but the amount of grit in there (and in the filter housing) is a concern.
Good afternoon,
My 1991 XJ12 has hose going the right inlet manifold. I had the modulator fail and got transmission oil in the air filter box. Perhaps it is different in the XJS.
Anyway Kaden has that considered.
Thought it may help, Neil
I have an extra dipstick for engine same as my 88 XJS V 12 that you could get from me. ALSO DID YOU HAVE THE OIL PROBLEM BEFORE YOU PUT IN THE NEW PCV AND CLEANING YOUR ENGINES CRANKCASE FILTER? ALWAYS LOOK AT THE LAST THINGS YOU DID WHEN A PROBLEM ARRIVES.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
13
Manifold and air filter box are two different things. That’s not a breather tube, it’s a vacuum line.
I need that dipstick. Yes had abit of oil blowby before which prompted me to inspect the area and found a crap PCV valve and the oil catch filter was never cleaned…ever.
