Interesting boost issues today...
 

I figured since today was the first decent day the NE's had in a while I'd take my hatch to work instead of the daily clunker. All seemed fine as I buzzed down the highway, and about after 20 minutes of driving I noticed some weird stuff going on. The car started bucking a little at part throttle but I thought nothing of it, figured it was the small adjustments I made with my vafc to "problem" areas I need to fix in my basemap in BRE. I let off the throttle, mash it for a second and it clears out a little. Then it starts again, only this time it's getting worse as time goes by. I glanced down at my temp guage and I see it start climbing up and that starts to worry me. I hopped off an exit and pulled into a gas station figuring I had a coolant leak somewhere (turns out I have a pinhole in my radiator too :P) and I noticed my rad hoses were swelling up pretty good. Strange, but whatever. I let it cool for a little bit, and I pulled my dipstick out...all of a sudden there was this burst of air pressure that smells thick like oil comes shooting out...wtf? I have an open dump pcv setup, hose comes off the breather box in the back and dumps to the ground and a filter on the valve cover breather. WTF is going on here? Could this be related to my overheating and bucking issue? The car drove home fine tonight, although I did have to take all my adjustments out on the afc which made my part throttle driving amazing in comparison. Anyone have any ideas? I'm not sure I want to drive it again until I get this figured out. :-\

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

does your pcv have a large vacuum source?

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

There is no vaccum source...of course, there is no pcv valve on it anymore either. Just a tube that comes off the breather box in the back and points down. It's a vent to atmosphere setup.

On another note, anyone have the ngk part # for a spark plug for a b16 that's 1 step colder? I doubt those iridium tip plugs are helping me any and looks like a nice pointy heat spot for pre-ignition problems down the road. :P

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

Everyone always bashes on my pcv setups but its reasons like this I like it there. try driving it a little and see if it has pressure built up in it again.

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

i have seen this before it turned out to be a ringland being bad or the head gasket cant remember good luck with it

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

your motors fuct !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

old gas from sittin all winter maybe

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

dumbest answer yet

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

Well, here's an update so far...seems to be acting normal. Turns out I was quite a bit low on coolant for starters, about 2 quarts of water to bring it back up. Drove it around all day today and hasn't done anything like that yet. Only other thing I noticed today was my oil pressure was sitting at around 82psi in 5th gear on the highway, probably around 3600rpm. Smelled that oil smell again and the oil pressure dropped around 8-10psi to where it usually is when it's warmed up, and even on the way home tonight it seemed a little higher than normal. Seems like something's clogged up pretty good with my pcv setup so I'm gonna look at it tomorrow morning when I swap out to my colder plugs.
Compression is fine, tested it first thing this morning to make sure...coming in at 217 at the lowest number.

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

217 sounds like a carbon build up as well

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

It's possible. I haven't had this motor apart from day one when I got it from H-Motors. I redid my tube coming off the catch can on the block, and I can blow through it pretty easily and feel air coming out the valve cover breather, so I think it's ok now. I'll find out today on my way to work...colder spark plugs and new can line...look out interstate. >:D

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

i have been having the same problems with my setup as well too high of oil pressure so i have to vacuum pumps to hook up they are small so i dont kno whow much they will help but.. your pcv setup needs a source of vacuum. sounds like your bottom end is building too much crank pressure. im thinkin abiout runnin a pcv valve as well as a catch can stetup even though i dont like the hot oily fumes in my intake but. came that way from factory and it works and im hoping the catch can will relieve some of it when im in boost.

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

i donk know bro cant say anything must see it in person. :-X

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

lets see pics of your setup.

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

You probably wouldn't know what you were looking at anyway. ::) I know I'm building some crankcase pressure, although it can't be alot. It tends to start creeping up on highway cruising, and when I see it bumping up I just hit into boost for a few seconds and it blows on out and pressure drops to normal. I thought about sticking a one way valve on it (I've got this awesome valve from my old mini truckin' days ;D), but I really don't like the idea of sucking the oil vapor into my motor. I think it really just needs more exit points to keep the pressure down, so I'll probably end up pulling the 2 plugs out on the back of the block in the oil return galleys and putting 2 more ports in there.
Not sure if you're talkin to me, but here it is...
Attachment 27671
Attachment 27672

Re: Interesting boost issues today...
 

if you got rid of your pcv valve you need to add more spots for ventilation in your valve cover.