My15 V60 D4. Giving off oily fumes

[DTaylor]

What about a blockage in the PCV system?

[DTaylor]

OK, sussed it myself I think. Tried the glove test and I have positive pressure, inflated the glove. This may be why the rocker cover gasket was leaking. I'm guessing on a long run the pressure is building up to a point where it is blowing off somewhere at the back of the engine.

Does anyone know where the blockage is likely to be (valve, pipework?) and if it is an expensive fix?

[Zebster]

How are you connecting a glove to the engine?

[DTaylor]

Remove the oil filler cap. Place plastic glove over filler. Start engine. Fumes/pressure from there should be drawn back up via a valve I believe and into the air intake system where they are burnt. If the route is blocked, pressure will build up and inflate the glove.

[DTaylor]

This may be why my rocker cover gasket was leaking, pressure inside the engine trying to get out. It seeps passed piston rings into the crank case. It should be drawn from there into the air intake system where it goes back into the engine and the fumes are burnt. Mine is pressurising, so the route from the engine breather to the air intake must be blocked. I believe there may be a valve in line.

I'm still fumbling along, could really do with some advice from Clan (pretty please)

[DTaylor]

OK, so dealer says PCV system is working correctly, no issues???
They have found that the pollen filter is the wrong type and has not been fitted correctly and this could be causing all the fumes and smoke to come from the back of the engine.

I will have the car back in 1 hours time and dealer are charging for part only due to the number of times it has been in.

Fingers crossed this time.

[Zebster]

Originally Posted by DTaylor

OK, so dealer says PCV system is working correctly, no issues???
They have found that the pollen filter is the wrong type and has not been fitted correctly and this could be causing all the fumes and smoke to come from the back of the engine.

I will have the car back in 1 hours time and dealer are charging for part only due to the number of times it has been in.

Fingers crossed this time.

Sorry, but I really can't see how a pollen filter issue would cause the clouds of smoke that you have previously reported. Is it somehow in contact with the engine?

There's been no oily smells on my car the last few times I've been out in it, although the stop/start has been inactive (which is when I seem to notice the problem).

[DTaylor]

I think the pollen filter is also the cabin filter so is only designed to stop fumes/pollen allergens from getting into the car. I too fail to see how this will cure the problem (unless they disturbed something checking out the PCV system)

I am not a mechanic, and I don't know their cars well at all, so I guess sometimes you have to put your trust in them.

It will either be fixed, or booked in for visit number 6. I'm hoping it is fixed.

[DTaylor]

The glove is going back on when I get it home to see if it inflates (as before) or if there is a slight vacuum. I'm hoping they disturbed or cleaned out a blockage, possibly without noticing? and now it is working fine; and that the pollen filter is the only other thing they can find wrong.

Either that or they hope changing it will stop me smelling the fumes. If so I will also need to have the windscreen blacked out so I can't see it.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by DTaylor

This may be why my rocker cover gasket was leaking, pressure inside the engine trying to get out. It seeps passed piston rings into the crank case. It should be drawn from there into the air intake system where it goes back into the engine and the fumes are burnt. Mine is pressurising, so the route from the engine breather to the air intake must be blocked. I believe there may be a valve in line.

I'm still fumbling along, could really do with some advice from Clan (pretty please)

you seem to be doing pretty well so far :-) how can the crankcase ventilation be working properly when it is building up pressure , also the pollen filter may well be not seated correctly but engine fumes should not be leaking out in the first place to get to the pollen filter . It seems the garage does not understand your problem at all . The first thing I would change is the Crankcase ventilation chamber which has pressure valves , the valve maybe stuck in there . The air inlet pipe creates suction in the ventilation unit which should draw all fumes out of the engine .. but you already understand this , have you conveyed that to them ?

The ventilation system is part of the cam cover , why don't you pull off the breather pipe from the top of the cam cover which goes to the turbo air inlet pipe , block that end off so the engine runs properly then see how much of that internal pressure is coming directly out of the cam cover nipple ?