A small leak

[Saintly Fish]

For a little while after a run out I’ve found a few spots of oil in the bilge. Nothing much but annoying. I was thinking that it was residue that had dripped  onto the engine after I changed the oil filter, and then it had just run down and dropped off. But I’ve found no signs around the filter. 
What I did find however was dampness around the neck of the dip stick tube. 
So I tied some blue roll around it and kept an eye on it. Sure enough the blue paper towel was getting damp with oil. 
So I think I’ve found the cause. Will the dip stick have an o ring seal that can just be changed ?? I can’t see one. 
Oil pressure and levels are all ok.

 

[GPSguru]

2 hours ago, Saintly Fish said:

For a little while after a run out I’ve found a few spots of oil in the bilge. Nothing much but annoying. I was thinking that it was residue that had dripped  onto the engine after I changed the oil filter, and then it had just run down and dropped off. But I’ve found no signs around the filter. 
What I did find however was dampness around the neck of the dip stick tube. 
So I tied some blue roll around it and kept an eye on it. Sure enough the blue paper towel was getting damp with oil. 
So I think I’ve found the cause. Will the dip stick have an o ring seal that can just be changed ?? I can’t see one. 
Oil pressure and levels are all ok.

 

Some do and some don't. Some have a O ring groove near the top of the stick,  some just have a small rubber washer at the top and others have nothing. You need to refer to the parts manual.

[suzook12]

You could be seeing early signs of engine backpressure. Just check any engine breathers are not blocked.

[GPSguru]

57 minutes ago, suzook12 said:

You could be seeing early signs of engine backpressure. Just check any engine breathers are not blocked.

I just didn't want to mention excessive bore wear …😇

It is probably just general tractor engine oil migration up the dipstick.

Edited June 5, 2021 by GPSguru

[Saintly Fish]

It only started since fitting the oil catch can. Could that be anything to do with it?

[GPSguru]

2 hours ago, Saintly Fish said:

It only started since fitting the oil catch can. Could that be anything to do with it?

Possibly, exactly how is it fitted ?

[suzook12]

2 hours ago, Saintly Fish said:

It only started since fitting the oil catch can. Could that be anything to do with it?

Yes, if there isn't enough air flow through it it could well be

 

[suzook12]

3 hours ago, GPSguru said:

I just didn't want to mention excessive bore wear …😇

It is probably just general tractor engine oil migration up the dipstick.

Same!!! Hopefully its a breather issue

[Saintly Fish]

9 hours ago, GPSguru said:

Possibly, exactly how is it fitted ?

The tube is fitted to the pipe that exited the engine and terminated over the air filter. It then extends around 1m down to the catch can.

[Gordmac]

I have seen catch tanks on competition cars with no breather holes and a tight fitting pipe, that won't work well. I wouldn't put a catch tank below the oil level in the sump, small chance of a Syphon.

[Saintly Fish]

Think I will disconnect it and see what happens. 

[suzook12]

 

2 hours ago, Saintly Fish said:

The tube is fitted to the pipe that exited the engine and terminated over the air filter. It then extends around 1m down to the catch can.

Ahh, that will be it then, thinking about it, you've gone from negative pressure breather to positive pressure breather. Looks like you may have to go back to venting to the inlet tract or get inventive as to where else you can vent the engine in to a breather

[Saintly Fish]

3 minutes ago, suzook12 said:

 

Ahh, that will be it then, thinking about it, you've gone from negative pressure breather to positive pressure breather. Looks like you may have to go back to venting to the inlet tract or get inventive as to where else you can vent the engine in to a breather

If you recall the reason I put the catch can in was because the “spray” was going over the air filter gauze. What else could I do to prevent this? I know it’s by design but just looks shit. 

[suzook12]

17 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

If you recall the reason I put the catch can in was because the “spray” was going over the air filter gauze. What else could I do to prevent this? I know it’s by design but just looks shit. 

You could either get a suitable size stub welded in to the inlet tract (pre turbo), or find somewhere on the block/engine itself that you can add additional breathing. If you have plastic ducting from the air filter, tapping in to that should be no issue.

You can still use a catch can and plumb it in as it was. Get a 2 pipe can with a bottom drain (1 long and 1 short inside, short goes air filter side).

You could also try mounting your current can much closer, the length of pipe will increase resistance to air flow the longer it is.

I will see what I can find out about your engine, a lot of vehicles had a breather that ran from the crankcase to the rocker box then on to EGR/Breather/other, there may well be a vent you can open up and breathe to atmosphere.....

Edited June 6, 2021 by suzook12

[Saintly Fish]

21 minutes ago, suzook12 said:

You could either get a suitable size stub welded in to the inlet tract (pre turbo), or find somewhere on the block/engine itself that you can add additional breathing. If you have plastic ducting from the air filter, tapping in to that should be no issue.

You can still use a catch can and plumb it in as it was. Get a 2 pipe can with a bottom drain (1 long and 1 short inside, short goes air filter side).

You could also try mounting your current can much closer, the length of pipe will increase resistance to air flow the longer it is.

I will see what I can find out about your engine, a lot of vehicles had a breather that ran from the crankcase to the rocker box then on to EGR/Breather/other, there may well be a vent you can open up and breathe to atmosphere.....

Thanks Steve. The van is in the only convenient place I could get it to sit. If I have to get rid then so be it, but I’d prefer to keep. I suppose a “T” piece up by the air filter would allow the air breath? 
My engine is a Yanmar 6LPA DTE. 

[suzook12]

21 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

Thanks Steve. The van is in the only convenient place I could get it to sit. If I have to get rid then so be it, but I’d prefer to keep. I suppose a “T” piece up by the air filter would allow the air breath? 
My engine is a Yanmar 6LPA DTE. 

Toyota based iirc? 4.2 land cruiser amazon?

Yes, a T could work, a plastic stub glued in of suitable size could also work. I'm sure a man of your talents can work something

[Saintly Fish]

13 minutes ago, suzook12 said:

Toyota based iirc? 4.2 land cruiser amazon?

Yes, a T could work, a plastic stub glued in of suitable size could also work. I'm sure a man of your talents can work something

Yes Toyota 4.2👍🏻

[GPSguru]

1 hour ago, Saintly Fish said:

If you recall the reason I put the catch can in was because the “spray” was going over the air filter gauze. What else could I do to prevent this? I know it’s by design but just looks shit. 

The spray is done on purpose to catch very small dust particles from entering the engine.

Years ago ‘wet gauze’ filters were common place, but not so much today with improved emission controls and paper filter tecnology.

[Saintly Fish]

Quick update on this. I’ve had a couple of trips out since removing the catch can pipe, and now no oil leak from the dipstick. So it’s fair to assume that the reduced bore of the pipe to the catch can was creating a bit of back pressure! 
Thanks for the suggestions. 

[suzook12]

1 hour ago, Saintly Fish said:

Quick update on this. I’ve had a couple of trips out since removing the catch can pipe, and now no oil leak from the dipstick. So it’s fair to assume that the reduced bore of the pipe to the catch can was creating a bit of back pressure! 
Thanks for the suggestions. 

Glad thats resolved