Valve guide seals won't change leak down numbers.

Rings or valve seat problems will.

 

Yes, that is why I'm thinking guides, not rings. Leak down numbers haven't changed, so the problem is not in the combustion chamber. But could potentially be oil control rings.

 

Got the P0300 P0301 P0302 codes again today, It's been about 5 months since the last one. Frustrating that it's so intermittent, can't really diagnose it. It's never caused any driveability issues, so I'll just keep watching. I think it's most likely the injectors. The 1 has already failed.

Since I'm thinking that there is a possibility that the oil consumption issue may be related, I'll update that here also. Since doing the valve guide seal replacement and then the Seafoam in the combustion chambers, the smoking and oil consumption have been reduced to nearly zero!

 

Ok, so it looks like the valve guide seals and seafoam were just band-aids. The real problem kept getting worse and worse.

The oil loss got worse, smoking was getting worse. I got to the point that it was using about 2 quarts per week. I started getting a sometime p0420, (catalytic converter) code.

I had a new LDK in my ZZP shopping cart.

Not sure if I mentioned this before, but even with a new ACDelco vented oil filler cap, it started blowing oil vapors again. I went back to the non-vented cap.

So I knew I had excessive crankcase pressure. My catch cans were catching as much fluid as ever, so that system must be functioning properly.

It had to be the rings, had to be!

Well, before I drop a bunch of money for that new LDK, I'm gonna check vaccum through the catch cans.

Intake side first. Horrible vaccum through the cooler, can, and PCV valve. After more testing, it was the can.




It was nearly completely clogged. The copper mesh had turned to mud, almost like clay.

Cleaned it out, new mesh, and removed the sintered bronze filter(it was limiting air flow too much).

Haven't driven it a whole lot, but virtually no oil loss so far. I am quite optimistic.

I'll update the catch can thread with a warning to clean the cans periodically.

 

Stainless steel scrubby?

 

Yes, stainless this time.

Strange, the turbo side can, the copper mesh was still in decent condition. Still rebuilt it with the stainless.

 

Keep us posted, RJ , thanks for the follow up

 

RJ stop chasing your shadow. You have problems. Rebuild or replace the engine.