Constant oil vapors form valve cover

[Retired Sparky 526]

OK I've got this overhead valve 1100 series Briggs engine. It goes to my DR Chipper.   I pulled the air filter and the engine is running, I see constant oil vapors coming out of a hose plugged into the valve cover.  There's a good possibility that I've got a blown head gasket, right??

[stevasaurus 23,276]

If I am thinking right...that is a pollution control valve  Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV).  Those were on cars from back in the 60's & 70's.   If I'm right, you should just need to replace the valve.  The head gasket is OK................IF I am right.    Should be able to pick one up at any small engine repair shop...maybe even AutoZone.

 

If I am right...it is the 3rd time this year. 

[Retired Sparky 526]

15 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

If I am thinking right...that is a pollution control valve  Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV).  Those were on cars from back in the 60's & 70's.   If I'm right, you should just need to replace the valve.  The head gasket is OK................IF I am right.    Should be able to pick one up at any small engine repair shop...maybe even AutoZone.

 

If I am right...it is the 3rd time this year. 

Sorry Pard,  There's no PVC valve. This is not a Chevy from the 70's It's A Briggs series 1100 overhead valve 250 cc. engine.   Only a short piece of hose between the valve cover and the sheet metal that holds the paper air filter.  I set the chipper in the open garage door and ran it without the filter and watched the oil vapor smoke come out of the hose connected to the valve cover.  AH, Houston we've got a problem.

          If I share your luck (stevasaurus)  that would be the reason I don't play the Lotto.  My DR chipper is in a local small engine shop, being cared for by a guy that I have trusted for years.  When you get to my age, you have to know your own limits. 

Thanks for playing today.  Johnny, what do we have for our contestants???   No harm no foul.

[N3PUY 1,031]

It's a "closed" crankcase ..... no vent to outside like on older motors.   The hose directs fumes and vapors from the crankcase to the intake to be burned.  Put the air filter back on and you won't see it.

[stevasaurus 23,276]

So, just maybe...I might be on to something...even without the PCV.  The hose going into the valve cover says it all...that is what it does.    I don't play the lotto either...and I am your age.    You can keep what you would give to contestants...I'm done playing. 

BTW...if you have somebody you trust, why post your question here?? 

No harm, no foul. 

[Retired Sparky 526]

34 minutes ago, N3PUY said:

It's a "closed" crankcase ..... no vent to outside like on older motors.   The hose directs fumes and vapors from the crankcase to the intake to be burned.  Put the air filter back on and you won't see it.

I'm sorry, you weren't there today.  It looked like I was burning 2 cycle gas in the back field this morning.   The rubber hose had so much vapor coming out it looked like the vent on a 55 cup coffee pot at the local restaurant.  There is smoke coming out of the exhaust when I pull it over to start. Have I made my point yet boys. I think I have a bad head gasket.   Thanks for everyone's in put.

13 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

So, just maybe...I might be on to something...even without the PCV.  The hose going into the valve cover says it all...that is what it does.    I don't play the lotto either...and I am your age.    You can keep what you would give to contestants...I'm done playing. 

BTW...if you have somebody you trust, why post your question here?? 

No harm, no foul. 

I'm barn storming here. Trying to find the best answer to today problem. Cause I'm not a good engine guy.  You guys blow me away with your skills.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Retired Sparky

[953 nut 59,912]

13 minutes ago, Retired Sparky said:

It looked like I was burning 2 cycle gas

Did you change, or add to your oil lately? I had slightly overfilled the oil on mine once and until I reduced the level it  smoked quite a bit. Guess the excessive oil level caused more vapors.

[Retired Sparky 526]

10 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Did you change, or add to your oil lately? I had slightly overfilled the oil on mine once and until I reduced the level it  smoked quite a bit. Guess the excessive oil level caused more vapors.

  Yes I did just change the oil. It was right on the money before I changed it, so it wasn't using oil and the same afterwards. I checked it for two days before I ran it. That's what's so strange.   It's just my luck, I could fall in a bucket breasts and come up sucking my thumb.  I'll get it fixed and everything will be fine.  If you missed an earlier post it was smoking like  I was using 2 cycle gas this morning.  Brought it home and sat it in the garage doorway and started looking thing over. Took the filter off and saw a fair emount of white oily film on the inside of the filter gasket. Started it up and saw a lot of vapor coming out the tube coming from the valve cover.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Retired Sparky

[stevasaurus 23,276]

You know, if you want to really brainstorm...maybe a few pictures of what we are looking at...maybe a video of it running.  It is going to be really hard for anyone to guess what you have going on by the 3 sentences you posted at the start of this thread.  Maybe you did not mean anything by it, but I feel a little put off by your response when I was just trying to help with what little information was given. 

[Retired Sparky 526]

2 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

You know, if you want to really brainstorm...maybe a few pictures of what we are looking at...maybe a video of it running.  It is going to be really hard for anyone to guess what you have going on by the 3 sentences you posted at the start of this thread.  Maybe you did not mean anything by it, but I feel a little put off by your response when I was just trying to help with what little information was given. 

Please don't feel that way.  This cut into my day and I was looking for every avenue for help. 

[Howie 899]

I think if it was a head gasket one would see it blowing residue out between block and head. This almost seems like maybe oil is maybe

contaminated with gas. Hard to see on the dipstick, I have dealt with issues like this multiple times when a carb leaks and a portion will

end up in the crankcase overfilling it. Get blown out the crankcase vent which in this case is the hose to air filter. I think I would drain the

crankcase just to prove to myself whether or no to much liquid in there. I have gotten three quarts out of a crankcase that is to have one

and half quarts. That thing will smoke for fifteen minutes until exhaust has the residue burnt out of it.

[Retired Sparky 526]

16 minutes ago, Howie said:

I think if it was a head gasket one would see it blowing residue out between block and head. This almost seems like maybe oil is maybe

contaminated with gas. Hard to see on the dipstick, I have dealt with issues like this multiple times when a carb leaks and a portion will

end up in the crankcase overfilling it. Get blown out the crankcase vent which in this case is the hose to air filter. I think I would drain the

crankcase just to prove to myself whether or no to much liquid in there. I have gotten three quarts out of a crankcase that is to have one

and half quarts. That thing will smoke for fifteen minutes until exhaust has the residue burnt out of it.

I'm only using 20 oz. What ever it is it's pressure coming out of the base. It's puffing.

[Howie 899]

I guess what i was trying to convey was when a carb leaks on a lot of those some of that gas will end up in the crankcase. When

that happens there will be too much in the crankcase. When it is run it will push the excess out the breather tube into the carb.

If it is a head gasket it would probably have to be in the push rod valley to push pressure into the crankcase I believe. I have 

seen a lot of these do what you are describing and it has boiled down to a needle and seat leaking and gas getting inside the engine.

[Howie 899]

Have been thinking about this problem, from years of servicing these engines when draining these one will never get all the oil out

I'd maybe crankcase. So if it calls for 20 ounces of oil it will be overflowed if that much put back in. The other thought is on some of

these engines if it has the screw in dipstick some screw in to check level and some just stick down in to threads to check level.