check out my oil separator

[94 Cobra 5.0]

So i finally got around to installing an oil separator. Cost me a whole whopping 35 bucks total because i redid all my vacuum lines on the car at the same time. Anyway, I popped the hood to check and see if there was any oil in it and this is what i found.

So for driving 5 days, 30 miles a day this seems like alot of oil to me. Trying to get some ideas if this is normal compared to other that have one installed, or do I need to be doing some more diag to find out what the problem is.
My engine also does have almost 157,000 miles on it. Last time i did a compression test all the cylinders were between 149 psi all the way up to 160 psi.
Cold oil pressure is almost 65 psi (mechanical gauge) and when the engine is hot thepressure is around 25 psi at idle. No major engine work has been done that I know of. I personally have only replaced the timing chain, oil pump, and to my knowledge its still running factory head gaskets.

Hope this info helps and let the fun begin.

 

[Al J]

Some questions:
1-Do you usually add oil between changes?
2-How often do you change the oil?
3-Synthetic or fossil opl?
4-Did your car smoke on start-up before the separator install?

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

My engine also does have almost 157,000 miles on it. Last time i did a compression test all the cylinders were between 149 psi all the way up to 160 psi.

Judging by the amount of oil in the oil/air separator, it looks like you're getting a small amount of blowby past worn piston rings. It's not bad though and your engine could go several thousand miles more before needing a rebuild. Even then you might only need a rehone with new rings.
Oil pressures are healthy so chances are rod/main bearings are still good.

 

[94 Cobra 5.0]

1. Yes usually have to add 2 quarts inbetween oil changes due to leaking rear main and what was evidently getting sucked into the intake.
2. oil is changed every 3,000 mi
3. motorcraft 10w30 blended syn
4. and as far as the smoking, not that i know of because i have dumps on the car. i have seen it smoke if i get on it pretty hard but that about all i have seen.

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

The leaking rear main could be made worse by having high crankcase pressures due to combustion gases blowing by worn piston rings. Your oil/air separator might slow down the rear main leak by relieving some of the pressure in the crankcase. That said, your blowby problem sounds fairly mild.
You could try a slightly thicker grade of oil (15W-40) if the problem gets worse.

 

[94 Cobra 5.0]

Well I was figuring that the problem was related to the rings but come the first of the year I have a budget of about $2,000 so im trying to figure out what I need to fix / replace on the car and in what priority. Seems like if the engine is heading south for the winter that the engine just became my new priority. So now here is the new question. Should I

1. Replace of rebuild my motor to save on cost and throw some bolt on parts on it while im at it.

2. Call up dss and get a built 331 stroker and just run with the heads i have for now.

3. Drive it till it blows up and post the carnage pics here on stangnet.

Thanks for the help.

 

[HISSIN50]

Do a leakdown test.

Also, you might find the separator element becomes clogged. This will make your RMS leak worse.


Good luck.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Your engine won't blow up unless you decide to overrev it. It's far more likely that the oil consumption will gradually get worse until you see blue smoke from the tailpipe. I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon so the way I see it, you have four options:

1. Keep driving it until the engine smokes like a chimney.
2. Do a stock bottom end rebuild and add an aftermarket top end kit for performance.
3. Rebuild into a 331 or 347 stroker and add a top end kit.
4. Buy a crate 331 or 347 stroker and swap it in.

Think about how much you can afford to spend and weigh up the options.

 

[Al J]

Your engine won't blow up unless you decide to overrev it. It's far more likely that the oil consumption will gradually get worse until you see blue smoke from the tailpipe. I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon so the way I see it, you have four options:

1. Keep driving it until the engine smokes like a chimney.
2. Do a stock bottom end rebuild and add an aftermarket top end kit for performance.
3. Rebuild into a 331 or 347 stroker and add a top end kit.
4. Buy a crate 331 or 347 stroker and swap it in.

Think about how much you can afford to spend and weigh up the options.

That about sums it up.