Found Oil in the Intake Plenum. Any Ideas?

[pepperpicker7191]

I was checking my spark plugs today and after taking off the balance tube that runs over the back two spark plugs I found oil in my intake plenum. There was a sizeable amount and in some places there were puddles of oil. There was also oil in the balance tube so I am fairly possitive thats where its coming from. Any ideas why there is oil coming out of the tube?

[GerryO]

How's the dipstick oil level? No signs of coolant in the oil? Too high an oil level can cause oil to go where it's not supposed to, backing up through the crankcase ventillation and into the plenum. Sticky PCV valves and clogged EGR tubes? The inside of the plenum will be a little wet.

And this is part of what I found here http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq....html:

If the PCV valve gets plugged, here's what happens, roughly in order:

1. Excess crankcase pressure begins to back up the engine's breather tube, into the intake air tube upstream of the throttle body 2. Engine management system senses absence of air from plugged PCV valve, and adjusts fuel mixture accordingly. Engine makes slightly less power. 3. Oil begins to be pumped into the air intake tube through the breather hose, upstream of the throttle plate. 4. Oil runs down the intake tube into the throttle body. 5. Oil sludges up the throttle body and throttle plate. Gas pedal starts to get sticky. Airflow reduced. Engine management adjusts mixture again. More power loss, possible poor driveability. 6. Idle Air Control (IAC or EACV) valve gets contaminated and begins to stick. 7. IAC cannot adjust idle air mixture to compensate for plugged PCV valve. Idle drops, may become erratic as throttle plate cannot close completely. 8. Oil drips into intake manifold runners. Blue smoke seen out of tailpipe. 9. Breather tube begins to get constricted from oil contamination and airflow is reduced. Crankcase pressure mounts dramatically. 10. Oil pushed past valve guide oil seals. More blue smoke. 11. Dripping on driveway as oil is pushed past seals.

[Sgt]

Once you have determined that it isn't a severe problem, you can look at a catch can.

http://www.conceptzperformance...e=300

Catches blow-by oil.

[pepperpicker7191]

So basically it looks like I have a bad pcv valve which needs replaced? My oil level looks right and no I dont believe there is any coolant in the oil. Could oil in the intake plenum cause hesitation and loss of power because everytime i get onto it from a dead stop its like my car is being held back by a bungie cord. The rpms go up but the car just doesnt have as much power. But if i let it rev to about 3k in first and then get onto it the car will scream like its supposed to.

[GerryO]

Your engine has two PCV valves and the balance tube simply connects the two sides of the plenum.

It sounds like other items that affect performance would be contaminated by as a result of clogged PCV valves and excessive oil in the plenum.

There's more about the catch can and the passenger's side PCV valve at:

http://www.mdsmarthome.com/z/Z...F%27s
Modified by GerryO at 8:37 PM 1/9/2009