Ms fowler, thanks for the clarification. I was not fixated on how the multi grades worked. I was only really guessing. Basically you are saying they do not thin out as readily as single grades do. Your description sounds completely reasonable. Actually it was my father that told me years ago that multigrade oils will not maintain the viscocity of their higher indicated viscosty number as well as the same single weights at operational temperature. He discussed this with me when I had a car burning some oil. He suggested at the next oil change to replace the 10-30 with straight 30. There is no easy way to really quantify what this change did exactly. But actual oil consumption dropped to about 1/2 and tailpipe emissions dropped as well. Made me a believer anyways. Probably multi grade oils have further improved since those long ago days. On the otherhand the apparent effect may still be there. The original multi grade push as well was that they protect like a certain viscosity. Not that they actually have it. Marketing perhaps basically. Disclaimer, this was not meant as any attempt to start an oil thread by me. I freely admit that everyones choice of oils and applications not limited to change intervals is better than mine.

OK, so I did the "tea-kettle dance" thing with the CCV attached to the air cleaner. It barely moved, but did sputter a teeny bit of oil onto the valve cover.
I also tried the pressure buildup trick I found in an earlier thread. Basically, you pull the CCV tube from the air cleaner and plug it, I used my gloved thumb. Engine should die in more than 5 seconds. Took mine about 15. I'll consider that good. When the engine finally did die, it let out a mighty whoosh when I unplugged it. When I started it it had quite a lot of oil and fuel in the combustion chambers that took a minute or two to clear out. I'm fairly encouraged by that result.

__________________
1978 Ford F-150 351M
2002 Kia Spectra 1.8l 5-sp
1985 Volkswagen Scirocco 8V 1.8l 5sp
1985 MB 300D Turbo California

"Die Natur verabscheut Vakuum"

$years ago I put a new engine in my 240D 77, the old engine with about 300K miles had developed a healthy amount of blowby but was running just fine, but then something happened that made me go for a new motor.
I was driving on the freeway at about 65-70 mph, for reasons unknown to me the valve cover cap had come loose and out. When I stopped I could smell oil, popped the hood and hollllly shiiiit, the enire engine was totally coated in fresh steamming black oil, eveything, including the radiator, fan belts and all.
That did it to me, it was time for a new motor.

Vahe
240D 77

Sheesh! Same thing happened to me but my fix was MUCH easier. I just de-greased the motor, got a new oil cap, and double checked the oil level. MUCH cheaper than a new motor!!

Since you have established your car is not putting the oil cap into orbit. It seems your car is well within limits as long as this test was done with the engine at moderate temperatures. How was the the air cleaner area?

Fairly clean. Just a light coating of oil and dust.

__________________
1978 Ford F-150 351M
2002 Kia Spectra 1.8l 5-sp
1985 Volkswagen Scirocco 8V 1.8l 5sp
1985 MB 300D Turbo California

"Die Natur verabscheut Vakuum"