Oil Spewing from Oil Filler Hole of Valve Cover
 

Yesterday on the 190E 2.3, I removed the oil filler cap from the valve cover while the engine was running, and noticed that there was pressure being blown up into the valve cover and that oil splashed out similar to hot oil splashing from a frying pan.

What is the likely cause of this pressure and what is the solution?

Just How much oil is splashing up? A little being slung from the cam/valve gear OK..Itf you have a Lot of air and oil blowing out your oil filler cap you likely have ring issues..

Jonathan

The car does not burn or use oil. Only 100,000 miles on it. Could a valve be out of adjustment thus letting compression escape?

I've seen this on many 190 2.3's and thought the engine was ready to die. However, the symptoms were not accompanied by excessive oil consumption, poor running issues, or anything else out of the ordinary. Many 10's of thousands of miles later the blowby was the same and the car performed just fine. IMHP just live with it until the engine exhibits some running deficit. Mark

Mark... that news is quite a relief. I had visions of the engine collapsing in upon itself. I'm nominating you "Hero of the Day" for September 15, 2009.

Is the top end ticking horribly? These valves are hydraulic so something would have to seriously be awry for it to be holding the valve open..

If you're not eating oil, I'd agree with the above.. I've got a 2.3 in the shop now, 143K, fired it up and opened filler cap, no excessive blow by here, but 2.3's aren't so much my thing either...!

Jonathan

It's the strangest thing...if an I-6 or V8 came into your shop you would think the engine was going to its grave but for some reason it isn't so with a 2.3 that is otherwise running properly and isn't smoking or knocking. While I wouldn't buy a 2.3 that exhibited this "air compressor" phenomenon unless I found it at a suitably discounted price, if I owned one I would just continue to drive it and not worry about it. Mark