Deckman001
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 posted on 3/5/21 at 11:39 AM |
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x flow oil loss via dip-stick tube issue
Hi all,
Anyone out there with any experience of the above issue on x flows ?
Mine has a modified sump with baffles around the pick up point, and it seams to have a very similar capacity to the original.
Am getting a lot of oil being pumped up the dip stick tube, but nothing in the crank case breather catch tank, which I have already checked for
correct operation and was fine. Are there any cheap fixes for this issue or do i need to remember to carry around a spare 5L of oil each time I go out
in it?( and put a warning on the back of the car for following drivers 
Jason
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myke pocock
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 12:35 PM |
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Have you cleaned the crank case breather out? I think it is called the PCV but someone will no doubt know exactly.
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strongrb
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 01:07 PM |
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Oil loss from dipstick
Hi Jason, I may be able to help. Myke was on the right track. Yes it is called a PCV (positive crankcase ventilation).
Many years ago I had a MkII 440 Cortina, with a 1600 GT motor. The motor had a lot of miles (not Kilometers) on the clock. When I was fanging it, the
dip stick would be blown out of the tube.
Found out the reason: The motor suffered from piston blowby, into the sump. The breather & PCV were severely blocked, so the pressure had to go
somewhere. So the dipstick was blown out.
So I removed the breather & PCV, & soaked them in kero, then gave them a good flust out. Made sure the PCV was working again. This solved the
dipstick issue.
The PCV has a hose that goes to the inlet manifold, just below the carby. The idea is to suck oil vapour out of the sump & into the combustion
chamber, to be burnt with the fuel.
With a motor in good nick, this should not be a problem.
Hope this helps.
Roy
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 01:51 PM |
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I had problems with mine when it was running a carb , even removing the PCV and fitting a breather housing and catch tank, I found dropping the oil
level to halfway between max and min helped
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Deckman001
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 03:16 PM |
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Hi all, your replies will be of use to people so any more please do, just an update, when i stripped it down, there was oil in the sump so probably
why i didn't get an oil light show or a drop in pressure. I sadly found that my newly refurbished head was at fault and the valve head had
parted from the stem and dropped into the bore destroying the piston. I guess time will tell if I can get a refund from the head supplier so that a
new engine can be sourced.
 
Description
 
Description
Jason
[Edited on 3/5/21 by Deckman001]
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adithorp
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 04:24 PM |
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From the picture it appears all the valves were hitting the pistons.Something very wrong for that to happen.
Also surprised your post was about oil out the dipstick when it must have been knocking very loud and running on three cylinders.
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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r1_pete
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 05:23 PM |
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Seen similar when a chap fitted thin cometic gaskets instead of the stock thickness, the 25 or so thou enabled contact...
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jester
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 06:45 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Deckman001
Hi all, your replies will be of use to people so any more please do, just an update, when i stripped it down, there was oil in the sump so probably
why i didn't get an oil light show or a drop in pressure. I sadly found that my newly refurbished head was at fault and the valve head had
parted from the stem and dropped into the bore destroying the piston. I guess time will tell if I can get a refund from the head supplier so that a
new engine can be sourced.
Description
Description
Jason
[Edited on 3/5/21 by Deckman001]
I feel gutted for you. As you have not long got the car passed on the IVA. & summer was here ( less this coming week ) 
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perksy
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 07:28 PM |
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S**t that's bad
Just wondering if the valve has seized in the guide and its gone pear-shaped from there?
What's the bore like and has it damaged/bent the rod?
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 07:48 PM |
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Did you check valve to piston clearance when you rebuilt the engine? ISTR mentioning it at one point?
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adithorp
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 09:25 PM |
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This doesn't look like a head rebuild issue to me. Seeing the valve marking on all pistons would suggest the valve broke as a result of those
impacts. The head would have needed a hell of a skim to cause that. Has this got a high lift cam and the clearance not been checked? That'd be a
more likely culprit to my thinking.
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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BLing
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| posted on 3/5/21 at 10:07 PM |
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I'm not an Xflow expert but I thought the pistons without valve cutouts went with the early blocks/heads that had small combustion chambers.
See: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-1600-GT-and-E-Cross-Flow-Cortina-2737E-4-new-pistons-060-O-S-1967-1970-/273661110198 from the text "To suit
the 2737E and 68IF Early engine blocks fitted with the combustion chambered cylinder heads".
The flat heads go with pistons with valve cutouts see:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-1-6-1600-Xflow-X-flow-Crossflow-Formula-Ford-STD-Bore-MAHLE-Pistons-/133713298473
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joneh
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 07:51 AM |
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Looks like chamfered head pistons in a flat head set up. Wrong pistons for that head.
Either way, they smashed together and unlikely the head is at fault unless they put the whole thing together for you. I think you have to chalk this
down to experience, albeit an expensive one.
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snapper
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 07:59 AM |
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It is clear that the engine was built with high compression pistons, probably from a 1.3 or 1.1 engine, a high lift camshaft fitted and no cutouts in
the pistons.
The witness marks are quite severe meaning that calculations were wrong (or never done) and plasticine test to see if valves get close to pistons was
also not done.
If the full engine was built for you tell us who did it so we don’t buy from them.
If it was a short engine then you’ll be liable for the damage.
I just get the feeling there is more to this story that’s being said...
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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nick205
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 10:12 AM |
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The engine must have been making a hell of a noise with a valve clattering about and it must have been way down on power too?
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perksy
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 10:44 AM |
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Looking at the damage, Surely this can’t of been turned over freely by hand first before starting it
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Deckman001
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 06:03 PM |
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Hi all, yes it was slightly noisier than i expected but others assumed it was due to being in a 7 and not housed in an escort.
The valves weren't checked for clearances as i had assumed the cam was giving the same lifts so definitely my bad and yes it's being
chalked up as my fault and an expensive lesson the learn. The valves had/were hitting the pistons so yes it eventually gave up and caused the damage,
Am glad it lasted enough to get me through the IVA so at least I'm in no hurry to sort it while i sort finances too. Thankfully the bore is
untouched so very lucky there, the bearings are also perfect so I have gotten away with them too.
So it just needs a new piston/rings, a machine job to put pockets into all pistons and a head along with a complete gasket set and a few tubes of the
correct silicon joint stuff.
I had a fantastic morning out driving it though so it was only the end results that it now appears was over due and was expectant at any point it
would seam.
Jason
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Deckman001
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 06:12 PM |
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The engine was sourced many many moons ago as was stated as being a tuned engine. When i took it apart after failing emissions at IVA i found
everything to be std so just assumed it was a std 711 engine. I fitted the mexico head from a similar aged engine so had assumed it was a std fit.
Yes my bad, It turned over freely so no hint of issues when assembled. It mad fantastic power for that 90 mile first drive, it kept up with bigger
engined 7's so maybe it was over compressed so I'll need to check that when it goes back together.
I'll still need to cure the oil leak/spray up the dip stick tube though.
Jason
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joneh
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 06:17 PM |
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Let me know when you've assessed the damage etc. I've got a spare head (needs a clean and new valves) that you're welcome to.
I'm sure I have some slightly over sized 1300 pistons somewhere and various other bits to help with a rebuild if required.
Jon
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steve m
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 08:32 PM |
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OH dear, mate
I do wish i could of built that engine for you, and i did offer,
The pistons MUST be pocketed, to accomodate the valves, and even more so if a high lift cam is used,
Did the head have unleaded inserts fitted, as if so, that was a waste of money, as they fall out, ive had it twice both heads from the same company,
and when i tried to take it further, was told to F*** ***f
Xflows will run for years with unleaded, and a fuel subsitute in the tank
if you take the engine apart, i would NOT use the conrods or any of the pistons, as the all of the rods and surviving pistons will be damaged, and if
used again, will cause more headaches later, i know, ive been there !
steve
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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Deckman001
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| posted on 4/5/21 at 08:50 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by steve m
OH dear, mate
I do wish i could of built that engine for you, and i did offer,
The pistons MUST be pocketed, to accomodate the valves, and even more so if a high lift cam is used,
Did the head have unleaded inserts fitted, as if so, that was a waste of money, as they fall out, ive had it twice both heads from the same company,
and when i tried to take it further, was told to F*** ***f
Xflows will run for years with unleaded, and a fuel subsitute in the tank
if you take the engine apart, i would NOT use the conrods or any of the pistons, as the all of the rods and surviving pistons will be damaged, and if
used again, will cause more headaches later, i know, ive been there !
steve
Hi Steve, yeah I wish I could have afforded to get someone to build the engine but to keep costs down I assembled it myself, yeah quite a mistake
😔
The engine is now out and the rods and pistons removed, thankfully the bearings are still like new so a save there anyway.
Am going to consider what to do next regarding pistons and rods as new ones of those are likely to be in the £400 mark which I can’t afford yet.
Jason
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Deckman001
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| posted on 6/5/21 at 04:08 PM |
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Hi all, just to confirm to those who thought the engine was built wrong, you are correct, the pistons are not meant to be used for a flat head !!
D'oh so a chambered head has been sought, I will get it assessed and ready for the rebuild once I've sorted the pistons and rods issue.
Anyone got a spare sump gasket and rocker gasket as I've got spares for all the other ones i need ?
Jason
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 6/5/21 at 04:44 PM |
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If you used a competition sump gasket from Burtons they can be reused.
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steve m
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| posted on 6/5/21 at 07:27 PM |
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So to conclude, you used a flat bottom head, with standard pistons, and a high lift cam ?
Im surprised the whole lot didnt seize on initial startup
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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Westy1994
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| posted on 7/5/21 at 02:22 AM |
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I am astonished that the first post in this thread failed to mention what would have been a huge loss of power and who knows how much racket, and
instead wanted to know why the dip stick was behaving oddly????.
That aside, what cam was fitted and how much had the block been skimmed if any?. May i ask who built this motor just so i dont accidently use them in
the future.
As for gaskets, come on, they are cheap enough get some form Burtons for gawd sake.
sorry just peeved a xflow is ill.
http://stopjunkcalls.org.uk/forum
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