my air filter in my 91 civic dx is filling up with oil. since this has been happening there's been a noticible loss of power. and the car has been idling really low/sometimes stalling at lights and such. (but i dont htink the stalling is related to the oil; just a separate problem) input, anyone?
thanks.

 

Check the PCV valve. Take the PCV valve out, and shake it. It should make a rattling sound. Also, run the motor, pull the PCV valve out and check if there in vacuum in the valve. I'm pretty sure thats how you test it (im too lazy to get my auto book to check)

 

if that checks out ok --start the car & take off your oil cap & see if u got a lot of blow-by puffin out--if so --might be bad rings

 

Another way to check the rings is to run a compression test, but you will need a compression ring. My question is how does piston ring blowby cause oil in the air filter?

 

ok so i took out the pcv valve and it was still good, lots of vaccuum thru it too.

took off the oil cap, lots of smoke pourin out. i don't know how much is normal so i cant really say if it was too much.

is it possible that the oil coudl get sucked into the intake thru the breather hose? is it bad to run the car without that hooked up?

 

If you are getting oil in your breather from too much pressure in your oil from bad ring/s then it is probably a bad idea to run it anyway until you figure out what it is. You will be losing oil, and run the risk of ruining gaskets.

 

yea i think the car's just ****ed. drove it today and like, it had nothin. like only half the power it should and it was smoking like crazy.

 

Run a comp test and post the results, that way you will be able to find out if the rings are blown.

 

lol i dont know how to do that.

i'll have to take it to a garage next week i guess.