Oily mess with Paxton

[ViperGeorge]

I have an 06 with a Paxton. I also have an oily mess driver's side front in front of power steering reservoir and near Paxton bypass. This engine is brand new and problem existed with prior engine. Oil lines have been replaced as have power steering lines (although I'm pretty sure this is engine oil and not power steering fluid). I have vent lines on both valve covers going to a catch can with breather. The catch can is on the opposite side of the engine from the mess and that area is bone dry, the catch can itself is also empty even after long and hard runs so the engine is still tight.

The Paxton blower and its oil lines are over on the passenger side as well and again appear dry. The bypass valve is on the driver's side in the vicinity of the oil mess but it is very hard to get to without taking out the intercooler tank, air box and then some. Is it possible that my oil mess is coming from the bypass valve or its breather? The fans blow the oil around so it is very hard to pinpoint its origin. I believe that any oil required by the Paxton should be contained only in the blower (on the passenger side). However I suppose its possible that the seals in the Paxton could be shot allowing oil to flow into intake charge and out the bypass vent. If they are they've been shot since the thing was new.

Given all the stock Viper oil lines have been replaced I don't believe the stock parts are at fault. I never had the problem before the Paxton. Does anyone have any other ideas what might be causing this?

Thanks

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Pull the top elbow before throttle body and look for oil. If this is clean pull the hose at the bottom of the intercooler. Sometimes if you had oil blow by it can pool here and then get blown out of the breather over time.

 

[GR8_ASP]

My guess as well in that it is seal leakage in the supercharger coming out of the bypass. I added a small filter in addition to the bronze filter on the bypass housing as well (partly due to breaking the bronze piece off). I did notice a llittle oil in the vicinity before adding the filter.

 

[ViperGeorge]

GR8 ASP, what type of filter did you add? I saw that small brass cone thingy and didn't even know what it was. What does it do? I thought maybe the oil was blowing out of the bigger round breather filter but it actually seems dryer than most everywhere else. The little brass cone thingy also looks dry.

Mark, I plan on pulling the hose to the throttle body today to check for oil. Getting to the bottom hose looks to be a nightmare though. I didn't install the Paxton myself so I'm not too sure how hard it would be to get to. I know the fans are driven by power steering fluid so I was wondering whether the fans are leaking somehow, but then again power steering fluid is supposed to be red isn't it? One other thing, while cleaning up the engine compartment to help maybe in isolating the leak I noticed that the power steering pulley appears to have a diagonal crack running through the part that contacts the belt. Have you ever seen this before?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Once you remove the airbox it will be pretty easy, not easy, but pretty easy to access.

GR8 ASP, what type of filter did you add? I saw that small brass cone thingy and didn't even know what it was. What does it do? I thought maybe the oil was blowing out of the bigger round breather filter but it actually seems dryer than most everywhere else. The little brass cone thingy also looks dry.

Mark, I plan on pulling the hose to the throttle body today to check for oil. Getting to the bottom hose looks to be a nightmare though. I didn't install the Paxton myself so I'm not too sure how hard it would be to get to. I know the fans are driven by power steering fluid so I was wondering whether the fans are leaking somehow, but then again power steering fluid is supposed to be red isn't it? One other thing, while cleaning up the engine compartment to help maybe in isolating the leak I noticed that the power steering pulley appears to have a diagonal crack running through the part that contacts the belt. Have you ever seen this before?

 

[ViperGeorge]

Mark, I pulled the throttle tube off and there was a pool of oil in the bottom so I guess I need to get the blower rebuilt. Correct?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Mark, I pulled the throttle tube off and there was a pool of oil in the bottom so I guess I need to get the blower rebuilt. Correct?

If there is no vent lines going to the intake side and none feeding into the TB then I would say yes you better pull the blower and have it inspected/repaired. You can contact Paxton directly or I can help with that also. I might have missed it but are you the original purchaser?

 

[ViperGeorge]

Yes, I am the original purchaser. I've already called Paxton. By the way did you see the question about the cracked power steering pulley?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

The pulley has a splice across the ribs from the factory.

 

[GR8_ASP]

Mark, I pulled the throttle tube off and there was a pool of oil in the bottom so I guess I need to get the blower rebuilt. Correct?

The PCV make-up air line comes into the air box. When you take the filter out is there significant oil wetting inside of the air box?

There are basically 2 ways for oil to get into the supercharger outlet side. One by leakage past the supercharger seals. And secondly by oil expulsion from the make-up air hose.

Have you done anything to the PCV system? Catch can improperly installed or a check valve installed backwards or malfunctioning would cause excessively high make-up air flow outwards. But the signs would be evident inside the air box..

 

[ViperGeorge]

The PCV make-up air line comes into the air box. When you take the filter out is there significant oil wetting inside of the air box?

There are basically 2 ways for oil to get into the supercharger outlet side. One by leakage past the supercharger seals. And secondly by oil expulsion from the make-up air hose.

Have you done anything to the PCV system? Catch can improperly installed or a check valve installed backwards or malfunctioning would cause excessively high make-up air flow outwards. But the signs would be evident inside the air box..

Hmmmm. I haven't made any changes to the PCV system. I do have a a single catch can connected to both valve covers but that is a new addition. The oily mess has been with me longer. The catch can is virtually dry even after very long drives (>1000 miles).

What would cause the make up air hose to expel oil into the inlet side? I have checked the inlet side and there is a sign of oil there. How do I prevent it? What do I need to check? Can I close off this line given I have a catch can?

 

[Dan Cragin]

Most likely you have oil coming out the bypass filter, this could indicate a leaky blower seal or excessive engine blowby. Does the crankcase have a separate breather system installed?

 

[GR8_ASP]

No. He contacted me and indicated that there was no PCV valve in place. Without the PCV valve he was pressurizing the crankcase and flowing out the make-up air lline at a high rate. With boost you must have a PCV valve with a check valve preventing pressurization of the crankcase.

 

[ILLSMOQ]

This has been a problem for many Paxton guys. I had to take mine off and send it back to Paxton twice before the problem was corrected.

It's an internal seal.

 

[ViperGeorge]

Most likely you have oil coming out the bypass filter, this could indicate a leaky blower seal or excessive engine blowby. Does the crankcase have a separate breather system installed?

I've spoken to Paxton. The unit goes back for seals. There is oil pooling in the output tubes. I don't believe there is excessive oil going into the make up air tube as the airbox and input side is mostly free of oil. In any event the PCV is in place now but the problem persists. The engine is brand spanking new, just built by Arrow to SC specs (lower ring lands, forged internals, but stock compression). I do have a catch can on the valve covers but it remains virtually empty. Definitely seems like seals. Thing is its done this since new. I should have sent the darn thing back a while ago.

 

[ViperGeorge]

Most likely you have oil coming out the bypass filter, this could indicate a leaky blower seal or excessive engine blowby. Does the crankcase have a separate breather system installed?

This has been a problem for many Paxton guys. I had to take mine off and send it back to Paxton twice before the problem was corrected.

It's an internal seal.

Do you think they now know how to fix this the first time? It is a pain to have to remove the darn thing and I definitely don't want to do it twice.

 

[ILLSMOQ]

Do you think they now know how to fix this the first time? It is a pain to have to remove the darn thing and I definitely don't want to do it twice.

Yes, it is a pain to pull that thing off....especially that last nut just under the blower.

Yes, I do think they know how to fix it...but will they? just keep your fingers crossed

 

[ViperGeorge]

So I sent the unit back to Paxton for new seals. They were giving me a real hard time about covering it under warranty because they said some plastic seal on the pulley was missing. No idea where it went since I never took it off nor did I change the pulley. They also said pulley was bent a bit and should be replaced. Finally got them to agree to do seals under warranty and told them I would pay for a new pulley.

Got the blower back and reinstalled. They charged me for a pulley but never replaced it. More phone calls to Paxton. The oily mess is also still present. I'm betting they never did the seals. Now I have to send the thing back one more time. This is a royal pain.

 

[dragon rider]

Sorry to hear about your problem. They took 5-6 months and still didn't do the job correctly. That is BS. It's one thing to have part failure, crap happens, but there is no excuse for poor customer service.

 

[vpower01]

wow sorry to hear that...note to self, never buy one.