CCV Failure?
 

It has been ridiculously cold here in New England as many of you know. I had a nice smokey burnt oil smell ride into work today. Looks like a CCV failure? Seems coolant is def. mixing with oil. Light smoke was coming from under plastic engine cover also. Fun.

Kinda doubt if coolant is mixing with the oil, more likely it's condensation from the combustion gases in the crankcase is mixing with the oil. That burnt oil smell is oil leaking from the head onto the exhaust. Looks like in addition to the CCV you will also need to do the VCG. If you do have coolant mixing with the oil, you will also need to do a HG.

Getting it towed to my local indy...what a way to start the weekend.

The VCG and oil cap is the last place for the built up pressure to go.

When was the last time the CCV was replaced? My original valve and hoses made it to 11 years old before needing to be replaced, although the last winter was pushing it. I'd say under normal and not extreme conditions you should be able to get close to 10 years out of it, which for your 06, is about right. It's time.

Its a Aug. 06 in service so one of the final E53's. Only 50K miles on her. I believe it has the insulated CCV on her already. I don't know if it was manufactured that way or it was done as part of the service bulletin. Did they even manufacture them with the insulated version?

I don't believe it was factory equipped ever with the cold weather CCV. You'd find out if it has the cold weather CCV if you look from under the car at the dipstick return hose, if that is insulated it most likely was replaced at some point.

As well, the hose that clips onto the front of the Valve cover, is that insulated at all or just bare plastic? That would tell you.

The top hose on the intake runner has insulation on it from the factory but none of the other hoses do. My valve was stamped 9/03 when I removed it in 6/14, all parts were original.

MAKE SURE the dealership replaces the dipstick guide tube with the cold weather, single walled version. There is a TSB for this.

Doesn't matter if 50k miles or 150k miles, these uninsulated valves and hoses get condensate paste built up over multiple winters and have to be either run really hot to get rid of excess moisture, or periodically CCV/hoses replaced. I had 75k when I changed mine and it was definitely time, don't think I would have gotten through this winter if I didnt do it over the summer.

You can see the insulation jacket on the pipe that connects near the center top. So the dipstick should also be replaced regardless if its already the insulated version?

Dipstick guide tube isn't insulated, but the cold weather version is a newer design and eliminates the double wall. You'll need a new o-ring too that seals it to the oil pan if replacing. I don't recommend replacing with cold weather version unless you do the updated guide tube as well, because thats just leaving an additional point of failure IMO

You mean the VC hose is insulated already? I.E. the one that hooks up just under the big plastic shroud by the fan.

Don't look at the hose by the intake runners, that is irrelevant. Just curious to find out if its already been replaced, I'm finding more and more that me getting 11 yrs out of original CCV is rare, must be my driving habits and the MT that help.

here is the SIB for the E53 3.0, which has the part number for the updated dipstick guide tube:

http://chrisparente.com/Images/530/CCV-SIB110803.pdf

Thanks Ricky for the SIB.

Yes. The front top approx. center connection just below the plastic engine cover. It has insulation on it.

It must have been done previously then. I'd be surprised if they actually did the guide tube though, most of the time the dealer just does the valve and the 2 hoses as a shortcut.

Make sure you do a HOT oil change after getting the job done, and please avoid short trips in these temps when the X cant get up to operating temp.

Also turn the IHKA off completely for a few mins when the X is cold, keeps the fan off and helps the engine heat up quicker.