Engine "breathing" through oil filler hole when open.

[David Erhahon]

Good day everyone,

I’m hoping to get a little help here and avoid any major issues.

I opened the oil filler cap of an ’05 accord while engine was running at idle and the engine was literally breathing heavily through it. As in, I held a paper closely above it and the paper was flapping vigorously.
Please what could be likely issues? Or is this normal?

Could it be bad valve stem seals, worn piston rings, any other?

NB:-
No fault codes stored so far. CEL is off.
No smoke from exhaust whatsoever.
Blocked off the PCV valve but it was the same thing.
No running issues observed yet. Maybe only a slight loss of power just after decelerating.

2005 Accord 2.4L, EX-L.

Thanks in advance.

Topic

[Richard Kirshy]

My first suggestion would be to confirm the operation of the entire PCV system.
If that checks out, you can do a leak down test on each cylinder to see if it is bypass via worn rings.
Might also try a compression test.

[David Erhahon]

OK.
Thanks.

I’ll do that tomorrow and give feedback.

[David Erhahon]

Checked PCV valve today. It seems fine. It’s not clogged. I cleaned it anyway. Hose was not clogged also. There’s vacuum with engine on. No oil in the house. Very little oil is present in the PCV valve itself.

I will need to take it out for a compression test as I don’t have the tools for that.

Thanks again.

[Richard Kirshy]

Just a thought..
Might consider free renting the required tools from a local autozone, or perhaps purchasing them from harbor freight.
Unless you have a friend at a shop that is will to do you a favor, might be cost effective to buy the tools rather than to pay a shop.

[David Erhahon]

Would have done that (autozone) if I were in the US.

Thanks for the advice though. Well received.
I will try to purchase one locally.

[David Erhahon]

In another forum, people say such crankcase high vacuum is normal in Honda cars.
Nevertheless, I will perform the compression test when I get the tool.

[David Erhahon]

OK.
So I finally realized that there is a breather chamber and breather tube which link the the crankcase and the air intake hose/tube; on the 2.4L engine.

I bet this explains it.

Thanks for all the help, Richard.

[Author]

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