I have noticed recently after a hard drive my dipstick pops out. I only noticed by chance as it doesn't affect the idle. the breather is a spec r vented to atmosphere and the car runs about 14 psi. the dipstick does pull out the tube with minimal effort by hand. am I been overly optimistic when I think its just a worn/loose dipstick or could it be a sealing ring that's failed? the motor only has a couple of thousand miles on it sine been built

 

Is your rocker cover cap quite a tight fit as I had this yrs ago and it was excessive crank pressure but mine was the cap blowing off, does the engine note change on idle if you pull out the dipstick?

 

It's popping out due to crank case pressure
This could be as simple as a blocked breather or as serious as the block being worn and it being blow by

 

the cap is one of those crappy aftermarket ones with a grub screw holding it in place which is why it hasn't popped off there. ill try clean the breathers ect. the engine note doesn't even change let alone stall when the dip stick is pulled

 

in which case it'll more than likely be a simple blocked breather

think they had an actual filter for the breathers in some of them which might need cleaning out

but i might be on about the fiesta

 

It won't change or stall as you are breathing to atmosphere so will have the metering unit return blocked I'm guessing?
But yes as Dojj has said, check your hoses are not blocked mate.

 

thanks karl. yes the metering end is blanked. I never thought about that doh!!! ill give the pipes/breather a good clean, fingers crossed

 

just a quick update/ I gave the breather and hoses and flush through yesterday and went out, gave it a big of a kicking and the dipstick is still in place. do they have a habit of getting shitted up in that baffled bit of the rocker cover aswell? I may try giving that a good clean for good measure.

 

Not sure you can get a replacement metal filter so just give it a decent clean in petrol overnight

 

cheers dojj