engine and drivetrain Valve Cover Breather

[M3M3]

ive seen lots of people run an little air filter on that breather outlet, i thought it didnt harm anything. is it really that bad of an idea? where do most of your guys mount your catch cans?

see my post #2 in this thread.....i have cleaned up the mess they make, not pretty.

Edited July 23, 2013 by mlytle

[peterschop]

ive seen lots of people run an little air filter on that breather outlet, i thought it didnt harm anything. is it really that bad of an idea? where do most of your guys mount your catch cans?

I've had my 02 over a year now and it came with a little air filter on the breather outlet. After I turned my car into a reliable runner, I spent the better part of an afternoon cleaning all the grime and dirt out of the engine compartment including the firewall. Now during spirited driving and high speed expressway driving, I can smell oil. The rear of my engine and firewall now has a fine film of oil on them. No puddles, just a fine film. It all needs to be wiped down again. Little filter needs to go.

 

I remember the days before cars had PCV valves, before EPA and other government agencies. They had down tubes that vented crankcase gases out of the engine straight onto the road between your tires. No one seemed to care. There were a lot less cars but when you drove down the road, you could see the build up of oil in the center of the road. I for one would rather put that oil in a catch can that can be drained and recycled with my used oil.

[paulram]

Got the oil catch can today in brushed finish.  Looks good and not too big.  Since it was fabricated, it looks that way.  I like the industrial look of the welds and that is looks handmade.

 

I'll try to mount the same spot as Marshall as there are holes already there.  May have to make a bracket of some kind.

[eurotrash]

I have been keen on re-purposing the left over brackets from my desmogging.  So I fabbed an adapter, by bolting the two enclosed brackets together, to mount mine on the firewall.. next to my re-purposed smog relays, which now power my fog lights..

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DRIFTING-HIGH-QUALITY-CAPACITY-BILLET-ALUMINUM-OIL-CATCH-RESERVOIR-TANK-CAN-JDM-/310620701024?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item48526fc160&vxp=mtr

 

 

Here's a video on what it catches, before it turns down and exits to atmosphere..

 

http://s283.photobucket.com/user/jasongipson/media/file-1.mp4.html

 

 

 

(The PCV valve was an experiment to see if it would help with Decel smoke out. It didn't help)

Edited July 25, 2013 by eurotrash

[peterschop]

As a project I need to do, are there any disadvantages of venting form the catch tank back into the carburetor? Or should it be vented to the atmosphere after the tank? 

[Robotin]

all seems pretty cool! has anyone ever just plugged the breather? all seems like a great idea. maybe i can think of some weird catch can to use!!

[tim385]

Plugging the breather???? Guess why its called a BREATHER!

[sirius815]

Got a good question to throw into the mix - how about routing to catch can and then having vacuum connected at the intake manifold?  High Vacuum at idle (little/no vacuum at high rpm) - include pcv valve here?

[AceAndrew]

all seems pretty cool! has anyone ever just plugged the breather?

 

Just made my day .....

 

For reference a race engine needs a bit more venting. ...

 

 

Number 13 after she got toasty ....

[Simeon]

all seems pretty cool! has anyone ever just plugged the breather? all seems like a great idea. maybe i can think of some weird catch can to use!!

Not a good idea unless oil leaks are your idea of fun

[gracer]

Anouther reason to leave the breather on the air cleaner is that the hose is always on the low atmosphere side of the filter.  This helps keep a vaccuum in the engine helping to eliminate oil leaks.  It also reduces pressure in the crankcase.  G

[sirius815]

So what about vacuum from the intake manifold - post throttle body?

[Simeon]

So what about vacuum from the intake manifold - post throttle body?

Unmetered air

[sirius815]

Enough to really throw off the afr?

[Simeon]

Enough to really throw off the afr?

Maybe not but given that the intake is a plentiful source of vacuum why would other manufacturers put a PCV valve in the exhaust in order to draw a vacuum?

Of course the original BMW breather includes a small source of direct vacuum but this is only small and is supposed to 'assist' the blow by into the carb.

To be fair the blow by produced by the engine is not really 'air' but the oily gas can definitely dilute the intake charge

Edited July 26, 2013 by Simeon