Installed a PCV oil separator

[gto78]

I've done this on a few of my vehicles and it's always well worth it. This is a cheapo oil separator from Harbor Freight $10. I installed it between the PCV valve and intake on my Expedition. The reason for this mod is to prevent oil from reaching the intake system. I have a consumption problem right now also, with no leaks and no smoke. This separator is collecting about a shot glass each 150 miles.

I don't know how long its been consuming oil, but it has 141,000 miles and I just bought it recently. The intake is probably an oily mess.

The top image is emptied, the bottom image is after a 100 miles.

 

[440Magnum]

People don't realize how much oil a PCV system can consume. A shot glass every 150 miles adds up. 10 shot glasses in 1500 miles is a substantial fraction of a quart.

 

[demarpaint]

Nice! Do you have a part number from Harbor Freight?

Thanks!

 

[PhillyJoe]

I've seen these discussed on a few places and it seems like a very d-i-y project.
And yes I would agree that your intake is an oily mess. But that could be your next project.

 

[gto78]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
People don't realize how much oil a PCV system can consume. A shot glass every 150 miles adds up. 10 shot glasses in 1500 miles is a substantial fraction of a quart.


The consumption was worse before the last oil change. It used to be about a quart every 800 miles. This last oil change I used Valvoline Max life 5W20 and a bottle of Avblend. Looks like the consumption after 800 miles is going to be about 1/3 of a quart?

 

[gto78]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Nice! Do you have a part number from Harbor Freight?

Thanks!


Sorry I don't have a part #. Harbor freight has a local store and I just looked through all the cheap air tool water separators till I got the lowest price. I think any one will work. Then just get some 3/8" hose barb fittings. I may remove the useless pressure gauge and replace with a vacuum gauge.

Home depot and Lowes also have cheap air tool water separators.

 

[stuntboy79]

Originally Posted By: gto78
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
People don't realize how much oil a PCV system can consume. A shot glass every 150 miles adds up. 10 shot glasses in 1500 miles is a substantial fraction of a quart.


The consumption was worse before the last oil change. It used to be about a quart every 800 miles. This last oil change I used Valvoline Max life 5W20 and a bottle of Avblend. Looks like the consumption after 800 miles is going to be about 1/3 of a quart?


I wonder if we will see this mod from the factory as a polution control device? I am about to put one on my car to see how much it collects.

 

[onion]

I've always thought that these were a neat idea. It would be even neater to add a drain valve that opens when vacuum goes away... so that the catch can drains back into the oil pan whenever the engine is shut off. But I'm not nearly ambitious enough to put that together.

 

[SteveSRT8]

if you ran a catch can and saw what accumulates in there you would definitely not want it to drain back into the pan!

 

[shrooms]

Is this it? http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/air-accessories/air-line-filter-43242.html

Doesn't come with connectors though.

 

[gto78]

That's it. I had cranked the adjustment knob all the way open so it's not restricting at all. Also I think I removed the stone filter because it's too restrictive for oil. Basically mine's just using gravity to collect all the oil that's in the airflow.

When the air enters this separator it doesn't have a direct see thru flow pattern. Instead it has to make an immediate 90 degree turn downward into the bowl. So any oil that might be airborn is going to splatter the wall in the top of that orange block and then gravity pulls it to the bottom.

I'm guessing that if I left the stone in there it would filter even better (if it doesn't clog the stone up).

 

[onion]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
if you ran a catch can and saw what accumulates in there you would definitely not want it to drain back into the pan!


Ok, I'll just drain it out on the ground.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
if you ran a catch can and saw what accumulates in there you would definitely not want it to drain back into the pan!


That depends on the PCV system. If its a system that is known to suck in too much oil mist, then you very much DO want to return the good oil to the crankcase, but you want to have it fixed so that it drains back after every engine shutdown. What you don't want to do is hold the oil in the catch chamber for days or weeks and let blow-by gases percolate through it and turn it into fudge, THEN drain it back into the crankcase.

 

[gto78]

This last oil change I overfilled by mistake, so I'm just getting rid of the excess oil in the separator. I think a return drain valve would be a better mod. It would easily work with vacuum pulling the drain valve closed and gravity returning the oil during shut down.

We use the same thing on a lot of aircraft engines to drain excess intake system fuel from priming the engine. They're called "sniffle valves". The intake system is underneath the engine for various reasons, and before starting you prime it. The fuel naturally tries to puddle at the bottom of the intake system so the sniffle valve lets it drip out onto the ground. The EPA loves that part....

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: gto78
This last oil change I overfilled by mistake, so I'm just getting rid of the excess oil in the separator. I think a return drain valve would be a better mod. It would easily work with vacuum pulling the drain valve closed and gravity returning the oil during shut down.

We use the same thing on a lot of aircraft engines to drain excess intake system fuel from priming the engine. They're called "sniffle valves". The intake system is underneath the engine for various reasons, and before starting you prime it. The fuel naturally tries to puddle at the bottom of the intake system so the sniffle valve lets it drip out onto the ground. The EPA loves that part....


IF the EPA had its way, every time the Commemorative Air Force started up one of their radial-engined birds the tarmac would be declared a superfund site. Its amazing what a lake of oil and fuel a radial can leave behind. And of course the fuel is leaded, too.... ;-)

 

[gto78]

That's the Radial's way of "marking it's territory"

 

[willix]

I have just compleated the seperator install. Everything was a Home Depot under $20 supplied part except the 3/8 nylon fuel line I wish I thought of the uncobbled together oil separators as used in the OP's application. I'll be courious to see the rate of vapor captured.

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[hooligan24]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
if you ran a catch can and saw what accumulates in there you would definitely not want it to drain back into the pan!


this is what I got out of my catch can. I agree, I wouldnt put it back in the sump. Look at the moisture/fuel/oil seperation

 

[SIXSPEED]

Originally Posted By: gto78
This last oil change I overfilled by mistake, so I'm just getting rid of the excess oil in the separator.

It's better to drain the excess oil from the pan directly rather than a teaspoon at a time.

 

[gto78]

Nice pics Hooligan, my Explorer used to get some moisture in it similar to that but not nearly that bad. The Expedition hasn't shown any moisture yet. Different design engines obviously result in more or less moisture in the crankcase.

The most important part in my opinion is the simple fact that the way the EPA wants our engines to run (since they're such experts on combustion engines) with all that gooey oily Craap being sucked through the intake system via the PCV valve. PCV valves are 30+ year old technology. Billions of dollars spent by automakers on electronics and other improvements but it still boils down to one gaping hole in every engine's efficiency. That's the PCV valve causing your engine to ingest this stuff.

I can't believe that every car on the road doesn't have this simple oil separator on it when it costs so little and prevents so much intake system contamination.