Air/Oil Separator Question

[Bobio]

EDIT: Was just thinking this is probably not the most appropriate forum, moderators please move if need be.

Hey all,

I installed an air/oil separator on my 2001 Mustang GT last night in an effort to try and slow down the oil making it through the PCV system into the intake. Seems to be a common problem with modular motors.

Anyhoo, put it on last night and drove the car just 60 miles today and was shocked to find there is already oil in the separator. Is this normal?

 

[darkdan]

#1 How many miles on your engine?
#2 How do you keep the engine bay so clean?

Also, throw in a few more important details like, type of oil, when was the last time you changed your PCV valve, etc.

Usually not a huge problem on modular motors except for the boosted guys. However, it never hurts.

 

[Gary Allan]

Hmm ...let's do a two step over to Mechanical ..

 

[Bobio]

Sure thing, the car is a 2001 Mustang GT with 58K miles. I typically run Mobil 1 5w30 but, right now it has Mobil Clean 5000 5w30 and a Motorcraft FL820S filter. Typical oil change interval is about 5K. I recently did a single Auto-Rx treatment and run a maintenance dose of LC every 1K. The PCV filter was changed when I installed the separator and I usually change the PCV filter annually with a Motorcraft part. I commute 60 miles a day about half highway and half city.

Lastly to clean the motor I just use a bit of Orange Blast, an assortment of brushes and a light misting of water to rinse it all off. For a dressing, right now it has CD2 Engine Detail Spray on it but, I am not that happy with it so I may try Meguiars Hyper Dressing. The CD2 is just a bit too greasy.

 

[nickmckinney]

Originally posted by Bobio:

Anyhoo, put it on last night and drove the car just 60 miles today and was shocked to find there is already oil in the separator. Is this normal?

QUOTE]


Yup, an after about 1~2K miles if you pull the air elbow off you might see the bottom of the intake finally not have an oil puddle.

My Dakota is actually the worst. I think manual transmissions are worse as whenever you downshift you get a seriously higher vacuum for longer than with an automatic. I can fill that seperator up on the Dakota twice as fast as my 4.6 mod.

Just unscrew the plastic cover everytime you get gas, dump the oil back into the valve cover, and move on down the road.

 

[mechtech]

That residue may be not only oil, but other condensed liquids that increase the volume.
A V8 will have more blow by products than many of the smaller engines around, now.

 

[boxcartommie22]

i got rid of the above and i bought the really good ones from accurate machine works catch can..go look at their web site

 

[robbobster]

You'll get a little oil right from the get-go. It's doing its job.

I usually dump up my little separators every 600 miles or so. I have two - one per bank. They get about 1/4 full after 600 miles.

Mechtech may be on to something there. It isn't golden M1 that I see in my catch cans. Looks more like super-aerated, dirty brown oil.

 

[boxcartommie22]

why would you need a catch can on the clean air side? that air comes from filtered air from your air filter

 

[Bobio]

Actually if you follow the hose from the left side of the separator it is connected to the PCV valve in the cam cover and the flow is from there through the separator and into the intake on the right.

 

[boxcartommie22]

not on my 4.6 2 valve vic...there is a line on the drivers side connected to the clean air from the filter and then a line from the clean air filter to the other side of the throttle body..thats it..only one line from pcv to the intake

 

[Bobio]

Lets just sufice it to say that the line on my 4.6 is running from the PCV valve to the separator and then to the intake. The fact that it has captured oil should tell you that it is working. Keep in mind that in my picture I have removed the air box and air tube all the way up to the throttle body for the install. What also may be confusing is that the airbox on the Mustang is on the Passenger side whereas on the Crown Vic it is on the driver side I believe so things may be routed a little differently.

Here is a pic of the motor before the install.

 

[boxcartommie22]

thank you bob, i have mine between the pcv and the intake also and it catchs oil but not alot even on my cobra engine in my conti.only one line from the filtered air to the non pcv valve cover and the there is one line from the pcv to the intake...i haven't converted my expy yet but it has two lines connected to the pcv valve one goes to the intake and i haven't checked yet where the other one went too

 

[boxcartommie22]

ok i followed your lies and there configured like mine...one line followed from the air tube to the drivers side valve cover..then from your pcv on the passenger going from the pcv around the top of your engine into the separator and then conts. to the front on the intake..that configures just like mine..

 

[boxcartommie22]

ok isee where the difference is..the front line goes from intake out to both the drivers side and the pass. side..unlike mine

 

[Bobio]

I was initially concerned when it caught what seemed like a lot of oil that first day but, it has slowed down considerably but I can see that it is still working.

 

[robbobster]

quote:

---

Originally posted by boxcartommie22:
why would you need a catch can on the clean air side? that air comes from filtered air from your air filter

---

The air still has oil in it. Boost pressure from the blower means I get oily air from both sides. Each side looks like they collect about the same amount. I don't want that oil going back into my blower inlet, where it will make it's way into my intercooler and muck things up.

 

[boxcartommie22]

on the side with no pcv valve the clean air is sucked into the engine and circulates down around the engine and sucked out in the pcv valve then into the intake manifold..

 

[shoz123]

On my '97 Taurus SHO I run mine through a baffled 3" x 9" aluminum tube. this has a self draining feature when the engine shuts off. Keeps the intake extremely clean.