Get rid of Oil Seperator?

[warringtonjack]

In the course of putting my front mount on, the original oil separator is (just) in the way of the pipe run. I'll be putting a catch tank on anyway, and was wondering if you can just ditch the oil separator?

If you can ditch it, is it best to block off the inlet and outlet pipe, or connect the two together with a short length of hose?

Comments appreciated.

 

[creedy]

i have my catch tank plumbed into those pipes...

 

[youngsyp]

When I put my catch tank in, quite some time ago, I attached the catch tank, via the supplied hose, to the outlet that normally goes back to the induction pipe. Obviously, you'll need to block off the pipe coming out of the induction hose. With the Cusco catch tank, you get a alloy bung to be able to do this. Then, I connected the pipe that goes to the OE separator, from the rocker cover (or near enough) to the pipe that goes from the OE separator into the sump (removing the OE separator in the process) with a length of 16mm I/D Samco hose. I then use the outlet of the Cusco catch tank to vent to atmosphere. Ideally you'd stick one of those crankcase vent filters on this but, I've yet to do this !

So, pretty much as you've said !

Cheers

Paul

 

[warringtonjack]

Cheers fella. Thats what i thought, best to check tho.

 

[dobby]

sorry to bring up an old thread but I need a question answered.
An oil catch can and the forge oil separator. Are these the same thing? I thought the oil separator had condensing plates inside. Does the catch can also have them?

Cheers

Mark.

 

[Fast Guy]

A catch tank tends to be just that, it catches the oil and just sits there until emptied.
The Forge seperator replaces the origional separator,so drains back to the sump. I don't know what's inside it tho.

 

[dobby]

ok thanks
Do you think it would be a good idea to wait for trax to get discount with forge?

 

[EVOBAD]

ul be fine using oil catch tank some guys just put a pipe ther & do away with the separetor anyway just plum the catch tank ther no problems

 

[youngsyp]

sorry to bring up an old thread but I need a question answered.
An oil catch can and the forge oil separator. Are these the same thing? I thought the oil separator had condensing plates inside. Does the catch can also have them?

Cheers

Mark.

My Cusco catch tank has a plate up the middle of it that, I guess acts as a separator/conderser plate.

Mine just seems to collect condensation that needs emptying every few weeks. That could be because of all the small journeys I make though !

My latest set up has the Cusco catch tank connected to one of the rocker cover outlets. I've blocked off the other rocker cover outlet and the metal pipe that goes back ito the sump too. I did this as I was worried about some of that water, in the catch tank, draining back into the sump !

Seems to work well now but, I think I may bin the catch tank altogether and just have the rocker cover, venting to atmosphere, through a vent filter. Seeing as I don't seem to be getting any blow by mist !

 

[Odin]

and the metal pipe that goes back into the sump too. I did this as I was worried about some of that water, in the catch tank, draining back into the sump !

I don't think that the crank case out let is really just a return, I think it lets the crank case breath as well as taking back any oil that goes into the standard catch tank, Also I think that it is important to have one of the catch tank pipes going back to the inlet so drawing any crank case gases out of the engine, The oil would still condense in the catch tank, So it would only be drawing in the gases.

Well that's my thoughts anyway.


Rob

 

[youngsyp]

I don't think that the crank case out let is really just a return, I think it lets the crank case breath as well as taking back any oil that goes into the standard catch tank, Also I think that it is important to have one of the catch tank pipes going back to the inlet so drawing any crank case gases out of the engine, The oil would still condense in the catch tank, So it would only be drawing in the gases.

Well that's my thoughts anyway.


Rob

Thinking about it Rob, you could be right. I mean, on the stock set up, you have the separator connected to the sump 'drain' and the rocker cover outlet, connected to the rubber inlet pipe. In theory, that would mean the crankcase breathes up through the 'drain', into the separator (where it would catch the majority of any oil, and allow it to drain back when under light load and the engine is off) and out through the rocker cover outlet, into the rubber intake hose.
Hmmm, I think I'll redo mine, to how it was again !

I don't agree with any breather pipe being connected back to the inlet track though. The engine will make more than enough pressure to push the crank case gases out, without the need for a vacuum.
Im my opinion, all you'll be doing is covering the inlet track with oil mist, possibly diluting your fuel and warming the intake charge !

Paul

 

[Odin]

Im my opinion, all you'll be doing is covering the inlet track with oil mist, possibly diluting your fuel and warming the intake charge !

Paul

I can see your point Paul but I think it's a long way for any gases to get pushed out on their own accord , Also because it's a fair distance I'd of thought that the gases would of had ample time to cool down ;-) .

But on the other hand I did run for over two years with out it plumbed back into the inlet, My worry is was this a factor in the eventual demise of my engine or not ? :? .

Just a few points to think about ;-) .


Rob

 

[youngsyp]

I can see your point Paul but I think it's a long way for any gases to get pushed out on their own accord , Also because it's a fair distance I'd of thought that the gases would of had ample time to cool down ;-) .

But on the other hand I did run for over two years with out it plumbed back into the inlet, My worry is was this a factor in the eventual demise of my engine or not ? :? .

Just a few points to think about ;-) .


Rob

Even with my catch tank on at least a metre away from the rocker cover outlet, there is still a good pulse of pressure at the atmosphere vent end. And that's at idle.

And I can't see any detrimental effects from not having the crank case gases vent back into the inlet track ?! As with yours, mines been running like it for 2 years plus (probably 25k miles) and mine still runs as well, if not better than it did when I picked it up. It doesn't use any oil, coolant levels stay the same etc...

Of course, if there was incontrovertable proof that not having the breather system connected up as stock, would cause harm, I'd revert back instantly. However, from the research I've done, there isn't and it just seems like it was designed that way, to meet regulations !

Again though, I would want to tell you or any one what to do with their set up. If you or they want to do it a specific way, good luck to you and them. As long as you're happy !

Paul

 

[Odin]

Even with my catch tank on at least a metre away from the rocker cover outlet, there is still a good pulse of pressure at the atmosphere vent end. And that's at idle.

I suppose it depends on just how hard your engine is breathing, I'm sure a worn engine would have more crank case pressure to deal with, I'm just thinking about how hard a new properly run in engine would be breathing :? .

I'm also going to unblock the rocker cover breather on the drivers side as well, And run that to a catch tank of some sort.

As far as catch tanks go I think the best ones would have some kind of stainless steel wool inside them, So as the gases go through it any oil gets condensed and only air is draw out into the inlet.

Well I'll just have to keep researching the subject I guess ;-) .



Rob

 

[youngsyp]

As far as catch tanks go I think the best ones would have some kind of stainless steel wool inside them, So as the gases go through it any oil gets condensed and only air is draw out into the inlet.


Rob

Totally agree with you on that one Robby boy ! ;-)

Paul

 

[nimhbk]

still confused
over the weekend re routed the intercooller pipes to make them shorter
now the separator will not fit
I have now put a pipe from the bottom return pipe ( the one Close the turbo) to the pipe from the crankcase (the one which heads out towards the front of the car ) then from the other crankcase pipe, to my Cusco oil catch tank.
Then vented the opposite part of the catch tank to air using a crankcase filter.
And then plugged the air intake pipe.
Question is am i on the right lines or have i fu""ed it up

 

[saddler]

photo's would help //

 

[nimhbk]

Hard enough working the computer, let alone adding pictures bud

 

[noriek2003]

the standard breather set up is as follows.

crankcase to seperator, top of seperator t's into the rocker cover breather, this then goes to the inlet, the inlet draws air up from the crankcase and out of the rocker cover, the pcv is a seperate breather and wont be affected by changing what you have done. The standard seperator, does exactly what the name suggests, seperates oil from the blowby out of the crankcase.

doing what you have done, wont fook anything up, you just no longer have the intake pulling the air/blowby out of the rocker or crankcase, you are relying on the positive pressure caused by the blowby to push out the air into the catch tank...no big deal

 

[Fast Guy]

doing what you have done, wont fook anything up, you just no longer have the intake pulling the air/blowby out of the rocker or crankcase, you are relying on the positive pressure caused by the blowby to push out the air into the catch tank...no big deal

With a decent condition engine you'll have a small vacuum in the crankcase. This is probably better for the crank rotating as air is also a fluid which the crank has to cut through, so the less, the better.

Also, I think positive presure in the crank can cause turbos to smoke as it can upset the oil flow through the bearing or something (can't remember what it was exactly) so for me, keeping it plumbed into the intake is a good idea.