Oil "breather" hose to Air intake

[Stewartn]

Catalina 34 MK ll, # 1472, Yr built 2000, Engine Universal 35B.
There is a hose coming from the top of the valve cover on the engine that ends by simply tucked under the foam cover on the air filter. I understand why, but it is a really bad solution to Positive Crankcase Ventilation. Those fumes stink up the engine space and more. On later Universal models there is a fitting on the engine air intake throat that accepts and firmly attaches the hose and captures the fumes.
So anyone retrofit ? Doesn't seem like rocket science, but I'd like some reassurance and advice of parts used, etc. Any help is appreciated.
Stewart Napoleon
Desiree, C34, #1472
OGYC

[Stu Jackson]

From the tech wiki, engines, misc. projects:

Options to Route Crankcase Breather Hose to Air Intake VIEW THE PDF


You'll have to go to the wiki and click on the view... link itself.

[KWKloeber]

Stewart,

Look to see if your intake manifold has a knock out next to the intake throat.  You can get a push-in friction-fit hose nipple from Kubota for that knockout (that is used for the breather on some of the tractor models.)  I recently did that on an M25-XPB.  Another option - you can drill/tap the throat for an NPT x hose barb.  Stuff a rag in there to catch drillings/tapping shards and that will work as well as the Kb hose nipple.  Alternately, use the method that Stu points to that I put on the TW (and take pics!!).

Cheers,
Ken

[jmcdonald]

I built a small air/oil separator (basically a vessel with a lot of baffles) and ran the hose from the
engine to the separator and then to the air filter. No mess at the air filter, and no bad odors in
the cabin. I drain the separator about every 15 hours. I get less than an ounce out of it,
The best part is the no mess at the engine intake.

[Ed Shankle]

Stewart,
An option to Jim's approach is buying an in-line filter. One of the other owners (Corey maybe?) submitted a project for installing it, including who to buy it from (JEGS). Captures the oil vapors coming thru that hose and attaches to the air filter housing. I installed one a couple of years ago. Big difference in aroma control. A few other members did the same and noted similar results. I'm sure you can find it with a search.

Ed

[Jim Hardesty]

look here

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=5650.0

As I said there it was an improvement.
Jim

[KWKloeber]

I guess there's many ways to skin a cat, but what is the porpoise or benefit of capturing/baffling, whatever -- and then needing to either handle/dispose of material, or dump it back into the air intake -- where it can go in the first place and be done with it?   
Dunno what I'm missing 

We seem to like to reinvent wheels instead of using OEMs or mfgr recommendations. Maybe that's just sailors' ways 
On the newer B series engines on many tractors, the OEM (Kubota) method (like auto engines) -- is to use the vacuum of the intake manifold to capture and dispose of the blow by.

Confused,
kk

[jmcdonald]

KK,
I don't think the separator is some kind of giant mechanical improvement for our
little desiels. But, it does make for a cleaner, neater engine compartment.
On engines like mine that are older (rather than younger) there always seems to
be a little more oily vapor to make things messy. The separator just seems to help
keep things neat & clean.

John

[KWKloeber]

KK,
I don't think the separator is some kind of giant mechanical improvement for our
little desiels. But, it does make for a cleaner, neater engine compartment.
On engines like mine that are older (rather than younger) there always seems to
be a little more oily vapor to make things messy. The separator just seems to help
keep things neat & clean.

John

Ok but I still am missing how it. or something similar, is better (meaning cleaner engine compartment? less odor?) than just sucking in all the goo and burning it up?

Ken

[jmcdonald]

Ken,
I used to run the vent hose right  to a fitting on the air cleaner. The inside of the air cleaner
would get pretty "gunky". I noticed that the air throat of the manifold would begin to get
a coating also.  I know when the air horn on a carb on a gas engine gets dirty, it can effect
the performance of the engine. On our little engines it probably barley makes a difference
if the air intake is a little oily, but I feel better for having tried to make a  difference.
Also, I swear, some how some of those oily little vapors escaped to the area around there
to coat that side of the engine & attract dust and stuff to dirty up that part of the engine.
Now, the engine does stay a little cleaner.
Besides, it can hurt anything to use one.
John

[KWKloeber]

Ken,
I used to run the vent hose right  to a fitting on the air cleaner. The inside of the air cleaner
would get pretty "gunky". I noticed that the air throat of the manifold would begin to get
a coating also.  I know when the air horn on a carb on a gas engine gets dirty, it can effect
the performance of the engine. On our little engines it probably barley makes a difference
if the air intake is a little oily, but I feel better for having tried to make a  difference.
Also, I swear, some how some of those oily little vapors escaped to the area around there
to coat that side of the engine & attract dust and stuff to dirty up that part of the engine.
Now, the engine does stay a little cleaner.
Besides, it can hurt anything to use one.
John

Ok roger on that.  Yeah, I doubt that the manifold getting a little oily is any issue, though if vapors escape somehow sure that would be a little stinky.  I haven;t noticed any oil blowing by my intake and settling on the engine.

ken

[Indian Falls]

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=7546.0
This is what I did right or wrong it's been just fine for 6 years.  No smell, no fumes, no oil residue in the engine compartment.  There is a concern with oil being pushed out the breather and going into the engine as fuel and causing a runaway, but I think you'll have way bigger engine problems before you ever see this happen.  Until I'm burning oil, hard starting and low compression with noticeable oil consumption I'm not worried.

[Roc]

Stewart,
Your hull number is just a few away from mine...  My hose is placed right next to the foam cover.  Been like that since new.  The hose is cut at an angle, so the end rests squarely against the foam cover.  I never noticed any smell in the engine compartment.  You say there has been a change from Universal (Westerbeke) on this where they attached the hose directly to the cover?  Never saw it.  But maybe you can call them and see how much a retrofit might cost.  Might be easier just to install the OEM upgrade.

[Noah]

Crossed off another project this weekend. Drilled and tapped air filter canister and installed 3/8 NPT to 1/2 hose barb fitting and 1/2 hose to valve cover breather.

[KWKloeber]

Sweeeet!   

kk