AAZ advice needed, oil breather etc

[Gnarlodious]

To be honest I really want to help you. However it means I would be repeating myself for the third time on this one discussion. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.

Someone earlier contradicted my claim that the puck was not designed to run at 50º, so to not start a nasty argument I did not refute that assertion. However what you are seeing is oil burping out of the puck, which collects oil at its lowest point. In the normal vertical-engined position, the puck drains its oil down into the cam area. I don’t know why I am repeating myself again, I get tired of continually typing this stuff in the vain expection that people will take me seriously.

So I will bow out of this discussion, good luck solving your problem.
_________________
Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[artacoma]

[artacoma]

So while fiddling with this I found that the grommet between the puck and valve cover was split right through so I cobbled together a replacement with what I had on hand and remounted the puck level using a curved bit of hose , so I reinstated the cc vent and will run this for a few days and see what the can collects, I'm still hooked up to the intake.
If this works with out siphoning too much oil , I'll replace the zap straps with some sort of brace arrangement.
Re reading the previous posts what Gnar says makes sense because for the last week I've been using my truck for work and bombing around town in stop and start traffic so if gets goosed every couple of blocks it is going to want to blow any puddling oil through.

_________________
Cheers
Rik
86 Syncro Tintop
2.5 Subie
86 Doka
2.5 Subie

[zuhandenheit]

Well, I made a somewhat embarrassing but ultimately happy discovery --

After modifying my intake to accept a hose from the breather, I took a 70 mph drive and was very disappointed to see oil dripping from my muffler! I looked over everything again, and found that there was no oil on the inside of the rear valence - where it would have sprayed if the oil had come from the dipstick tube.

And then I found that the tube is loose where it mounts to the oil pan! I'm pretty sure that's the source of the oil I've recently seen on my muffler after highway runs.

When oil was pushed out of my dipstick tube, it likewise dripped onto the muffler.

It's possible that this happened previously just because my catch can and tubing was too restrictive. I wasn't seeing oil in the catch can and so left the vent hose just hanging down (I never saw oil drips. I don't love the idea of bypassing emissions controls, but have been focused just on getting things running well.)

However, as a temporary measure, I ran a hose from the unused, original dipstick to my catch can, hoping this would help me keep the motor vented. The can DID collect a lot of oil while it was plumbed like this. So I have been building too much pressure, even though the oil on my muffler has had a different cause.

My (original diesel vanagon) dipstick tube has some cracks at the base, and I've made several repair attempts. I tried a few kinds of epoxy, which all failed. Most recently I tried silicone (The Right Stuff) which seems to be working. But when I reinstalled, I guess I didn't fully tighten the bolts.

The next thing I'd like to do is run the vent through my catch can, maybe just as a test to see how much oil I'm losing (when I'm venting to the intake).

[artacoma]

Sigh .... in one day ~ 30kms i got about 10mm of oil in my catch can ...
So making the the pcv puck level made no difference at all.
I ordered another puck from a different source in the off chance that the one I have is defective.
For now If going to block off the intake hose and vent to atmosphere with catch can and some sort of filter/diffuser on the end.
_________________
Cheers
Rik
86 Syncro Tintop
2.5 Subie
86 Doka
2.5 Subie

[?Waldo?]

To be clear, oil separation is not the primary purpose of the puck. The main purpose of the puck is to block the crankcase vent if it sees any significant negative pressure from the intake hose. That negative pressure can occur from any intake restriction (e.g. dirty air filter). It blocks the crank vent in that situation in order to prevent engine runaway. That said, the amount of oil you are describing is alarming and would have me concerned about runaway even with the puck fitted.

[dom777]

I haven't had much time to drive the van since fitting the breather, bit that's going to change when we go for a road trip tomorrow and Sunday..
I have read lots of ideas on this subject over the past few weeks. Many thanks everyone, I have learned loads!!
I would just like to ask one question: does anyone have an AAZ that does NOT leak from this area?
Cheers
Dom
_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!

[Team WorldTour]

Um, mine doesn't anymore.
I ran into ignition switch issues on my last trip, but a 3 hour run on the Autobahn with no oil on the backdoor is a win for me.
Plus, it was more of an aspiration to hit 120kph before the fix.
This time, it came repeatedly as a surprise!
_________________
1990 Feldjäger Syncro AAZ
Click to view image
H6 Subaru Engine Swap Thread
WV2ZZZ25ZFH094138(x)/ WV2YB0257LH057308(x)/ WV2ZZZ25ZLG113270/
"Where am I going? And what am I doing in this handbasket?" -Nicodemus Jordan
When All Else Fails: Lather, Rinse, Repeat!

[zuhandenheit]

Yeah, mine is currently okay

[dom777]

And you guys have the standard puck with two outlets?
Cheers
Dom
_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!

[Team WorldTour]

As seen in the previously posted pictures, yeah.
Plus, mine is plumbed in to the intake before the turbo.
_________________
1990 Feldjäger Syncro AAZ
Click to view image
H6 Subaru Engine Swap Thread
WV2ZZZ25ZFH094138(x)/ WV2YB0257LH057308(x)/ WV2ZZZ25ZLG113270/
"Where am I going? And what am I doing in this handbasket?" -Nicodemus Jordan
When All Else Fails: Lather, Rinse, Repeat!

[Gnarlodious]

[zuhandenheit]

[dom777]

I've taken the van out this weekend (Yep, coldest night of the year and me and the kids camped out!). The trip was only 80 miles or so, but looking under the van, briefly, after parking; I cannot see the usual black drop on the drive. Fingers crossed! I would investigate more but we are all knackered from the camp out
Dom
_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!

[dom777]

Still leaking, just the same
Back to the drawing board then...
_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!

[dom777]

Quick question: can I move my air box out of the way with the engine ruining so I can watch the leak from above? I have the standard round air filter housing that obscures the view of the leak.
Cheers
Dom

_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!

[Team WorldTour]

As long as you aren't using it to vacuum the carpets, it would be fine. Just don't drive anywhere.

Oh, and of course, take pictures!
_________________
1990 Feldjäger Syncro AAZ
Click to view image
H6 Subaru Engine Swap Thread
WV2ZZZ25ZFH094138(x)/ WV2YB0257LH057308(x)/ WV2ZZZ25ZLG113270/
"Where am I going? And what am I doing in this handbasket?" -Nicodemus Jordan
When All Else Fails: Lather, Rinse, Repeat!

[dom777]

The leak is here, I'm sure. Could it be so simple that the hose clip is not up to the task? ( It does have one on, hard to see on the photo)

Cheers
Dom
_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!

[dom777]

Or there shouldn't be any oil at all going through those pipes
_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!

[dom777]

I don't know why some have this leak and some don't, with (I'm guessing) identical set ups.
Would in be (apart from rude and environmentally not great) the end of the world if I left the leak to continue? It's getting above my knowledge here and don't know the way forward.
Dom
_________________
UK living - 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Pop Top - Wolfram Grey - AAZ 1.9TD - Manual - Imported from California via Chicago and Ireland. My First Van!