AAZ advice needed, oil breather etc

[dom777]

I need advice if my engine looks right, I believe the oil pipe/s have been capped off?

Hi there. I am a new van owner of an 87 Westy Vanagon. It was a petrol converted to diesel and has a separate oil radiator. This is my first van and first diesel. Please be gentle...

I posted a photo of my engine for something unrelated to a different site (changing belts). I received a few comments that my crankcase ventilation has been capped off and this could cause problems? I could blow my engine seals? I am very concerned about this and am a little scared to drive the van. I have searched through the topics but not finding the answers. There seems to be lots of knowledgeable guys on here. Can you help please? Bear in mind I know precious little about diesels

My questions, I guess:

Where is the blank plate, I can't see it? Can you point it out on the photo?
Is this a dangerous modification?
Should I reinstall some pipework?
Should I do this before driving it?

I need the answers in simple terms.

I thank you in advance

Cheers

Dom

[Igeo]

Pretty much dead center in the photo. It's the plate with the the allen bolts. I think the factory plumbing used a plastic pipe that connects that hole in the block to a hockey puck shaped breather on the valve cover. Hard to see that in the picture. That's the way it was on my old TDI. ID parts sells the pipe and the breather, but make sure your version of this motor actually used it.
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1987 Westfalia 2.1 WBX Manual

[MsTaboo]

Because the AAZ lays on it's side in the Vanagon the crankcase ventilation is a bit different than when the engine is installed upright.

The "cap" they mentioned is barely visible as Igeo says (on the crankcase, above and to the left of the alternator in your picture) and was stock in this application.
Here is a picture of my old Syncro Tristar which I added the extra "stock" vent tubes onto, debatable whether it was a good idea, as the tube allows too much oil vapor (and droplets) to reach the valve cover. This overwhelms the puck on top of the valve cover and causes oil drips.

Your best bet is to leave it as is.
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[Gnarlodious]

You most certainly do have ventilation but it is not stock AAZ. The plastic tube comes up from the block-off and goes into the “hockey puck” oil separator like this (on the right):

Normally the drain pipe comes out the left side of the separator, but I have an additional ventilating system.

The stock AAZ hockey puck separator has trouble running in the Vanagon at 50º because it was intended to run flat. It gradually accumulates a puddle of oil at the bottom, then when you hit the power curve it will suddenly blow that puddle out the pipe. The vertical AAZ engine the separator drains the oil back into the top pan, but Vanagon drivers need to install extra ventilation to prevent the puddle from blowing out. The older your engine gets the more trouble this separator is, because of increased blowby.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[?Waldo?]

The circle is around the block-off plate. The block-off plate was used on the 1.6 engines, but the AAZ engines got the upgraded crankcase ventilation. The arrow points to location of the crank vent from the valve cover. Please post another picture of that area. If no puck is fitted at all, which is what it looks like, then you run a much higher risk of engine runaway which is where the engine revs uncontrollably by burning its engine oil as fuel. This can both result in dangerous driving conditions (uncontrollable full power) and also engine damage from uncontrollable engine RPMs if you happen to push the clutch in.

[Gizmoman]

I re-did my valve cover and brazed a cover for the stock puck location, I then made a new location that made the puck sit level, Then I ran a large hose to a catch bottle. Not sure if it helped as I have several leaks still, but I know with the catch bottle, it will never "run away"
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82 Vanagon Westy - AAZ 1.9 TD, HE200 Holset, WAIC, 27.75 dia tires, Electric power steering, 5-speed AAP w/.078 5th
Oversize spare carrier - stock location (no longer for sale).

[?Waldo?]

The stock method of running the crank vent to the intake results in lower pressure in the crankcase than running to a catch can. The difference is not huge, but I can see how even slightly higher crankcase pressure could result in more oil leaks.

[Gizmoman]

[Team WorldTour]

Everyone stop!
You are all wrong!
I've had an AAZ for the last three years. I've had a VERY steep learning curve.
The plate you are asking about is STOCK, don't fuck with it! Your friend is WRONG.

Now, for the rest of you.

The puck on top of the motor works just fine. Mine is plumbed into the intake just before the turbo. The AAZ blows oil regardless. The valve cover wasn't designed to be laid over so far.
If you are able to examine a JX motor (the stock diesel motor), you will see the valve cover is bolted with 8 bolts around the perimeter. The AAZ only has three central bolts. With the hot oil pooling on the seam, the seal will always fail.
I'm currently trying to come up with a solution for that.


EDIT- Waldo nailed it.
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[dom777]

Thanks for the advice. I'll get some more photos up. It will be nice to have reassurance.

Cheers

Dom

[Gnarlodious]

[?Waldo?]

To be clear, the block-off plate was not fitted to the AAZ. A second tube was fitted that entered a second port on the AAZ hockey puck (pressure control valve). The same setup was used on the Mk3 TDI engines (AHU, 1Z, AFN). The block-off plate was fitted to the earlier 1.6 and 1.6TD engines.

The block-off plate is not an issue per se although the Mk3 crank vent is better.

Having a hockey puck fitted, either AAZ or 1.6TD IS a necessity IMO if you are running the crank vent to the intake.

[Team WorldTour]

[dom777]

Hi all. I have been out early to get some images of the engine. I can see all the areas discussed. So the engine does have a breather on the rocker cover, not from crankcase (as we knew). Do I leave this as is or introduce some breathing from crack to 'puck'. I have to mention, there is a small leak of no obvious origin, perhaps positive pressure in the crankcase is causing this?
In short, is it going to be an on-going hassle to fit new systems but better than leaving it OR leave as is and don't worry so much.

Thanks again for all the helpful advice!

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[T3messie]

That hose clamp is designed to go around the metal strip beneath it. Otherwise it should be good to go with that kind of breather.

In my 1Y (1,9 D NA) conversion I got without that hockey puck, because before on my 1,6 NA there was none.
Why do only the turbo engines have that puck and is it a problem to have none on the 1Y?

[Team WorldTour]

Hey dom, from the pictures posted, your engine looks to be in good shape. Can you post a picture of the turbo/ intake side?
As I said, you will always have an oil leak. The valve cover gasket isn't up to the task of being tilted over at 50°.
There is a heat shield that needs to be over the exhaust manifold. I found an aftermarket one on eBay. This will cut down on the burning oil stink. The air hose between the turbo and intake needs to be inspected. Without the mentioned heat shield, you can expect failure from thermal damage.
I've replaced mine with an orange silicone one (again) from eBay.
Also, the other end of the breather hose (from the puck) should be plumbed into the intake hose between the air cleaner and the turbo. This provides a negative pressure in the engine, and helps with the oil leaks around the seals.
_________________
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!

[o-town]

I have a Canadian market aaz with the breather tube coming out of the block where the original poster has the block off plate. I repositioned my hockey puck so that it sits flat, connecting to the block breather tube and valve cover breather, then over to the intake.

For the valve cover, a local VW diesel expert had me source a G60 valve cover and drill and tap the head to accept 8 studs around the perimeter to hold the valve cover on. To have a better valve cover seal than the standard AAZ set up. The cast g60 valve cover I have had to be internally clearanced a bit around the filler cap. I am going from 5 year old memories on this, pretty sure it is a g60 valve cover.

[T3messie]

Here is my setup

Head shaped, drilled and tapped to accept the 1,6 valve cover.

Is the hockey puck built to sit horizontally?

Edit: Gnarlodius made it clear above, and now Isee, the JX cover is shaped to set the puck horizontal. I will refit the puck on my cover.

[dom777]

As requested, I have taken some more photos. It's the best I can get this evening without removing the air filter housing (although I am sure that is not a big job?).. It looks like there is a a lot of splatter on the pipes. The leak on the floor has been coming from below the sump area on the opposite side, could the oil travel that far or is there a leak somewhere else? I don't have a ramp to have a good look underneath...
Thanks again for your help
Dom

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

[Gnarlodious]

I would just emphasize my point that the crankcase up-pipe is essential for older engines that have more blowby. Without it, blowby escapes through the head gasket while picking up oil vapor through the narrow holes. The up-pipe gives a large path that doesn’t saturate the blowby with vapor. You may not notice a problem until you get chronic oil vapor blowing out the breather tube which if vented into your intake condenses in your turbo cold side and you start to lose manifold pressure. Considering the amount of work cleaning out the turbo you are better off solving the blowby problem before it starts.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit