Has anyone removed the stock valve-cover to intake crankcase vent lines and replaced with a filter-type?

I've seen folks hook up the "oil-collector" system but are these even required? I would think you could just plug the hole on the intake and replace the valve cover tube with a ventilated/filter top. Pics please if you've done this.

 

Why would you?

 

+1 on the Why would you?

 

I dunno, why would someone devise an "oil separator system"? I was just wondering why they wouldn't just plug the intake hole and replace with a crankcase filter-cap.

Now that I'm thinking about it, that may cause a vacuum condition and/or CEL issue.

Just figured I'd post something I'm wondering about and what the consequences would be...

 

The reason for doing this is pretty good for some. The recirculation does a few things.

1. Recirculates warm air into your intake when your motor is cold, thus helping it warm up faster. It helps emissions by getting your car to operating temperature faster where it is most efficent.

2. Recirculates the "bad" vapors that would/could otherwise be vented to the atmosphere, burning them over and over again in the motor until they are expelled.

The bad thing is those vapors contain contaminants which are not good for the motor. People with FI do this because of the increased pressure with running boost into a motor. This lets extra or more oil go through the breathers coating the intake, thottle body and building up deposits of nastiness. There are more technical ways to describe it but I'm not a mechanic.

I would not put a breather directly on the cam cover spout opening. The reason for this is a mixture of gas/carbon/oil and other emissions emit from this thing. Just a beather will cause there to be a gooey mess down the side of your cam cover and maybe on the underside of your hood. The cheapest way to do it is get 4-5' of the same diameter tubing and two small breathers to go on the end of each hose. Run them to just behind the headlight and ziptie them in place. For guys with normal power levels running NA this doesn't seem to be needed but it won't hurt. For guys with any form of FI, they should have something done.

I didn't like the mess the breathers did so I put a little catch can (coke can cut in half) under the passenger side filter. It catches probably a teaspoon of fluid for each tank of fuel and alot of it evaporates as it comes out.

 

It won't cause a vaccuum or CEL issue.

 

Hmmm, good to know! I knew that the crankcase gases (blowby etc) couldn't be good for combustion but were mainly for emissions purposes (as you stated about the recycling of the gases). I was uncertain as to whether a CEL/vacuum issue would emerge but you cleared that up. Great info! thanks.

 

easy to make...here's mine. A must with FI