Crankcase Breather

I've heard of guys using brass or stainless steel "Chore Girl" pot scrubbers in the crankase right below the generator tower, so as long as the fibers are thick enough that they won't break off with a little movement I don't see why it won't work. I can see foam blocking airflow it it's really thick and fits tightly in the breather, but if you were to use a thin (1/2"?) piece and it's a little loose I think it would work well. Al

vent the valve covers. bill

I've used copper and bronze scrubbers in the distant past to great effect.  They were called "Chore Girls" back then, but may have a newer, less-sexist name these days.  The breather we made was about the size of a large fruit drink can (like Hi-C or V8 or something like that) and just dropped 3-4 of the scrubbers in and closed it up.  All you need is something with large-ish filaments that will attract and condense the oil suspended in the vapor from the case.  DO NOT use the cheaper, vinyl (plastic) version because not only does it not work as well, it tends to start to soften at higher engine temps.

I have never used a piece of foam or anything denser than the scrubbers simply because I didn't know how it might work and didn't know how 230°F temps would affect it.  The metal scrubbers always worked fine.

I have a Berg breather and it has neither foam or anything inside. Never had a problem or leaking.

CHORE BOY!

Chore Boy? That sounds like my distant cousin. He may be related to my other cousin, Odd Job. He calls me Random Task! 

I think it's telling that Gordon remembers the name as Chore Girl. Kind of tells you something about his psyche.

TRP posted:

I think it's telling that Gordon remembers the name as Chore Girl. Kind of tells you something about his psyche.

Nah, just tells you something about his birthday.

Wikipedia:

Chore Boy is a brand name for a coarse scouring pad made of steel or copper wool. It is designed for cleaning very dirty surfaces, especially washing dishes. During the first half of the 20th century, the product was marketed under the name Chore Girl.

Great idea. I've ordered some. Thanks.

Glenn - IIRC, the Berg breather has some vanes or baffles inside to attract the vapor and pull the oil out of suspension - pretty much the same as the CB Performance breather I have, only I believe the Berg to be a superior unit, especially if you have a stock VW alternator/filler stand with the locating hole to prevent the breather from turning - Something I think would be a really good addition to my CB breather.

Besides - the Berg breather looks and acts like a Porsche version - not uch wrong with that!

Frank C. posted:

I just purchased an Empi upright breather for my 1835cc Type 1.  I've read a series of threads about venting various parts of the motor and have basically decided to vent out below the tinware as was originally the plan. My breather has a few baffles in it then a small screen type piece then a piece of foam.  I read somewhere that the foam is not a good thing as it fills with oil then impedes air flow. I found some brass steel wool that might work.  Any ideas?  I haven't come up with anything else so far.

Frank, here's a suggestion.  Return the empi breather.. Go to Ron Lummus racing site and purchase a 1 qt breather box. (I can get you one). Either the push on ends or AN 8 ends. Mount it in the engine compartment as High as possible on the firewall. Use a stock vw oil filler on the alternator stand. This should have a road draft tube pointing downward towards the ground. Next to the filler cap should be a male nipple/tube. From the bottom if the breather box run a hose to the nipple. The other two outlets on the breather box go to the valve covers.. Do not use any hose smaller than AN8!

you should not have any issues going forward.. The motor will breath from the valve covers to the box. Make sure there are no low spots in routing the hoses. The lower hose from the breather box also works as a vent but also a drain for when the vapors return to liquid form.  Message Mitch on the forum. He has this set up

Frank, here's the setup Tony is talking about. You can't see it in the photo, but the VW filler piece has another hose on the bottom that drains to the ground.

The larger hose on the side of the breather box is one of the hoses from the valve covers.

I like Anthony's suggestion waaayyyy better than the Empi p.o.s. And it'll work even better with 1/2"/AN10 hose...

What's wrong with the EMPI/BugPack style unit?

Sacto Mitch posted:

 

Frank, here's the setup Tony is talking about. You can't see it in the photo, but the VW filler piece has another hose on the bottom that drains to the ground.

The larger hose on the side of the breather box is one of the hoses from the valve covers.

 

 

Mitch, what's behind your cool air intake screen?

Looks like a little honkin' fan.......

Geez, can't sneak anything past youse guys.

It's my little experiment in getting more cool air to the engine compartment. It's controlled manually from a switch under the dash, and I leave it on most of the time. It seems to lower under hood temps some. Parking it hot on a hot day, I'll run it for a few minutes after shutting down while buttoning things up. If I come back in ten minutes, it starts up much smoother than without the fan - less air bubbling in the carbs and fuel lines, I think.

I first put this in when I still had my oil cooler in front of the engine compartment. Turning this fan on then would actually raise the oil temp. It's one of the main things that made me move the cooler to the wheel well.

Here's the link.

So there is no 'interference' with the main fan downstream of it Mitch? Or does it sort of supercharge the air into the main fan?

Since Mitch relocated a more efficient oil cooler in the rear fender he is no longer pulling hot air from the Mesa cooler over the top of the trans into the engine compartment. Forcing air into the engine compartment when stopped helps force the hot air out of the closed engine compartment. 

Frank, the main idea was just to bring more air into the engine compartment without a lot of fancy ductwork, louvers, or fiberglass surgery. I couldn't see any downside to that. At $70, it was worth a try and could be easily undone or just left turned off if it didn't work. But it does seem to help.

I'd guess it's raising the pressure in the compartment a bit, thus making the main fan more efficient - kind of like a little turbocharger for the cooling system.

I used to have problems with the engine being balky after being run hot, shut down, and restarted 10-15 minutes later. The engine compartment would keep getting hotter for a while after the shut down. I think gas was then percolating in the carbs and the air took a while to work its way out after a restart.

I haven't had any of that since using this fan, and the tins and carbs seem cooler to the touch after a run.

Besides, this gives me another toggle switch to command, and you can never have too many toggle switches.

Mitch would have been in "Switch Heaven" on the Apollo missions......

IIRC, there was some reason they didn't go with latching push buttons rather than toggle switches - maybe one broke early on?  Dunno, but there are a LOT of switches there.  Today, you'd put some Oculus VR goggles on so you could see different panels and just reach out and "touch" the virtual switch (if the computer didn't already do it for you). 

I wonder if that big, "T" handle at the top is the "Kiss-your-butt-goodbye" handle?  Or maybe a choke?

"C'mon, C'mon.....Start!    Nuts.   It won't start"

"Did you choke it?"

I think that's why we beat the Italians to the moon, Gordon.

In their command module, none of the toggles were labeled.

crhemi (Bill) poboiinhawaii posted:

What's wrong with the EMPI/BugPack style unit?

It's soooooo itty-bitty.

The box Anthony mentions (the one in my photo) is a quart and a half in volume - according to their web site, anyway.

It's one of the largest ones you can still fit on the firewall. Much larger and the bottom starts to get too low to allow a nice downhill drain to the filler.

Alternately you could build one that tucks in the space between the firewall and the tub. Mine holds 1.5 gallons. It drains to the case, and vents into a Bernoulli tube/check-valve set-up in the exhaust.

Wow, my "need to do" list just got longer. My 2276 is only vented from the oil filler neck to the carb closest to it. I've noticed that the under side of the carb filter top does get moist with oil. Any time I've had a problem with a clogged idle jet, it was with this carb. Damn.

So, if I were to fabricate a vent box...

-What would be a good size?

-Where would be the best place for the drain to drain to, filler neck?

-Venting both rocker covers, anything else?

-Is 1/2inch/AN10 hose the way to go?

-Can I omit the hose going to the carb, or should I include it from the top of the box? With a box and maybe a Chore Boy at the top, I won't be getting oil in my carb like I'm getting now.

I've found a spot on my Vintage Spyder to mount said box on the firewall, but I just need some more info.

Vent the valve covers-AN10 is ideal, but AN 8 is ok.  Either drain to the oil filler or if you are not using a mechanical fuel pump, drill and tap the block off plate and this will also act as a breather and drain.  Mount it high enough that there are no low spots when routing the hoses. A dip or low spot can fill with oil and not allow good breathing.