smoke out of engine breather crossflow
02GF74 - 10/4/06 at 09:31 AM
When I run the engine at medium rpm 2-3,000, I notice what appears to be smoke that can only be coming out of the engine breather 
(Ford
crossflow).
I know the breather was connected to the carb so any emissions were burnt off but I have twin dcoe's so the breatehr has a wee K&N type
filter on the end, hence the smoke is abole to get out?
I guess this is normal? .... but won;t my engine bay get covered in oily sh1te quite quickly.
I am vaguely familiar with oil catchment tanks - is this was folks to do cat the emissions?
If so, my home made version would be a beer can filled wih steel wook with a tube in to the bottom , and a vent at the top - good plan or not?
(I do have a take off, blocked off by a grub screw on on of the manifold ports - should that be connected to the breather? Surely that would upset
the balance for the one choke??
NS Dev - 10/4/06 at 09:54 AM
Beercan with wool works for me, but I feed the pipe in at the top (though the ringpull hole) and then drill a few holes the other side of the top as
the vent.
Works fine on the various competition cars I've built and ally beercans are very light!
You can even get 1 ltr ally beer cars (got some "Faxe" dutch lager ones) so they're MSA legal!!!
David Jenkins - 10/4/06 at 09:56 AM
What carb are you using?
I have a Weber 32/36 DGV down-draft, and that has a connection on its manifold for the crankcase breather.
If you're using DCOEs then a catch tank may be your only answer!
As for leaving it as it is - you will cover your engine bay with oily deposits, as well as dropping oil on the road - bikers will not appreciate that!
02GF74 - 10/4/06 at 10:02 AM
twin dellorto 40's.
right, it is as I thought; unfortunately recenlkt I tipped a few cans of funny named beers from Sweden down the sink.
Anyone recommend a good brand of beer can?
(I do have 2 steel cans made to look like beer cans for kitkat and yorkie; the lid is removable = easy to solder a tube and fill with wool.
re: the inlet tube; my thinking is to have this go to the bottom of the can so that any vapour that want to risie will hit the wire wool and condense
on it so less will escape from the can?
will I still need to have the breather on?
Fozzie - 10/4/06 at 10:27 AM
I am now running twin 40's on my crossflow. I have to second Davids suggestion, fit a catch tank! 
Fozzie
JoelP - 10/4/06 at 10:50 AM
i had this problem too. My effective solution was to bin the engine and fit a zx9 
. However, mine used to need topping up every few laps, i had oil
on my feet everytime i got out, and its final lap, i had oil on my visor! That was with a rag stuffed down the hole too A catchtank is
essential.
NS Dev - 10/4/06 at 11:23 AM
quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
twin dellorto 40's.
right, it is as I thought; unfortunately recenlkt I tipped a few cans of funny named beers from Sweden down the sink.
Anyone recommend a good brand of beer can?
(I do have 2 steel cans made to look like beer cans for kitkat and yorkie; the lid is removable = easy to solder a tube and fill with wool.
re: the inlet tube; my thinking is to have this go to the bottom of the can so that any vapour that want to risie will hit the wire wool and condense
on it so less will escape from the can?
will I still need to have the breather on?
Right, use whatever beer can you can get, but if you have a good look around you may be able to find a 1 litre one which is nice, I used some
"Faxe" dutch lager ones that I found at my corner shop!
how to make a beercan technical!!:
Drill 5 or 6 5mm holes in the top of the can opposite the ring pull hole. Poke your rubber breather hose in the std hole in the top of the can after
removing the remnants of the ring pull and poking the wool in through it. Leave a gap in the wool (poke one with a screwdriver) for the rubber pipe,
cut the end of the pipe at 45 degrees and push it right in till it hits the bottom of the can, then shove the wool all around it with the screwdriver,
job done.
DarrenW - 10/4/06 at 11:43 AM
If you do a search you will also find a post on how to convert an ali water bottle into a catch tank. I was going to use an old fire extinguisher. All
ideas substantially cheaper than bespoke catch tank and apparently work very well.
You have just reminded me that i will also need to make one when i convert to bike carbs.
02GF74 - 10/4/06 at 12:38 PM
ali water bottle - yep; remember that.
at what rate does the bottle fill up? say 1l in how many hours/miles.
andyb64 - 10/4/06 at 01:28 PM
This link shows an alloy water bottle converted into a catch tank
Beardmore Bros
JimSpencer - 11/4/06 at 12:14 PM
On a crossflow with twin carbs, or any application where its going to be subject to a bit of abuse..
1) Ensure 100% its got a baffled sump..
2) Vent the crankcase breather to the rocker cover
3) Vent the rocker cover to the catchtank - which is a must.
This ensures that even if you get enough oil surge to overcome the baffling, the oil forced through the crankcase breather ends up where you want
it!
Or better still dry sump it!
DarrenW - 11/4/06 at 12:32 PM
Ive just been talking to Deneo. He can make nice ali catch tanks. Try doing a search under his username and you will see an example. looks very nice.
NS Dev - 11/4/06 at 01:52 PM
beercan is cheaper and lighter than any of the above suggestions and works just as well
02GF74 - 15/5/06 at 03:43 PM
resurrecting this one....
made a temp tank out of a tin and still could see vapours coming out of the filter, hmmmmm, put some white paper around it and after running for a
little while paper is clean and doesn't smell of oil so I am thinking this is steam ( a by product of combustion or just the engine warming up
(the fan did come on).
... so slightly less worried about it now. also the small filter is not oild up so gives credance to the theory.
trextr7monkey - 17/5/06 at 10:30 PM
Does this thread explain the x flow rocker cover that came with some Mexico spares that has 2 filler necks - one for oil and other for vent /
breathing and also has a pipe outlet on the back end?
just saw the thread and it set me wondering....