Condensation in breather lines

[Guest]

I get a bit of condensation in my lines currently running a vented can with head breathers teed to one port and block breather to other. I get no oil in the can just water. Cant be arsed reading all the mixed info on the net just want some simple yes/no answers.

Im running a late block with 2 breathers which one is baffled?

Can I tee the head breathers (V6 STI heads so single port either side) to the unbaffled block port and then the baffled port straight to the intake and have no water in the lines?

If I run it like I am but not vented but rather plumbed back into the intake would that still cause condensation issues?

[Rosssub]

Not sure if either block breather is baffled, I don't think they are.

T'ing the heads into the centre block breather, with only the big block breather to intake, could cause pressure inside the block at high rpm.

Normally the centre/smaller block breather is T'd into the head breather lines, as a pressure equalizer between block and heads.

Not venting could lower condensation levels, less cold air drawn in after hot engine shut down. Then maybe switch to vent at the track.

[soopersubaru]

Oem breather system or evacuated catch can system is the only way to ensure condensation at low levels in the crankcase. Or stop burning hydrocarbon based fuels. LOL.

Crankcase pressure must be below atmospheric pressure to maintain low moisture levels. Its the only way!

[Guest]

So condensation is normal and not to be worried about or does adding a can to the stock system make it worse?

[chulozumo]

Interested to know this as well ^

Been driving mine for like 3 days and it looks like a cum dumpster in there (milky white ****). First catch can and first time driving car in a year

[boon]

If you haven't driven it for ages then you probably have heaps of moisture inside the crankcase etc so it's not overly surprising.

Also everyone please remember that a major product of the combustion of hydrocarbons is water, blowby = combustion by-products entering crankcase therefore it's entirely normal for there to be some water in the mix.

[Rosssub]

Also the hot engine shut down on a cool evening will draw cold air in forming more condensation. Just like hot exhaust cooling down, condensation forms inside giving the white steam on morning start up. A vented can gives cool air a direct path into the hot/cooling crankcase.

[Guest]

I dont have any oil or milk in mine just straight clear water. Sounds normal then. Might plumb it direct to intake and see what happens.

[Rosssub]

Are you going to run the cans vent port back to the intake?

With my EJ208 I T'd my block and heads together into a sealed can, then a single line back to the intake (16mm hose). Under full boost it pressurised the crankcase and pumped a few litres of oil out the dipstick hole. That was at 214,000km though so a fair bit of blow by going on.

Edit: I ended up running the block breather straight to intake, with only the heads running through the sealed catch can. It still caught a lot of condensation.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Rosssub

[soopersubaru]

Here is some info on this subject. http://clubsub.org.nz/forum/showthread.php?41560-Catch-Can-Return-Line