Oil Separator Install



Notes: This is a quick and dirty install brought on by high boost blow-by. It took me 10 minutes and cost no more than $30.00. Over all install time and appearance really depends on what you want. You can have it look amazingly stock in appearance or dress it up with color matched silicone hoses. There are unthreaded holes in the top of the unit you can use for mounting via ¼ inch long self tapping screws or nuts. I didn’t do this so I don’t have exact specs.

This application is usually for highly modified N/A engines or those using Forced Induction. However, you can add this to you PCV system regardless of mods. It's cheap insurance to ensure no oil finds its way into your intake tract, thus reducing your actual fuel octane.

The PCV system is closed loop and to retain that and remain emissions legal, the system must remain closed… That and you’ll end up giving yourself a vacuum leak if you leave it open, so open element breathers are not really an option.

Those running F/I. Both valve covers have an evac line going to the intake. The one located on the driver side is baffled and a little more resistant to allowing oil into the system, but check just in case. I had oil all the way to the top of the quick connector on this side, but not in the hose itself. Because my DS valve cover line routs to the passenger side into the turbo, I could easily T into the line-in side of the same separator.

If you are S/Ced you may want to duplicate this system on the Drivers Side.



The PCV to throttle body side was soaked. As you can see, the PCV is present in this car, though it’s different form previous years in that it’s an open unit. You don’t need to remove it for this install, so I recommend not doing so; less risk of loosing the lead bullet.



Now for the fun part

Tools Needed

Sharp razor knife (must be real sharp)
Hose cutters or equivalent
Screw Driver or socket driver for clamps

Parts Needed

1.5 to 3 feet of ½ inch heater hose or other thick walled oil resistant line
Oil Separator (Home Depot P#401-910 HUSKY mini general purpose filter ¼ inch NPT port style)
2 or more #006 clamps (7/8ths inch)
2 ¼ inch NPT to 1/2 inch OD 90o or straight barbs depending on how you install. (I could only find ¼ to 3/8ths but they worked fine)
Zip ties or Ford style hose clips
Mounting bracket of some kind.




I was over prepared, most of the stuff I had on hand was not needed.

Getting started

Install the two ¼ inch NPT fittings into the separator. Locate a suitable mounting location for it and secure it in place. You can fab up a bracket or use zip ties depending on how you want it installed.

Remove the PCV to plenum line. This line is molded hard plastic and has little play, so remove it from the valve cover side first and then from the throttle body side. Look for the tab on the green part of the quick connector, pull the tab to the right and pull the connector straight off.





Using a sharp razor knife cut the quick connectors out of the stock line starting with the plenum side. There are o rings on the barbs under the stock hose, but it is not necessary to preserve them. Using a little oil residue to lube the ½ inch hose slip the connector into one end of the hose. This is a tight fit, and does not require a clamp, but if you prefer to use one, take care not to over tighten it. Reconnect at the intake plenum.





Run the hose to the outlet side of the separator and cut it to fit. Secure in place with a clamp. I could only find ¼ NPT to 3/8ths barb 90s but the ½ inch hose will cinch down fine.



Place the PCV quick connector into the half inch hose and install. Run the hose to the inlet side of the separator and secure with a clamp.



Start the car, check for leaks. If all is well, you're all done.

 

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your listed that your running 7psi of boost, havent seen this problem mentioned before even on cars with higher boost, are pcv's a problem possibly? you think a lot of people have the problem and dont know it? this is very good info thanks

You're very welcome bscottie

My wastegate spring is rated at 6.5 PSI, but the gate is faulty. At spirited throttle, about half pedal, I'm pushing closer to 13 by the time I shift.

And yes, most people do have this problem and don't even know about it. More and more NA engines have knock sensors that will retard timing if necessary due to poor gas quality. The stock tunes are also pretty safe and minor oil consumption due to this type of pollution control system is probably factored in by the manufacturer.

In the top right corner of picture 6, at the inlet into the plenum, you can see it looks nice and shiny... It's actually oil soaked inside and out. I did not have time to pull the TB, but the plenum is probably pretty wet as well. I was getting a random smell of burning oil, and this is one of the possible causes. I'll spray some carb cleaner in there to clean it out when I remember to pick some up.

I have been trying to make this work for soooooo long. The problem I am having is that all the hoses I use collapse under the intake vacuum, I will try the way you did it, then I am giving up.

thanks for the follow up turbo j, I hope to get FI'ed in the near future and trying to get all the info I can, this will be something to consider and also watchout for, especially with the weak 91 octane here in CA.

this may be a stupid question, but is the oil seperate the same as a catch can? i have a catch can that never got installed in my old car but i figured it best to keep her just in case someday i either go forced injection or what not. if it is the same thing then it would a god thing to add as a precaution rite? thanks.

The catch can and oil separator have the same function. Usually the catch can will have some steel wool in place of a particulate filter, will be baffled or have a combination of both. Catch cans are less likely to clogging over time, but in most cases are two to three times the cost. I needed a quick solution and this was it. I put down an estimated cost of about $30, but it was closer to $22.

This winter I'll fab up a proper can with aluminum exhaust pipe and some aluminum sheet.

well, i guess the catch can will be installed soon then. i mean lets face it, blown or not oil always seems to sneak into unwanted spots and this will be one extra deterant.

:):D:h eadbang:

Because of you, my catch cans work after like 2 months of trying and failing. Thank you.

because of me flyboy or turbo J? hell turbo j did teh write up so the props go to her. my catch can is working and it looks trick as hell. ill take pix and post them up later tonite. unlike the oil sep. the catch can was to big to put on the pax side. so what i did was use an existing hole in the strut tunnel and locked down the catch can. because i had to run lots of hose i zip tied them together and then covered them in red wire loom. it looks so pimp that some folks asked me if it came stock like that. i still have some work to do on it but it works with no problems. the site tube shows no oil yet but i know its work cause the tube does have some oil vapor in it.