[bonefishdave]

Just ordered this kit with the idea of installing it without the oil separator.
My thought is I don’t want to re introduce contaminants back into the engine.

I spoke with anti splat today and they didn’t recommend the vacuum kit installed without the oil separator.

Just curious if anyone else has installed the vacuum kit without the oil separator and have been happy with the results.

 

[airguy]

The vacuum kit has a tendency to run hot enough to coke the oil vapors into a ring in the check valve where it attaches to the exhaust, and has to be cleaned regularly. I do it every oil change at 50 hours.

Without a separator, you are going to be putting a LOT more oil vapors through that checkvalve, and your coking problem will be much larger. Failure to keep it clean can result in high positive crankcase pressure and blowing out the crankshaft front main seal. My vote is with Alan on this one, not that it's really needed - he is the manufacturer after all. When the guy that makes the product tells you it's a bad idea to use it that way, you might want to listen to him.

 

[bonefishdave]

The vacuum kit has a tendency to run hot enough to coke the oil vapors into a ring in the check valve where it attaches to the exhaust, and has to be cleaned regularly. I do it every oil change at 50 hours.

Without a separator, you are going to be putting a LOT more oil vapors through that checkvalve, and your coking problem will be much larger. Failure to keep it clean can result in high positive crankcase pressure and blowing out the crankshaft front main seal. My vote is with Alan on this one, not that it's really needed - he is the manufacturer after all. When the guy that makes the product tells you it's a bad idea to use it that way, you might want to listen to him.

The .5 psi pop off valve would prevent crank case pressure build up in the event the evacuation valve coked up so crank case pressure is not an issue. Even Anti splat confirmed that. And he further advised people are doing it the way I would like to. Never did he say it was a bad idea. Fact is he told me exactly how to do it without the separator.

Presently My oil stays clear and doesn’t turn black all the way to oil change, so I am hesitant about introducing any contaminants back into the case.

 

[Martin Sutter]

I have been running mine like that on my io-360 without a separator for the last 300 hours. I do have the safety pop off valve to prevent back pressure installed also. Cleaning the check valve at every oil change I see only a very insignificant amount of carbon, certainly not enough to block the passage. The belly of the plane is absolutely free of oil and the only thing deposited is some lead residue from the fuel. Results may vary with different engines and operating conditions.

 

[bonefishdave]

I have been running mine like that on my io-360 without a separator for the last 300 hours. I do have the safety pop off valve to prevent back pressure installed also. Cleaning the check valve at every oil change I see only a very insignificant amount of carbon, certainly not enough to block the passage. The belly of the plane is absolutely free of oil and the only thing deposited is some lead residue from the fuel. Results may vary with different engines and operating conditions.

Thanks Martin, that is exactly the feedback I was looking for.

 

[Bonanzatom]

600 TSN O360 and running the setup without an oil separator but with the relief valve. Belly is clean and I use a quart every 10 hours.. I don’t like separators either for the same reason you articulated. Easy to clean the unit when necessary.

 

[airguy]

First you said this....

I spoke with anti splat today and they didn’t recommend the vacuum kit installed without the oil separator.

And then you said this...

And he further advised people are doing it the way I would like to. Never did he say it was a bad idea. Fact is he told me exactly how to do it without the separator.

I think one of us is confused.

 

[Scott Hersha]

2 airplane so far with the ASA vacuum system and no oil separator. No problems. I clean at every oil change as others have done. I can look up into my tailpipe with a flashlight while preflighting and see the end of the vacuum tube to check it if I want.

 

[DanH]

Confirm independently, but I seem to recall both the Cirrus and TAT installations tap the breather to the tailpipe without a separator.

That said, "putting contaminants back in the engine" with good separator is probably an OWT. No one has yet quantified their vision of "contaminants", but it sure sounds scary.
.

 

[jneves]

Running mine without a separator for 50 hours, zero complaints, helped with some minor oil leaks, in total I went from 1 quart of oil consumption every 12 hours to about 1/2 quart every 10 hours now. It did exactly what I was hoping it would do, I have a clean belly now.

As far as coking, that's going to depend on how much oil makes it out of the breather. I change my oil every 40 hours, and the last change had ZERO coking, a Velocity buddy says he checks every oil change and usually cleans it out every other (about 100 hours between cleaning), but even then he says it's not close to closing up, he had plenty of margin. As other stated, the relief valve is there in case coking blocks the line.

Again all this is going to depend on how much oil makes it out of you engine's breather.

 

[Aerobaticjunkie]

Wasn't even aware of this system until a friend of mine installed one on his newly acquired RV-8. After giving it a bit of consideration, I decided to purchase one. Rather than go with my current separator, I decided to order a new separator from Aero Splat when ordering the vacuum system. I have received the parts and they look to be well engineered and quality in nature. I'm planning on installing the separator as well as the vacuum system on my next oil change. As for introducing "contaminates" into the engine, I find that somewhat questionable. My take is that the oil escaping from the breather is not any more "contaminated" than what is currently circulating about in the engine. I also tend to go with advice from the manufacturer on these matters, marketing issues taken into account. I also purchased a filter wrench and prop wrench from Aero Splat. They, too, appear to be quality construction. They should make filter removal/installation easier and prop removal and proper torquing much easier. It's always been a bitch trying to use a 3/4 inch open end wrench coupled up with a socket arrangement. Specialty tools are always so much better.

Roy Myers
Aerobaticjunkie
RV-8

 

[lr172]

As for introducing "contaminates" into the engine, I find that somewhat questionable. My take is that the oil escaping from the breather is not any more "contaminated" than what is currently circulating about in the engine.
RV-8

I always chuckle when I see these posts about contaminents from a separator. There is NOTHING coming out of the separator that didn't come from the the inside of the crankcase. So maybe someone can explain how something coming out of the engine is good, but once separated is now a contaminent. Sure guys put a catch can on the separator and don't like what they see. Sorry, but that is straight from the engine.

 

[Carl Froehlich]

Interesting. I’ve been running the air/oil separator for years with no vacuum kit. I collect the oil in a can and empty it once a year. The belly stays oil free - meeting my objective of having the separator.

Carl