Van's Air Force
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Oil Separator
- Thread starter Wolf
- Start date
x3, they're excellent products paired together.
Just remember to inspect the vacuum valve's outlet tube inside the exhaust pipe every so often. I check that outlet at every oil change to be sure it's not coking over (probably more often than necessary, but hey!). This blockage has happened before on an outlet that was NOT inspected, causing an engine failure. Back then, they didn't yet offer the bypass valve, which I believe is now a standard part of the kit.
I'm not being an alarmist: It's a fantastic kit. I just keep an eye on that tube's outlet inside the exhaust pipe.
Just remember to inspect the vacuum valve's outlet tube inside the exhaust pipe every so often. I check that outlet at every oil change to be sure it's not coking over (probably more often than necessary, but hey!). This blockage has happened before on an outlet that was NOT inspected, causing an engine failure. Back then, they didn't yet offer the bypass valve, which I believe is now a standard part of the kit.
I'm not being an alarmist: It's a fantastic kit. I just keep an eye on that tube's outlet inside the exhaust pipe.
Scott Hersha
Well Known Member
I installed just the vacuum system on both of my last two airplanes. I’ve never had a drop of oil on the belly of either airplane. I do have to clean off exhaust soot from time to time. It’s not easy to see unless you’re on your creeper under the airplane, wipe the belly with some of the belly-cleaner stuff and look at your rag. It’s kind of a grayish dry residue. But no oil at all so far.
The only oil I've had on my belly in almost 1600 hours was from a cracked pushrod tube leaking on #4. When you start with a clean FWF and engine, it's amazing how a little bit of oil can get EVERYWHERE.
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
There is a plug on the accessory case near the #3 cylinder (or #5 for 540s) that you remove and replace with a hose fitting for the return line.
Roadjunkie1
Well Known Member
Having what doesn't belong in the engine by returning 'waste' moisture and who knows what other garbage back into the engine just doesn't sound like a good thing. It was expelled for a reason. So: peel the orange. Eat the orange. Eat the peeling. Huh.......... (What's that on your teeth?) 
Where does it go on your $100,000 vehicle since the late 60's and early 70's?Having what doesn't belong in the engine by returning 'waste' moisture and who knows what other garbage back into the engine just doesn't sound like a good thing. It was expelled for a reason. So: peel the orange. Eat the orange. Eat the peeling. Huh.......... (What's that on your teeth?)
Walt
Well Known Member
PCV valves return crankcase excrement to the intake manifold where it is burned.
First thing any hot-rodder would do is remove it with the rest of the power sucking emission system!
Absolutely don't want to return moisture, just oil. That's why we install a separator. Returning liquid water requires a condenser. That would be dumb.
"Expelled for a reason" is amusing. You figure there are little policemen in there
, frog-marching the bad molecules to the exit?
Roadjunkie1
Well Known Member
You mean there aren't??"Expelled for a reason" is amusing. You figure there are little policemen in there
Burn mine between the 2/4 exhaust pipes. Nothing on the belly!
So then, tell us why the contents of a breather hose are any dirtier than the contents of the crankcase in general.
Lol your right. Been there and have done that but don't tell anyone. It is getting extremely difficult to do that today without having a bunch of other codes and problems. But it won't destroy your motor.
Below:
The first 50,000 kilos it ran with it hooked up at 635 hp. Disconnected it and ran to an AC style catch can. Still 635 hp and now it's one more thing to drain and clean.
Attachments
On my old C177A Cardinal I went from 4 hrs to the qt to 6 hrs to the qt after installing the Walker Air Oil Separator. It thelped but the real problem were the chrome cyls and the belly was still dirty.
On my old RV4 it had a home built separator of some sort and was around 15+- hrs litre but I still had to clean oil off the belly but not much.
Today with my 9A with an O320 and 4 new Millennium Cyl installed due to the ECI AD, I'm getting 38+ hours per litre of oil and the belly is still clean after 60 hrs. I think I'll leave mine well enough alone and going back into the crankcase. Now if it starts spitting oil out and leaving it on the belly I would probably install the catch can.
Tim
Tim
