I put an inline gas filter on the PCV hose the one that goes to the intake manifold to valve cover to filter the oil fumes that normal engines put out. By doing this I would think that it would keep the intake housing & butterfly nice and clean and not lowering the octane in the gas when it mixes with it. I been running it now for a few weeks and it seems the PCV breathes just fine with the collection of oil fumes it has collected & the inline gas filter does not seem to inhibit the air flow.


My question is does “oil fumes” from the PCV need to go the intake housing for a reason? I tried to do a search on this subject of PVC inline filter without luck. Has anyone tried putting a PVC inline filter on just wondering if it will work ok? Thanks

My Truck 4.0L 93 Ford Ranger 100000 miles runs great

 

That filter is way too restrictive for the application. Put it back the way it is supposed to be. Replace your PCV valve while you are at it. They are cheap and wear out.

 

The PCV breathes just fine with the collection of oil it has collected. Better there then getting the intake housing & butterfly all gooey and making the gas lower in octane.

 

No, think again, there may be air flowing but not enuf. Get rid of the filter. At 100K miles your intake is already dirty. A little film coating will not hurt anything. Trust me on this. If your engine is pinging check the mas airflow sensor. I have a 93 Ranger 4.0L with 150K miles. There is absolutely no effect on the octane rating of your fuel.

 

You don't have to worry about lowering your octane rating. What you put in the tank is what goes to your engine. I think your worry is about contaminating it (ie, oil through your intake).

The idea of the crankcase vent is to help keep unburnt hydrocarbons out of the crankcase. As your piston compresses, the cylinder fires, and the rings just don't stop everything. Some of what escapes is unburnt, and, in rare cases of low combustion, raw fuel (the outer wall of the cylinder is the coldest point, and vapor touching it can cause it to fall out of solution).

By restricting your crankcase vent, using that filter, you are actually causing more harm, by leaving some unburnt hydrocarbons in your crankcase...gas in your oil pan, essentially.

I believe that is why Torque recommended changing it back. Your idea is sound, though. What you have done is, effectively, built a "scrubber" like coal burning plants use in thier stacks. As your air mixture comes through the filter, the oil tumbles out of it.

If you want to do test on things like this, try replacing that with a filter that can flow enough air to meet the amount the PCV can flow.

[EDIT: Looks like Torque replied while I was typing my book ]

 

I typed several books last night...

Just wait until that restrictive filter starts blowing unmetered oil back out the other valve cover and back into his intake from that side. And his oil is black at 1000 miles and full of brown soapy looking scum from the water vapor. -Yecch!

 

Well you guys are right the filter has to go I will build a scrubber as PyroBob calls it. I will get a much bigger housing /w fine steel wool. Thanks
The engine has been running a lot better now since the oil has been filtered out. (I run 5-30 weight Mobile 1 synthetic oil if that makes a difference?) So far I been running it now for about 500 miles and checking on it often for air flow and I have to say what a difference it made. The engine runs totally deferent now much more improved in performance! Horsepower seems the same it just has more snap to it. I really do believe that the oil fumes caused the engine to run less then optimum. Especially in #6 cylinder where the pcv is right above. Maybe synthetic oil does not burn that good compared to dino oil? What I have read on the Net that oil lesions the octane in the gas. Not only the engine runs better I don’t have to clean the butterfly every 5-10 thousands miles or so!

OK here is some thing else to think about, I build a custom intake 3’ pcv pipe to the MAF that is next to the filter box /w a K&n.( I know what K&n oil does to the Maf) Ok now I don’t think that the oil fumes from the pcv can work its way to the MAF or can it? I doubt that it can pass by the butterfly to reach the MAF but I have to ask. I read that the intake manifold can or does create a negative vacuum, just something to chew on. I think that’s why the MAF is far way from the butterfly because of the possible oil fumes. If it can then the scrubber is a good thing. Thank you.

 

Hmmm...how many miles are on this engine? How has it been used (dd, tow, play?)?

Unfortunately, if there is enough oil coming through the PCV to cause a loss of performance, that is a sign that somthing else may be wrong. The idea behind the PCV flowing back into the intake is for emissions purposes, and while it may introduce very minor amounts of oil and such, you shouldn't see a noticeable lack of performance.

 

The engine doesn't use a drop of oil even at 5000 miles it’s at full, the coolant stays full too.
I'm sure that all engines puts out oil fumes thought the pcv.
Loss of performance? Just the normal operating way pcv's puts oil fumes inside the intake that makes the gas less powerful.
Anyway I don’t think its good for the intake to breath the oil fumes, GASES yes. Every car has pcv oil fumes I think more so if they run thinner oil like I do. Just take a look at your intake butterfly or the #6 spark plug in your car/truck.

 

Who told you that??? Whomever it was didn't know anything about engines.

Remove the filter and put the PCV back the way it is supposed to be.

 

Oil fumes entering the intake tract creates adverse effects such as carbon build-up on the butterfly valve, engine valves, pistons, and plugs, as well as cause harmful detonation. Detonation in many cases causes the ECM/PCM to retard timing, thus creating a reduction in horsepower. By removing this oil, a clean burning engine could help the environment as well as improving the performance of a vehicle. Poor emissions could also be traced back to oil residue being burned.

 

Hmm...That information is true, but somewhat out of context, I think.

While all that is right, it's refering to WAY more than what comes through a properly functioning crank vent system. While, after a long period of time, it may be neccessary to clean these things, and replace plastic parts periodically, the statement above shouldn't apply to this situation unless there are other issues.

I'm going to have to agree with Torque...unless you know your flowing properly, unidirectional, and with proper volume, then a Ford factory PCV is the only safe thing to put on there, to ensure your engine life. If you want to design a scubber, then that's totally cool, but make sure you are careful with your design, and it meets all the same functions of the original part.

Remember, Ford spent a lot of money designing their system...if a fix was that simple or cheap, than it would be a lot more common.

 

I have a new OEM PCV valve works the same as it did without the drop oil container and its no blockage of air flow using the drop oil container. I did take out the filter through after reading what you guys said.
I thought someone had a set up a PCV drop oil container (scrubber) and they might tune in. I did find some infor on an internet search under “PCV drop oil container” Thank you vary much.

 

There is not enough oil in the crankcase vent to contribute to those problems unless you are running a couple extra quarts in the sump or the engine is totally worn out with huge amounts of blow by. Just run the PCV like it was designed.

That "blurb" you quoted sounds like something out of an Amsoil or Tornado commercial for someone selling Dr Know's cure-all motor tonic or something. Don't listen to the snake oil salesmen.

 

Well in any case I found out that it doesn't hurt the engine removing the oil fumes from getting into the intake track. And every engine no matter what condition they are in has oil fumes. It's a pretty simple low cost task to install a drop oil container (scrubber).
You said “there is not enough oil in the crankcase vent to contribute to those problems”, Well Totgue you are going to tell me you never cleaned your butterfly & cleaned your ICA or replaced it on your 93 Ranger for 13 years? If not that is why you are having idle “problems” .