Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Your thots on the Walker AirSep?

[geusterman]

I saw this Walker Air Sep (www.walkerairsep.com) in the recent Truck Trends and having to do something about that bottle I wondered if this was the ultimate fix or overkill. TIA, George

 

[slo-ryde]

There is a TSB that relocates the breather tube to the drivers side of the motor between the fuel injection pump and the fuel filter assembly.



The main reason for the TSB: oil will drain out of the motor when driving down a steep grade (22% or greater). The TSB eliminates the problem moving the breather to the middle of the engine. The catch bottle is either moved with the breather tube or thrown away (I don't remember which), in any case it's no longer sitting right in the fan blast and spewing oil all over the motor and chassis.



I tried to get the dealer to install it on my truck. They told me I would have to drive the truck and actually have the oil run out before they would install it. Be forewarned, the fuel injection pump, fuel filter, and a bunch of other stuff has to be removed to install the TSB. If you don't have any confidence in the dealer that services your truck you might want to do the bottle relocate mentioned in several posts here (do a search).

 

[dsather]

Vent placement

The concerns I have read about the Walker Airsep is that it allows oil mist to coat the turbine blades and the intercooler.



I wonder why a person couldn't replace the stock hose with another length of hose that goes up instead of down. You could run it up and along the valve cover somewhere then tip it down and end up by trans or where ever you want. Don't let the hose have a level spot in it on the top end so that no oil could pool in it anywhere. This would keep any oil from draining out the front of the engine on those down hills and still vent the fumes. Wouldn't solve the problem of the mist dripping under the truck but seems like it would be a lot cheaper than the TSB which I heard is $800 or so.

It's kind of funny that my 4x4 truck is limited to 22% by a drain hose on the front of the engine. What could the engineers have been thinking.

 

[geusterman]

TSB huh? Seems like a lot of hassle for what should have been engineered better. A line from the breather to the filter with a "collection" pool for oil in the breather would be like the old 60's rigs with oil bath filters. Seem like there should be a simple answer for this. Be nice to cycle the blowby through again. Maybe the bottle fix is the only one.

 

[slo-ryde]

Re: Vent placement

Originally posted by dsather

It's kind of funny that my 4x4 truck is limited to 22% by a drain hose on the front of the engine. What could the engineers have been thinking.

Thinking wasn't on their list the day that thought up the breather tube. Running another hose along the valve cover sounds like a great idea.



BTW: The collector bottle gets thrown away when the TSB is installed. The hose from the new location is routed down the side of the motor, I guess the oil simply runs out on the ground (or all over the chassis if you're driving down the highway).



I'm going to San Francisco this weekend, I know there are streets there that are at least 22 degrees. I'm going to find me one of those and point the nose of the truck down one and watch the collection bottle. The dealer says they won't install the TSB until I've "experienced" the condition.



The games we have to play to get service.

 

[Motorhead]

On the VW diesels that had the crankcase vent to the air box, the intake valves would coke up on the stem and port after awhile. I cleaned the stems on the VW and it had more power because the crud was blocking the air flow.

 

[slo-ryde]

I'm not too keen on having the breather connected to the air intake either. Who wants to be cleaning oil film out of the turbo and intercooler?



I like the idea of having the collection bottle so it doesn't leak on the ground, on the truck, or into the enviroment. It's just a lousy design having it right up against the fan. With only 1500 miles on my truck I have oil all over the steering pump and front suspension.

 

[geusterman]

With only 1500 miles on my truck I have oil all over the steering pump and front suspension. Me too. It is gross. I have three gallons of Noise Killer just delivered and now I have to clean up at 4500 lousy miles before I apply this sanity paint. Apparently the fix is the bottle. What about the 22 degrees? Fills the bottle? Sheeesse. George

 

[WadePatton]

How about adding a long hose so that the blowby coats the unpainted transmission and driveshaft. I just hate a rusty undercarriage.



I simple added about 12" of hose and don't mind the wee tad of crud on the bottom side. I was real tired of cleaning the fan.

 

[dsather]

slo-ryde

Are you trying to get them to do the TSB under warrenty? If not, they should do anything you want them to, for a price.

 

[illflem]

The Airseps are great if you're driving on very steep hills a lot, otherwise not worth the money. Looping the breather tube up is not a good idea, water condensation also comes out the breather and will collect in the bottom of the loop, remember oil floats on water. When freezing weather comes it will freeze solid and close off the tube which will result in blown gaskets. The breather tube should always be able to drain freely. What worked for me was just extending the hose 8", blowby paints the ground rather than the bottom of the truck.

 

[slo-ryde]

Re: slo-ryde

Originally posted by dsather

Are you trying to get them to do the TSB under warrenty? If not, they should do anything you want them to, for a price.

Truck was purchased new September 7, 2002. Getting the TSB installed under warranty should be a no brainer, right?



I could move the collector bottle or extend the hose down under the truck myself. I'm mostly concerned with the fact that you can lose enough oil through the breather when driving on steep grades to cause engine damage.



On the other hand, it's not an easy TSB to install and requires removing the fuel injection pump and fuel filter assembly. I cringe when thinking of all the things that can or will get screwed up in the process. Maybe I can get the parts and have Cummins install it?

 

[dsather]

illflem

water condensation also comes out the breather and will collect in the bottom of the loop

As the loop would be inverted. There would be no where for condensation to collect unless you are thinking that it would run back into the engine?



Essentially what I would be doing would be something like what is already installed on the engine. Exit point hose runs up then has a loop that points the hose down. I'm thinking that you could extend the hose up further before you loop it down. Get it close to the mid point of the engine. Arch it down and back.

 

[illflem]

ds, sorry I misunderstood. Sounds like a plan as long as there's enough room.

 

[Opz01]

Originally posted by geusterman

TSB huh? Seems like a lot of hassle for what should have been engineered better. A line from the breather to the filter with a "collection" pool for oil in the breather would be like the old 60's rigs with oil bath filters. Seem like there should be a simple answer for this. Be nice to cycle the blowby through again. Maybe the bottle fix is the only one.

Geusterman,



I dont know if you have done a search on this subject but, this is what I did...



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=32963&highlight=pill+bottle



And it has been over a year with no problems...



Opie

 

[geusterman]

Hey Opie. I just read that string of yours and you are just the guy to take my thoughts on the matter to. IF blowby restriction is such concern (less we rupture a few gaskets) why risk using a check valve at all especially with gooey stuff? If the nipple were welded into the downpipe so that maybe 3/4 inch were inside so it acted like a pitot tube we could have some suction. Why a checkvalve anyway? IF there is backpressure then it would close the valve which would show zero neg pressure and then if the line were closed at the checkvalve then the engine is not ridding itself of blowby.



Hope that was not too much. My editor went to bed. George

 

[Opz01]

Geusterman,

Here goes... The checkvalve is there to illiminate flow going from the exhaust into the block. (Positive pressure. ) Without the checkvalve the system will not work. As for the gue mentioned, the blowby oil mist that sometimes goes through the check valve will not clog it.

Believe it or not even after the turbo there is still exhaust pulses and the check valve prevents the positive part of the pulse from adding pressure to your blowby. (Not to mention all the heat from the exhaust. ) Keep in mind even when the engine rpm is above 2000 rpm and there is no neg pressure indicated the system will accept positive pressure from the engine blowby. Since the original article I wrote I now run a B1 turbo with a different exhaust and everything is still working fine. (55k on the truck. ) In the original article a member was worried about too much negative pressure actually sucking in the seals.

On an additional note this system has been used for years at the 1/4 mile track on gassers trying to free up some hp by reducing crankcase ventilation pressure. Pitot tube... A fellow aircraft tech I take it!

Feel free to email me with any questions.

Opie

 

[geusterman]

Thanks Opie. Let me respond here in case someone else is wondering as I am. In the original question about the Walker AirSep there was a value to the negative atmosphere from installing the hose into the airbox in that it "assisted" the engine in relieving blowby. Fine. So a pitot tube (flight fancier, love to build an experimental) should create a little pull on the crankcase. Have you considered that? How do you know that the checkvalve is functioning? and how would you calibrate one given the gentleness of the blowby pressure? You would want absolute minimum resistance in my view. Correct? Lots of questions. Walk through them gentle, ok? George (Dodge pilot)

 

[Opz01]

Originally posted by geusterman

Thanks Opie. Let me respond here in case someone else is wondering as I am. In the original question about the Walker AirSep there was a value to the negative atmosphere from installing the hose into the airbox in that it "assisted" the engine in relieving blowby. Fine. So a pitot tube (flight fancier, love to build an experimental) should create a little pull on the crankcase. Have you considered that? How do you know that the checkvalve is functioning? and how would you calibrate one given the gentleness of the blowby pressure? You would want absolute minimum resistance in my view. Correct? Lots of questions. Walk through them gentle, ok? George (Dodge pilot)

Well I don't like the idea of useing the airbox as I no longer have one. I use the AFE Cannon. If I did still use an airbox it still wouldn't be a good idea to me. As it would be adding engine oil to my airfilter or require a filter that would have to be maintained.

As for checking the checkvalve. Every other oil change I just unclamp it from the oil breather cap. Start the engine and hold my thumb over the hose. If there is a vaccuum all is well at idle. If someone is around I will have them push on the accelerator pedal and take the rpm upto 2000. Then I try to breath through the hose which allows me to exhale only...

As for calibrating, either it works or the checkvalve/hose assy is bad. Which I am happy to say hasn't happened to mine.

 

[JHerrlich]

FWIW, I just installed an AirSep on my truck last week. I haven't seen the slightest bit of oil on anything in my intake. Walker uses a foam filter type deal to strain the oil from the blowby.



The only hard part of the install was replacing the turbo oil drain fitting on the block. OMG, that was a pain to get out and even worse to put the new one back in. It's an o-ring sealed press fit part.