30 replies to this topic

[Gremlin]

You could leave all of the mesh in place, if you put a breather on it I'm sure it would be fine, I've got a tappet cover breather instead of timing cover breather and I've got a pice of braided pipe to a breather cable tied to my top engine steady and nothing comes out of it

[dklawson]

Ok what if I cut a section out of the canister and weld a flat plate on. Leaving as much of the internal mesh in position.
 

 

Ummm... go back to page 1 and read my previous post.  Post #6.

 

Take the mesh out and when you are done modifying, poke it back inside the canister. 

[Mini Manannán]

Err... Does this mean my fan's on the wrong way round as well?

[dklawson]

When in doubt, look for the slight curvature in the blades while standing at the front of the car with the fan on your right, clutch on your left.

 

The correct orientation is:  engine ----- ( ------ radiator

 

If the curve is like ) , the fan is on backward.

[jt19]

Right, I've cut off the offending area and cut a plate to weld over it.

 

Now, should I leave the mesh in or out when welding the plate on? 

 

I'm going to be venting the breather to air rather than to the carb.

 

I will also be fitting a ASH oil breather filter...Will this stop most of the oil do you think?

[Dan]

No, not all. Having an open vented engine means cleaning the engine bay a lot, changing the oil a lot, and increased chance of oil leaks and filters don't really change that. But if that's what you want then stick with it. Definitely leave the can's internals in place.

[dklawson]

Now, should I leave the mesh in or out when welding the plate on? 

 

 

Go back to my second post above, post #17.

Edited by dklawson, 08 April 2014 - 11:16 PM.

[Captain Mainwaring]

No, not all. Having an open vented engine means cleaning the engine bay a lot, changing the oil a lot, and increased chance of oil leaks and filters don't really change that. But if that's what you want then stick with it. Definitely leave the can's internals in place.

 

For what it's worth it's also contrary to the UK C&U regs.......some would even say "illegal"...hehehe

[jt19]

Can I ask how it will effect the need to change the oil more often and more likely for leaks?

[Dan]

  Because the garbage is not being drawn out of the crankcase it hangs around in there and lots of pretty nasty compounds get absorbed into the oil as a result, and a hell of a lot of water is in there too which doesn't help. The oil life is shortened, and in a Mini its short enough already.  Also obviously you are loosing more of it to the atmosphere (and underside of the bonnet!).  It will leak more because the internal pressure will be higher.  Leaving it open to the air doesn't mean it will maintain atmospheric pressure inside.  Its a whole array of oddly shaped spaces in there with tiny openings between them, with the pumping effect of the engine and the heating it pressurises inside and each compartment will end up being a slightly different pressure.  Nothing will flow through from one area to the next just because there is an opening.  This raised internal pressure will test all the gaskets.  Positive Crankcase Ventilation is a good thing, if its not an out and out race car.  And as suggested (although tongue in cheek) it is legally required to not drive about spraying oil and harmful vapours all over the place.  Its one of the systems and refinements that makes an engine more civilised.  If you were building a car that had to be tested in any way (such as IVA) it wouldn't pass open vented unless the engine was pretty old.  But its your car, I'm not telling you not to do it at all.  Loads of our member's Minis are built like this.  As Cooperman says you can use a catch tank to reduce the amount of oil contamination outside the engine.

[Mini Manannán]

When in doubt, look for the slight curvature in the blades while standing at the front of the car with the fan on your right, clutch on your left.

 

The correct orientation is:  engine ----- ( ------ radiator

 

If the curve is like ) , the fan is on backward.

 

Sorry for hijacking the thread again, but I'd have to start another thread called 'Is my fan on the right way?"

 

Is this what you meant Doug?

 

 

I hope so because there's no clearance with the fan the other way about.

[Gremlin]

Yes thats the right way round, look at the cross section of the blade then look at an aeroplane wing, remember that the air gets pushed out of the engine bay and work the rest out

[Mini Manannán]

Yes thats the right way round, look at the cross section of the blade then look at an aeroplane wing, remember that the air gets pushed out of the engine bay and work the rest out

I thought it had to be, just needed some reassurance!

[mini 4o]

 

Yes thats the right way round, look at the cross section of the blade then look at an aeroplane wing, remember that the air gets pushed out of the engine bay and work the rest out

I thought it had to be, just needed some reassurance!

 

 fan marked.jpg   29.05K   12 downloads

 

its is marked moulded in engine side.. take as close look .. 

[Mini Manannán]

 

 

Yes thats the right way round, look at the cross section of the blade then look at an aeroplane wing, remember that the air gets pushed out of the engine bay and work the rest out

I thought it had to be, just needed some reassurance!

 

fan marked.jpg

 

its is marked moulded in engine side.. take as close look .. 

 

 

Ah.. Bit of a giveaway! Missed that!