Crud in intake manifold

[Gizmoman]

I am slowly rebuilding a 1.9 AAZ for a vanagon and while cleaning parts, I noticed tons of black grimy oil inside the intake manifold - very tough to clean out completely! I assume this is coming from the blow-by valve on top of the valve cover?

Can anyone suggest a "fix" for keeping the crud out of the intake manifold? It's also lining the ports on the head and gets coked up from the heat - this can't help for good smooth flow.

I have heard of "catch-cans" but can't find the details on how to do it properly, or if that's what they are for.

Any help appreciated.

[8v-of-fury]

Catch cans be the way to go. It is oil that is suspended in air making its way up through the top vent and back to the intake tract. Catch cans basically allow this flow to continue, whilst catching the oil droplets by passing through media of some sort.

You put it inline of the valve cover to intake hose.

[Gizmoman]

Thanks for the info.
I did a quick search and found the "Pro-vent 200". Best price was 150 on e-bay.

It appears there's a filter as well to really get the air cleaned up but I'm not sure. If there is one, that means it would need to get changed from time to time I spoze.

I really do think letting this crud bake onto the ports is not good, so I guess it's worth considering.
Has anyone worked out a less expensive/low maintenance solution? The block obviously needs to vent but I really want only clean air going into my intake.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Thanks for the info.
I did a quick search and found the "Pro-vent 200". Best price was 150 on e-bay.

It appears there's a filter as well to really get the air cleaned up but I'm not sure. If there is one, that means it would need to get changed from time to time I spoze.

I really do think letting this crud bake onto the ports is not good, so I guess it's worth considering.
Has anyone worked out a less expensive/low maintenance solution? The block obviously needs to vent but I really want only clean air going into my intake.

road draft tube.. then you dont vent the CCV gasses into the intake..

[mtrans]

DIY - http://www.vwdiesel.net/forum/index.php?topic=26527.0

[8v-of-fury]

Thanks for the info.
I did a quick search and found the "Pro-vent 200". Best price was 150 on e-bay.

It appears there's a filter as well to really get the air cleaned up but I'm not sure. If there is one, that means it would need to get changed from time to time I spoze.

I really do think letting this crud bake onto the ports is not good, so I guess it's worth considering.
Has anyone worked out a less expensive/low maintenance solution? The block obviously needs to vent but I really want only clean air going into my intake.

road draft tube.. then you dont vent the CCV gasses into the intake..

If blow-by is excessive you stand to loose A LOT of oil doing it this way.

[ORCoaster]

I routed my valve cover vent into a water based catch can, and just collected the oil off the top every now and then.  The other types don't actually have a filter, more of a mesh of wire that just needs to be cleaned out.  If you have a lot of oil moving out then cleaning might be a weekend event if you drive alot during the week. 

I did a catch for about 5 bucks.  Hose and fittings from Home Depot, had a plastic paint bucket for the catch that I customed up to work for me.  Have since pulled it and using the oil to get down the road.  Yes it rolls kind of blue because of it. 

DAS

[8v-of-fury]

SO your Throttle Body Oil Injected now then are you? lol

I need to make one up.. I have some good blow-by. But hey.. 500k+ original kilometers.. lol

[rallydiesel]

Gizmo, does your AAZ have an egr?

[R.O.R-2.0]

Thanks for the info.
I did a quick search and found the "Pro-vent 200". Best price was 150 on e-bay.

It appears there's a filter as well to really get the air cleaned up but I'm not sure. If there is one, that means it would need to get changed from time to time I spoze.

I really do think letting this crud bake onto the ports is not good, so I guess it's worth considering.
Has anyone worked out a less expensive/low maintenance solution? The block obviously needs to vent but I really want only clean air going into my intake.

road draft tube.. then you dont vent the CCV gasses into the intake..

If blow-by is excessive you stand to loose A LOT of oil doing it this way.

catch can yo..

run the CCV to the catch can, and then out to the atmosphere..

i had to have a breather out the head, and a breather out the block on my old 1.5D.. both had a catch can, that self-drained back into the block. never lost any oil from those.. just from my turbo having crappy oil seals. engine would ingest a quart of oil in 3k miles, thru the intake, from the turbo seals on the intake side. also, the valve seals were likely original, so it would puff blue when you started it.

[Gizmoman]

Gizmo, does your AAZ have an egr?

If you mean those one-way check valve things in the hose, I don't think it does (I guess it should be obvious) but it does have the hockey puck on top of the valve cover. My guess is that the hockey puck is possibly a valve of sorts?

This is really helpful info - you guys are great - need to add it to the FAQ

My biggest concern is the crud builds up and cokes (like tiny bits of gritty coal) on stuff - eventually I'm sure bits of it flake off and enter the intake. If I look close it looks like the tops of my pistons had some of this stuff in there from time to time as there are small pits here and there.

I gotta say, if it weren't for this site, rebuilding the motor would not be happening - I'd have just sold the broken van - which would have been very sad for my wife and I - we loved it when it ran and it will again thanks to all of you.

Jim

[R.O.R-2.0]

Gizmo, does your AAZ have an egr?

If you mean those one-way check valve things in the hose, I don't think it does (I guess it should be obvious) but it does have the hockey puck on top of the valve cover. My guess is that the hockey puck is possibly a valve of sorts?

This is really helpful info - you guys are great - need to add it to the FAQ

My biggest concern is the crud builds up and cokes (like tiny bits of gritty coal) on stuff - eventually I'm sure bits of it flake off and enter the intake. If I look close it looks like the tops of my pistons had some of this stuff in there from time to time as there are small pits here and there.

I gotta say, if it weren't for this site, rebuilding the motor would not be happening - I'd have just sold the broken van - which would have been very sad for my wife and I - we loved it when it ran and it will again thanks to all of you.

Jim

EGR is:

Exhaust Gas Recirculation..

there is a valve mounted on the intake mani elbow usually, and it has a tube connecting it to the exhaust manifold..

has nothing do to with the CCV system at all..

but, it makes crud in your intake manifold when it mixes with the CCV vapors.

[burn_your_money]

It's very common on engines from Passats, not so much so on Golfs/Jettas



That pipe in the back right corner is part of the EGR. If you don't have that pipe, you don't have an EGR system

[Gizmoman]

Thanks for the explanation of the EGR valve - then photos as well! I definatly don't have an EGR.

The K14 Turbo may also be part of the problem (as was mentioned) and I have been speaking with Jake over at Dieselicious - great guy. I plan on getting his rebuild kit with the 360 seal ring which may reduce a bit of the crud.

I do recall having a few fresh drops of oil around the turbo every time I peeked at it and a thin black haze of oil on everything around it. I tried to find out where it was coming from but was never successful. My turbo drain was also not clocked at 6:00 (thanks to Libbybapa for noticing).
I have a possible fix for that and will start posting pictures as soon as I begin reassembly.

Thanks again.