How much oil is normal in cyclone breather to air intake pipe?

payydg said:

There some - enough to make a dirty finger upon insertion (oh er...) - oil in the pipe from the cyclone breather to air intake. Also some oil at the back of the air filter box. Done about 1500 miles since engine rebuild. Fitted a new cyclone breather but a bearmach one. How much is normal? I know those plastic cyclone breathers are a bit **** but surprised there's some after new breather not that long ago.

200tdi defender

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Turboman said:

You might find that it will settle down as the rings and pistons bed into the bores.
I would just monitor it for the moment, provided it isn't soaking the air filter element, it isn't really a problem.

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payydg said:

That’s a fair point. Not a problem really. I think I’ve become a bit too precious with my new engine.

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Turboman said:

Take it out and stick yer foot down. That will sort it out. Treat em mean to keep em keen. A Land Rover likes to be driven hard.

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payydg said:

I just got back from driving Suffolk to Aberdeen in a oneer. I’ll give it time.

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Turboman said:

How does your lower back feel?

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payydg said:

Amazingly, after putting in bucket seats its pretty comfortable. I mean, you're meant to loose all feeling in you legs 30 mins into a drive right? The associated urinary retention is actually pretty helpful on a long drive.

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Turboman said:

The problem I have always had with bucket seats is that they take up a fair bit of the already limited room in the cab, and as I am quite large, that leaves even less room for me.
The numbness is a mixed blessing, it means you don't feel the pain, but also that the pain doesn't alert you to any damage that is being done.
The start of my lower back issues was when I was about 30, I drove from Cornwall to Hampshire non stop in a Series.
Nowadays, I always make sure I have regular breaks to walk about a bit.

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payydg said:

Its been my only car for the last 8 years so I’m used to it. When I’ve I drive my GFs car I feel like I’m going to fall asleep it’s so low stimulus.

What sort of things cause oil in this pipe. I’m assuming valve guides?

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Al2O3 said:

If you put new valve stem seals on it's unlikely to that.

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payydg said:

I suspect it's just normal. About a table spoon of oil in pip and air box.

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Al2O3 said:

Yours is a 200Tdi isn't it. My 300Tdi's cyclone breather pipe feeds in to the air pipe after the air filter.
To check mine I unplugged the breather pipe from the air intake and tied it in to a 2tlr plastic milk carton. ie created a catch can. Plugged the pipe connector in to the air pipe to stop any foreign bodies getting in. Run it like that and see if you collect anything in the milk carton.

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payydg said:

Yeh that's a good shout, it def producing some oil as everything was squeaky clean when I put it back together

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payydg said:

What sort of things cause oil in this pipe. I’m assuming valve guides?

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Turboman said:

Worn valve guide seals cause smoke on start up.

Oil in the breathers is caused by crankcase pressure. Some crankcase pressure is normal. Excessive crankcase pressure is caused by several factors, worn engine, blown head gasket, tired vacuum pump, etc.

As your engine is effectively new, I imagine these factors are not a problem, which is why I suggested that the rings and pistons may not have bedded in yet, and the problem may disappear over time.
Because the quality of modern oils is very good, running an engine in takes much longer than it used to.

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payydg said:

I'll just run it and see what happens. Can you check crank case pressure? would it manifest as raised oil pressure?

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