bmw crankcase breather

i'll goto BMW then, theres a new BMW centre in stevenage, looks well posh untill i walk in with my grubby clothes getting dirt on there service desk.

garrytd4 said:

i'll goto BMW then, theres a new BMW centre in stevenage, looks well posh untill i walk in with my grubby clothes getting dirt on there service desk.

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Don't be put off by the image, mate - have a seat and a free coffee while the guy fetches it from the stores. £23.35 at any BM agent, coffee included.

The guys in the stores and workshops are usually decent blokes that we LandRover types probably have a lot in common with - it's the smarmy salesmen that are to be avoided.

Watch out or they'll try to sell you the all-matt-black 3 series that's on display.

I quite like the look of them - think I'll get the TD4 re-sprayed matt-black.

not too kean on matt paint myself, although i have seen many car about sprayed in matt and does look good if done properly, you see alot of bodge jobs about too and just looks shocking, i like the glossy shine once its all buffed and polished until one of me kids goes an puts there sticky jam doughnut hands on it grrr

just be cheeky and ask for trade discount, tell em u work at a garage, 10% guaranteed mate

got the BMW part fitted today,
wether its just me and its a psychilogical thing but i think the hippo drives a with a bit more freedom and response.
i service all my cars myself including my TD4, its done 147000 miles and ive done 2000 miles of it since i bought it, its last proper service (with the stamp in the book) was around 90000.
so below is a pic of the cotton element i removed today,
i dont know what experience people have with these filters, if you could take a look and tell me if you think this is the only filter this engine has ever had or that its around 57000 miles old.

Hi Gary,

I too think the beast revs easier with the vortex filter/separator.

That likes like an original filter fitted at the BMW engine plant in Austria.

They go black almost as soon as you renew them - but that one looks like the factory one.

This filter was not on the LandRover service schedule.

More work for the nail-brush I fear - but a job well done.

Forgot to ask, did you get any free coffee - or discount?

This was mine when I replaced it with the BMW part last year.


I drove about 60.000km with it and I'm not sure if it was changed before I got the car. I bought the car in 2008 with about 90.000km on the clock.

no free coffee, i could of milked it, but i was in and out in a flash and £23 really isnt bad for a fit and forget part, they didnt even ask what car is was for i didnt mention freelander or anything, just gave him the part number and fannys your aunt.
took 15 mins to fit and wont have to worry bout it again, i would reccomend to anyone.
just gotta clean out the intercooler hoses and egr bypass and see if they get dirty again, if not then i know its doing it job.

The hoses cant possibly stay spotless as the turbo shaft 'floats' in oil and the forced air going through the hoses and the EGR always carries some oil with it.

true, but if they dont get as bad as what they are now (and thats bad) then should be ok and ill be happy, all i gotta do is run my finger around the rim of one of the hoses and its coated with fresh wet black oil. hope fully the new breather will ease this atleast

Just read a bit on a BMW forum about these vortex replacements. I was very keen to have mine done, but not so sure now? There's some talk about turbo's failing/blowing up after having these modified parts fitted, even only a week after the vortex bit being fitted. Hmmm?? Did someone mention about BMW doing themselves out of cash?? Not so sure now..!!! Still want it done, should I, shouldn't I...?????

no1fishgod said:

Just read a bit on a BMW forum about these vortex replacements. I was very keen to have mine done, but not so sure now? There's some talk about turbo's failing/blowing up after having these modified parts fitted, even only a week after the vortex bit being fitted. Hmmm?? Did someone mention about BMW doing themselves out of cash?? Not so sure now..!!! Still want it done, should I, shouldn't I...?????

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Very interesting.

More information please - and a link if possible.

no1fishgod said:

Just read a bit on a BMW forum about these vortex replacements. I was very keen to have mine done, but not so sure now? There's some talk about turbo's failing/blowing up after having these modified parts fitted, even only a week after the vortex bit being fitted. Hmmm?? Did someone mention about BMW doing themselves out of cash?? Not so sure now..!!! Still want it done, should I, shouldn't I...?????

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I've been checking with my BMW factory pals in Steyr Austria where they build the engines. My wife's cousin works in the assembly hall.

Yes there is a known problem with the pcv - mainly on larger engines that are used for very short journeys in extreme cold climates.

Apparently the condensation that can form in the pcv combines with the oil to form an emulsion (the yellow coloured gunk that can also show up on the oil filler cap) which can actually freeze and block the pcv causing the pressure that we know about as well as seriously damaging the turbo.

BMW are rumoured to be developing a heated breather for extreme cold conditions.

Nothing to worry about for those who are aware of the problem.

If you make repeated short journeys in sub-zero temperatures you just need to check for the 'mayonnaise' forming and change your oil accordingly.

Nothing would make me go back to fitting the old 'loo-roll' filter.

Just ordered on myself, after changing my 'Loo roll' filter for a replacement. I think mine was original, as it was a good deal thicker, with what looked like an extra layer on it. Even though I have one of these vortex separators on order, I still have a slight apprehension, only because after seeing what the original filter trapped.
I know this new part should separate, as the name suggests, but something is still nagging me (not the missus I hasten to add........) as to its function.

That is one dirty filter Mr C.

As I understand it, the sole purpose of the thing is to catch the oil vapours from the crankcase and return them to the engine as a liquid rather that a gas/oil smoke.

In ye olden days, before environmentalists were born, there was a little rubber pipe from most engines' 'rocker cover' as we used to call it, going to the air filter, whereby the engine consumed its own vapours.

Worn tired old motors like my A35 or Escort, back in the day, used to have oily air-filter housings because of this.

Hope that helps.

Singvogel.

Singvogel said:

That is one dirty filter Mr C.

As I understand it, the sole purpose of the thing is to catch the oil vapours from the crankcase and return them to the engine as a liquid rather that a gas/oil smoke.

In ye olden days, before environmentalists were born, there was a little rubber pipe from most engines' 'rocker cover' as we used to call it, going to the air filter, whereby the engine consumed its own vapours.

Worn tired old motors like my A35 or Escort, back in the day, used to have oily air-filter housings because of this.

Hope that helps.

Singvogel.

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I do remember the hose, had a Mk 2 Escort, a MK 3 Cortina E, a Mini 998 Cooper S among others. Didn't it have, on later models, an inline filter type thingy, that, if I recall, used to block up with oil? I may be confusing myself now, as back in the day I wasn't as savvy as I would like to think I am now!

Oh, and it did help, Thank you

BMW now only fit the Vortex breather so, I would hope, they've got their act together.

PS thought the Cooper S had the 1275 lump in and the Cooper 1100.

nickcc said:

BMW now only fit the Vortex breather so, I would hope, they've got their act together.

PS thought the Cooper S had the 1275 lump in and the Cooper 1100.

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The Mini Cooper S had a range of engine sizes over the years.

The twin-carb beasts had 997cc, 1071cc, 1275cc, before the 998cc version - I think - but my memory is shaky too.

My cousin had one for hill-climbs and another for road rallies.

Ah well - more bloody nostalgia.

Have you noticed that nostalgia is not as good as it used to be in my young days. Ha ha.

S.