Query: P38 4.6 rocker cover breather pipes

Hi All,

Popped the bonnet on my Rangie yesterday to hoover accumulated leaves out of the scuttle and noticed the right-hand side rocker breather hose (as you look into the engine bay from the front) was on it's last legs.

I replaced that with a length of suitable coolant tubing from the garage, started the engine and noticed the breather pipe on the left bank was collapsed when the engine was running.

When I pulled that off I realised it's a rather soft silicon pipe and seemed to be in fairly good condition. It's the one which comes off the rocker at 5/8" inside diameter and reduces down to go over a "nipple" on the left of the plenium at about 5mm inside diameter.

Is this right? I can't believe a breather pipe is meant to collapse by design?

Of course it would be the one obviously special pipe that means a visit to the stealership for a replacement...

Cheers,

Malcolm

Cost around £15 IIRC, mine came from Rockingham Landrovers but I think they got it from LR anyway.

Ian

No the pipe shouldn't collapse. There is a plastic oil separator fitted into the stub on the rocker cover, probably find this is blocked with gunge and not allowing the engine to "Breathe". They are cheap to replace and I would remove it for starters, it should pull out with a pair of pointed nose pliers from the top after the hose has been removed. If you can't shift it, the rocker cover will need to be removed and the separator drilled out..if that's the case, be sure you have a new rocker cover gasket handy.

Thanks guys - pipe ordered (£17.47 inc VAT).

Yes - found and cleaner the separator. Should there be one on both banks, or just this one?

Malcolm

Just the one..

Just done a search and found this thread. Is the oil filler cap a breather as well? Would it be an idea to drill a 1 or 2mm hole in it to assist breathing in case the valve clogs up or would that just allow needle jet of oil to spray up?

I would be removing the rocker covers and cleaning out the crap that is in there and change the oil more often

No...don't drill the oil filler cap. The engine has been designed to re-burn the interior engine fumes. It's a "Sealed" system and blockage of the breathers will cause build up of sludge etc. particulaly inside the rocker covers, especially the LH one.
Far better to leave it as it was designed and checking the operation of the separator when you do a service. Remove the hose at the plenum end and blow through it to ensure it's clear.

Far better to remove the covers, strip out the baffle plates (Held on by screws) and clean the ****e off them. May as well replace the seperator whilst your at it, they are cheap enough to buy.

Thanks, was just a thought. I'm just thinking of these wire gauze caps on the old Minis - different system obviously.

I can see where you are coming from Hippolover.
In the "Old days", the word emmissions didn't exist and the ignition and fuel systems were straightforward and not sophisticated unlike modern engines which tend to work on a closed loop system not only ECU wise but also mechanically. Remove the oil filler cap whist the engine is idling and you will hear the engine tone change briefly.

would someone be kind enough to post a link to this seperator and hose as i need one and dont want to get the wrong one. (4.6 thor)

Microcat does not show the separator for Thor, only for Gems (Part No. LLJ000010).

Remove the hose from the drivers side rocker cover, the one without the oil filler, have a look inside the pipe fitted to the rocker cover, it sits in there on the Gems.

Hose part nos:

Rocker cover with oil filler....ERR7272

Rocker cover without oil filler...ERR7411


There is also another hose described as "Manifold to de-icer) part no.PEH101540 that is not in the breather system shown on the parts diagram

Thanks irish but the problem i have is that a previous owner has removed the breather completely and blanked off the threaded hole in the rocker coverand bunged up the end of the hose. I want to get it set up properly again as ive heard it will cause a sludge buildup otherwise. i have no idea what it looks like or what the part no is. any ideas?

I have had another look at the parts diagram and the pipe on the rocker cover is not shown as a separate item on either of them.
I thought the steel pipe was pressed in, not screwed in, if that's the case can you get one from a scrappy ?