The crankcase ventilation filter and other car engine filters work mostly in the same fashion.
By letting off extra pressure into the environment, the crankcase ventilation filter removes the oil and pollutants from the gas.
In this case, removing excess gas pressure through the crankcase ventilation filter instead of the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation valve) is what is focused on, but you could decide to use the PCV.
Also, the crankcase breather filter keeps your crankcase clean by not allowing debris into the crankcase. Most often, especially during the cooling stage of the engine cycle.
The crankcase breather ultimately stops oil pollution, which has a tremendous adverse effect on your engine. Well, in this article, we will be discussing answers of the questions related to the Crankcase breather filter.
What is a crankcase breather?
A crankcase breather, also referred to as crankcase ventilation, is an oil separator filter. It is responsible for removing oil mist from the engine crankcase.
We all recognize that when any diesel engine has been running for a while, the pollutions generated not only affect our planet, but also human health; this is how important of a component our crankcase breather is.
There are two methods of discharging or redirecting pressure from inside the engine, but in this case, we are not focused on discharging pressure through the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation valve) but through a crankcase ventilation filter, although you could.
The CCV filter normally acts like other filters that are found with the automobile engine. It discharges extra pressure into the environment but at the same time cleans out the gases of any oil, or other contaminants.
Also, during the cooling process of the engine, this crankcase breather filter allows the crankcase to remain clean by not allowing any debris into the crankcase.
Ultimately, the crankcase breather prevents oil pollution from having an overwhelmingly negative impact on your engine.
What are the sources of crankcase gases?
The gases that fill the crankcase are created when material from the combustion chamber “blows by”, the piston rings. This is referred to as blow-by.
If these blow-by gas particulates are not discharged, they will eventually condense and mix with the crankcase’s oil vapor, which either causes oil sludge or dilutes the oil with raw fuel.
Excessive crankcase pressure causes oil leaks through the crankshaft seals and other engine gaskets and seals making it necessary to use a crankcase ventilation system.
Where is the crankcase ventilation filter located?
The crankcase ventilation filter is usually located on top of the valve cover or on the breather hose that’s connected to the air intake and is located on top of the crankcase.
This portion of the engine allows for air intake to happen into and out of this area of the engine, and it is where the positive pressure is vented.
What are the Symptoms of a Blocked Crankcase Breather Filter?
Engine performance issues
Another clear sign of a blocked Crankcase breather filter is that it can affect your car’s engine performance.
The blocked filter can affect the air-fuel mixture resulting in the cars power and acceleration to be affected instead; this may be observed more if moving along in a low speed ar.
However, there are a lot of things that affect engine performance; to do an exclusive diagnosis on your vehicle needs a strong recommendation to your dealer, independent competent technician or auto repair shop.
Oil leaks
Oil leaks are the most clear sign. Oil leaks usually mean there is a blocked filter!
As previously stated, the filter filters out particulates from blow-by gases in engine and allow it to return to the engine through the PCV valve.
A clogged filter restricts the airflow to the crankcase, therefore, the flow of air is not ideal for the blow-by gases.
Consequently, pressure will build in the crankcase, which will lead to some of the gaskets and seals blowing and an oil leak.
Alec anywhere can have leak, how much depends on how worn the seals and gaskets are, but due to pressure, the less worn gaskets and seals are more likely to blow first and have an oil leak.
Oil leaks can occur at the oil pan and valve cover at the top and the bottom of the engine but do not be limited to those areas.
High Idle
The filter may get clogged causing a high idle speed. The oil in the engine may become clogged or leak and cause this feature to take place, therefore a change in the idling speed is a great indicator that the crankcase breather filter, if your car has one, is having problems.
Check engine light
The check engine light is something we all hate but it is also very miraculous. When your car’s On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) system lights up that means it has detected a problem code. When the ECU detects there is an issue with an engine, that it can’t resolve itself, it logs these codes.
You are able to use the OBD connector and connect an OBD scanner to check the fault codes when the check engine light comes up. The error codes will not define the exact malfunctioning part.
But it will tell you what the engine is having a problem with, help narrow down the number of possible reasons, and make the diagnostics process easier.
Why Is There Oil Coming Out of the Crankcase Breather?
You will want to check your seals if you observe engine oil leaking from the crankcase breather filter. There can be a blowback of oil in the intake valves past a bad seal resulting in a buildup of pressure that will send oil back to the inlet filter.
The crankcase breather filter will then vent the excess oil. Excessive crankcase pressure could also contribute to this by allowing oil to escape past the oil collecting container, past gaskets and seals. This engine oil will then be blown out through the CCV filter.
What is the cost to replace a crankcase filter?
Replacing a crankcase breather filter may cost more or less, depending on your vehicle. Additionally, there are significant price differences regarding the materials, mounting, design of the filter, and other critical parts of the CCV filter.
They will have different pricing at different dealerships and different vehicle repair shops. You may even have independent mechanics show up at your home and replace this filter for you. However, if the filter is located in an accessible area, changing this filter is usually quite simple.
The estimated cost of replacing your crankcase breather filter will generally be around $200 to 300. The parts alone will cost you generally between $100 -$105, and labor will cost you between $90 to $120.
Always choose a CCV filter that uses high-quality baseplates and filter gasket seals that can withstand the extreme engine pressure.
Make it a habit to replace these breather filters at least at the same time as changing our spark plugs as they can clog and get pretty dirty pretty fast.
How do you replace a crankcase breather filter?
In general, unless you are highly confident in your skills, we do not recommend doing this ‘fix’ yourself.
- Find the breather hose. You will likely need to remove the engine cover first.
- Cut off the hose clamps.
- Pull the hose out of the bottom connection after removing it from the top connection.
- When installing the replacement breather hose, this process may vary greatly depending on your vehicle’s make and model.
- You can reinstall the hose clamps, if needed, depending on the hose clamp style.
- Please remember the above example came from a Volvo XC90; your vehicle may vary somewhat.