Whats the purpose of an Oil Seperator, Breather, Catch Tank?
22-05-2005, 12:05 PM
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Whats the purpose of an Oil Seperator, Breather, Catch Tank?
More daft questions im afriad, i was chatting to this fella the other day who's into his cossies an turbos was going on about oil breathers, oil seperators an oil catch tanks which kinda lost me so i carried on nodding like i knew something about nothin.
What are these things, are they vital parts needed for a turbo? Why do you need all 3? surely there's all a 3in1 solution 1 tank that does all 3? Are there different types of each or are they pretty much universal an final question is where would be the cheapest place to buy them if i were to turbo my zetec in the future?
What are these things, are they vital parts needed for a turbo? Why do you need all 3? surely there's all a 3in1 solution 1 tank that does all 3? Are there different types of each or are they pretty much universal an final question is where would be the cheapest place to buy them if i were to turbo my zetec in the future?
22-05-2005, 12:46 PM
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When the pistons compress the air entering the engine, there is always a small amount of air that passes the piston rings into the crank case. This obviously needs to go somewhere as it would just build up and up and up, so as standard all engines have a breather system to vent this pressure off.
On a modified car, the standard breather systems become inadequate and need uprating which is where the seperators and catch tanks come in. Basically you have your breather pipes blowing vapours into a seperator which is used to seperate the oil vapours from air. This then returns the oil to the sump (by gravity through the pipe in the bottom of the seperator) and the air then passes either to atmosphere or into a catch tank and then to atmosphere. The catch tank will catch stray water and oil vapour and hold it without dumping it on the road while allowing air to pass out to atmosphere. The tank will require draining periodically.
On a modified car, the standard breather systems become inadequate and need uprating which is where the seperators and catch tanks come in. Basically you have your breather pipes blowing vapours into a seperator which is used to seperate the oil vapours from air. This then returns the oil to the sump (by gravity through the pipe in the bottom of the seperator) and the air then passes either to atmosphere or into a catch tank and then to atmosphere. The catch tank will catch stray water and oil vapour and hold it without dumping it on the road while allowing air to pass out to atmosphere. The tank will require draining periodically.
22-05-2005, 12:54 PM
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Just to add what DazC put, the std breather also vents the oily fumes back into the inlet, so that the engine consumes them. That's okay for std & well looked after cars, but up the boost, add a tired engine and those oily vapours being digested by the engine lead to detonation which makes the whole issue worse. That's why uprated breathers usually have a catch tank or vent to atmosphere.
22-05-2005, 01:00 PM
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i so have to get one but its not exactly the most exciting purchase! 
DO IT! It could save your engine's life
22-05-2005, 01:25 PM
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Basically gasses from the crank case are vented into the oil breather then to the seperator tank then to the catch tank?
do normally aspirated engines need these fancy tanks aswell or is it for high boost turbo's only?
do normally aspirated engines need these fancy tanks aswell or is it for high boost turbo's only?
22-05-2005, 01:25 PM
#7
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Basically gasses from the crank case are vented into the oil breather then to the seperator tank then to the catch tank?
do normally aspirated engines need these fancy tanks aswell or is it for high boost turbo's only?
do normally aspirated engines need these fancy tanks aswell or is it for high boost turbo's only?
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23-05-2005, 07:50 AM
#8
hi everyone what is a oil breather and a catch tank and where can i get them and how much i got a baileys header tank and swirl pot and i know what a oil separator is but it dont show the catch or brether in the burtons mag so please help me anyone advice helpful 
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