Slobber/Breather Tube Extensions

[Cougarkid]

Well, my slobber collector solution was cheap, easy and quick. I had everything I needed laying around the garage.

I had looked at the slobber tube before. It runs straight down the side and ends just at the bottom of the pan. After reading post here and seeing pictures I proceeded blindly.

I took an old Folgers instant coffee plastic jar I was using for bolt storage, emptied it, washed it out and cleaned the label off.
Drilled four 3/8" holes in the lid at the edge.
Took 2 old Scotch sanding pads and cut them to fit the bottom and lid.
Took the jar/lid out and slid under the rv.
Measured the tube diameter for the last hole.
Realized the slobber tube runs through a bracket at the base of the engine block.
Took jar/lid back in and drilled a 7/8" diameter hole through one of the 3/8" holes at the edge.
Added another 3/8" hole in the center of the lid and 2 more around the edge for 6 total small holes.
Cut a 7/8" hole in the lid's pad for the tube to run through.
Dug out 2 hose clamps that would fit around the slobber tube.
Took the jar/lid, hose clamps, screwdriver, rag and pvc pipe "scissors" out and slid under the rv.
Wiped the slobber tube off and cut about 2" off the end with the pvc "scissors".
Put one hose clamp on the slobber tube about 1" from the bracket.
Slid the lid on the slobber tube, put the other hose clamp up tight against the inside of the lid and tightened it down.
Screwed the jar on and I am done.
NO modifications to the rv.

It will hang on the slobber tube without any brackets required. Spin the jar off and clean as required and spin back on. Easily visable from underside when oil is changed.

[bob109]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cougarkid Well, my slobber collector solution was cheap, easy and quick. I had everything I needed laying around the garage. I had looked at the slobber tube before. It runs straight down the side and ends just at the bottom of the pan. After reading post here and seeing pictures I proceeded blindly. I took an old Folgers instant coffee plastic jar I was using for bolt storage, emptied it, washed it out and cleaned the label off. Drilled four 3/8" holes in the lid at the edge. Took 2 old Scotch sanding pads and cut them to fit the bottom and lid. Took the jar/lid out and slid under the rv. Measured the tube diameter for the last hole. Realized the slobber tube runs through a bracket at the base of the engine block. Took jar/lid back in and drilled a 7/8" diameter hole through one of the 3/8" holes at the edge. Added another 3/8" hole in the center of the lid and 2 more around the edge for 6 total small holes. Cut a 7/8" hole in the lid's pad for the tube to run through. Dug out 2 hose clamps that would fit around the slobber tube. Took the jar/lid, hose clamps, screwdriver, rag and pvc pipe "scissors" out and slid under the rv. Wiped the slobber tube off and cut about 2" off the end with the pvc "scissors". Put one hose clamp on the slobber tube about 1" from the bracket. Slid the lid on the slobber tube, put the other hose clamp up tight against the inside of the lid and tightened it down. Screwed the jar on and I am done. NO modifications to the rv. It will hang on the slobber tube without any brackets required. Spin the jar off and clean as required and spin back on. Easily visable from underside when oil is changed.

Mike:

Great job on your slobber tube catch jar. I wish I had that same room around my slobber tube but unfortunately it runs alongside the block just behind the harmonic balancer and exits above the engine cradel. Had little choice but to route the tube with a extension to the jar. As long as it collects the oil vapors and keeps the crap from entering the radiator I'll be happy. Have a 1300 mile jaunt coming up and I'll be monitoring my jar closely.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/...6278f66d_z.jpg

[TooTallTruck]

I am a Caterpillar trained technician, who was layed off when my branch was closed due to lack of profitability. So now I am on my own and started my own mobile repair business, my main customer is my newborn son as he takes more than enough time! Point being this is a short introduction to the forum.

The reason the newer C7 CATs have more or wetter blowby is because CAT relocated the breather mounting location to the cam follower cover on the side of the engine. The reason they did this was so that they could have a lower engine height, I recently saw why on a customer's MH, the engine cover under the bed was 1/2" higher than the valve cover of the engine, where the plastic valve cover still had the breather mounting location in the valve cover from when they molded the cover, but the 4" of breather would make it too high for his engine cover.

This causes the oil that is being fed thru the cam follower shafts (to lubricate the cam rollers and the pushtubes) to splash into the breather tube mount and that ends up sending it out the discharge tube.

So if you have the room on top of your engine and can find a local shop that understands the process you can have a breather setup just like a 3126E and have a top mount breather, if you wanted to get fancy you could exchange the cam follower cover for another forward or rear cover that did not have the breather mount cast into it as they are all the same gasket used and they will interchange without issue.

The only issue to be concerned about is if your engine is new enough to have an Atmospheric Pressure Sensor that moniters the engine's crankcase pressure.

The more expensive "blowby-return-to-intake" kits are not advisable. Many of the local school districts had these expensive systems installed on all their busses to try to keep them cleaner and they were cost offset by EPA because they did give the blowby mist a second chance to burn. But that also sends all kinds of oil through the turbo inlet!!! The chances of your engine running away from your control on engine oil is very unlikely, but it does become more likely if you send oil into the turbo inlet since the turbo will create a very high flow vacum.

I hope this helps people a little and I will probably install more than one JIF jars onto customer's breather tubes. That is just as effective and less costly than CAT's fix, which they did come out with but I don't have access to that literature anymore.


Joe Oakes
Owner of Too Tall's Truck mobile diesel repair

[ninos]

What state are you located? You should let people know where you are your phone number and the all nine yards. Joe

[dls461]

Ditto on the catch jar. I just put 2 pcs of cardboard in the bottom to absorb the oil. Cleanup is a matter of dumping the cardboard and cutting 2 new pcs.. Just make sure to make the vent holes as mentioned above.

[Chuck 1935]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TooTallTruck I hope this helps people a little and I will probably install more than one JIF jars onto customer's breather tubes. That is just as effective and less costly than CAT's fix, which they did come out with but I don't have access to that literature anymore. Joe Oakes Owner of Too Tall's Truck mobile diesel repair

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninos What state are you located? You should let people know where you are your phone number and the all nine yards. Joe

OK JOE, LIKE NINOS ASKS
WHERE YOU AT ?????????????

[Chuck 1935]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck 1935 OK JOE, LIKE NINOS ASKS WHERE YOU AT ?????????????

Never Mind, I found you under Community in Port Angeles.
Do you have any experience with the oil coolers/oil filter housing on a C7 Cat. I have an oil drip and have a question about removing it to replace the gaskets. ??

[jauguston]

Something else that needs to be checked on every engine is the dipstick length. There is a published paper from Cat on how to do it. The dipstick and dipstick tube is not furnished by Cat the chassis builder furnishes it. There are MANY that are too short and require 4-5 quarts more oil than the engine is supposed to have to reach the full mark. Mine (C-7 350) was one of them. I used to get oil all over my toad. After recalibrating the dipstick no more oil on the toad. My engine is supposed to hold 19 quarts of oil. It took 24 quarts to reach the full mark with the dipstick that was in the engine.

Jim

[TooTallTruck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck 1935 Never Mind, I found you under Community in Port Angeles. Do you have any experience with the oil coolers/oil filter housing on a C7 Cat. I have an oil drip and have a question about removing it to replace the gaskets. ??

I have repaired the oil cooler many times on the 3100 block. Go ahead and ask away, if I can help I will. A picture of your setup will make explinations very easy. For the most part there is nothing special when replacing the gaskets, just awkward to access most times.

I am in Port Angeles, WA 98362. I had a website but can't justify the cost right now since most of my business is by word of mouth locally. I am on Google Places though under Too Tall's Truck.

I am going to do a "Welcome Me" thread here shortly.

[Chuck 1935]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TooTallTruck I have repaired the oil cooler many times on the 3100 block. Go ahead and ask away, if I can help I will. A picture of your setup will make explinations very easy. For the most part there is nothing special when replacing the gaskets, just awkward to access most times. I am in Port Angeles, WA 98362. I had a website but can't justify the cost right now since most of my business is by word of mouth locally. I am on Google Places though under Too Tall's Truck. I am going to do a "Welcome Me" thread here shortly.

Thanks Joe, I will post a picture of it when I get back from this weekends trip.
Chuck