Hey,

I have a late spec Mk2 with the two breather units on it (the one on the back of the block, then the separate one inline with the hose).

Is there a way to test if one of these is blocked? My old Polo was producing some smoke out of the breather hose when the engine was warming up, this car doesn't. Should I be able to just blow air through the whole assembly or something?

Normally oil forcing its way out of places it shouldn't is a sure sign.

normally its just waste crankcase vapours and condensation, its the inline unit you would need to look at as this also doubles as a pressure valve, the one on the block is just a baffle/separator.

Yeah, it is leaking oil, apparently from nowhere in particular like the old car did when the breather was blocked up. So are you saying that the one on the block is almost certainly fine, because there's nothing there to really go wrong?

I had simular problems with my GT oil was forcing it was at the Dipstick and and having an oil consuption problem with my mk4 oil is being forced in the air box apperently a very common problem with VW's.

The GT was a split hose and the breather didn't have the coil inside it.

The MK4 is the breather pipe is all block with mayo. i clean it out as much as possible but it need a new breather.

I came accross this website that might help you.

http://bangernomics.tripod.com/oilypolo.htm

take the breather hose off and also take the oil cap off and blow down breather hose if you do this while its slightly hot it "should" blow out oil vapour if not it's blocked! hope that helps

take the breather hose off and also take the oil cap off and blow down breather hose if you do this while its slightly hot it "should" blow out oil vapour if not it's blocked! hope that helps

Cheers! I'll give this a go.

Reading that link above, the unit on the crank case sounds like a right bugger to sort out so I really hope thats not it.

I would say it won't be too difficult if you take the inlet off. More room + light