Hello all,

Need help with this:-

1.4 8 valve 6N2 Mk3 Facelift Oil Separator removal.

If I put it on ramps can I get to the oil separator?

I don't wanna jack and axle stand the car. I've got space to use ramps. The ramps I've got - my car won't clear (they're very old and quite steep). If I buy some new ramps, with a shallower gradient, will I be able to get to the oil separator easily or is it easier with the steering wheel turned (which would mean I can't use ramps).

I know you can get the oil separator off (3 hex bolts) without removing the engine on this model - it's been done at least twice by garages already.

A side question: If I undo the oil filler cap I get loads of blow by at idle but as I up the revs to 2000 then 3000 the blow by turns to suction and holds a piece of paper to the filler hole. Is this normal operation? Does this indicate the pressure check valve is working? Thing is I'm getting too much pressure at idle and it's forcing oil up the rocker cover breather side into the air filter.

Thanks in advance,

Simon

Hi

I have had breather problems with my MK3 GT and my mk4 1999.

The MK4 (6N1) I have removed the oil separator for underneath the car whilst it jack up its little fiddle but can be done but does hurt your neck. Make sure it all jacked up safely and with axle stand.

But before you start removing the oil separator have you taken the air box off and checked the pipe that come from the oil separator to the air box. If it clogged with oil mayo or the pipe its self has become warn and sticks together both cause circulation problems.

My GT the oil separator coil had moved blocking the breather and forced oil up through the dip stick.

Good little website

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

hope it helps

Hi

I have had breather problems with my MK3 GT and my mk4 1999.

The MK4 (6N1) I have removed the oil separator for underneath the car whilst it jack up its little fiddle but can be done but does hurt your neck. Make sure it all jacked up safely and with axle stand.

But before you start removing the oil separator have you taken the air box off and checked the pipe that come from the oil separator to the air box. If it clogged with oil mayo or the pipe its self has become warn and sticks together both cause circulation problems.

My GT the oil separator coil had moved blocking the breather and forced oil up through the dip stick.

Good little website

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

hope it helps

Hi,

Thanks for your input and advice. I've checked out that website but I'm pretty sure mine is different and is a bolt on breather with three bolts.

Yes I've had all the breather pipes off and cleaned as well as I can. None of the pipes are collapsing. I blew down the main engine breather pipe yesterday and it freed up the blockage again and now it's breathing better.

I've had oil come up the dipstick before in cold weather but I'm sure it's for a different reason than you had.

Just have to keep my eye on this as I know it's gonna be an ongoing problem.

Thanks again,

Simon

I had a similar problem to you with the use of ramps, I just made up a couple of lengths of wood, with a taper at one end, these act as a lead-up to the ramps, once the wheels are on the actual ramps, there is sufficient clearance.

Regards.

Hi

I have had breather problems with my MK3 GT and my mk4 1999.

The MK4 (6N1) I have removed the oil separator for underneath the car whilst it jack up its little fiddle but can be done but does hurt your neck. Make sure it all jacked up safely and with axle stand.

But before you start removing the oil separator have you taken the air box off and checked the pipe that come from the oil separator to the air box. If it clogged with oil mayo or the pipe its self has become warn and sticks together both cause circulation problems.

My GT the oil separator coil had moved blocking the breather and forced oil up through the dip stick.

Good little website

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

hope it helps

Hi,

Thanks for your input and advice. I've checked out that website but I'm pretty sure mine is different and is a bolt on breather with three bolts.

Yes I've had all the breather pipes off and cleaned as well as I can. None of the pipes are collapsing. I blew down the main engine breather pipe yesterday and it freed up the blockage again and now it's breathing better.

I've had oil come up the dipstick before in cold weather but I'm sure it's for a different reason than you had.

Just have to keep my eye on this as I know it's gonna be an ongoing problem.

Thanks again,

Simon

The website just good information on breather systems. the breather system it self maybe different but the way they works is all the same.

I had to take mine breather off and give it a good clean with air hose and cleaning products.

just check an eye on you oil level and air box.

Edited 3 June, 201214 yr by residentmelon

Thanks caretakerplus for the idea. I was sorta thinking of something similar - will have to experiment.

Thanks residentmelon - I appreciate that the info on the website is pretty much universal. I'll heed your advice.

No worries, when my breather was knackered it was pushing oil into the airbox. Before I found out I was topping the oil up every few days.

Hope you sort it.

No worries, when my breather was knackered it was pushing oil into the airbox. Before I found out I was topping the oil up every few days.

Hope you sort it.

You solved it then?

Mine is doing the same. It's pushing the oil up on the right hand side (as viewed from the front). It's going up the smaller breather off the rhs of the rocker cover and up into the airbox - dumping onto one of the two air filters and saturating it. I'm keeping the main crank case breather free now - by blowing down it with a plastic pipe and forcing the mayo back into the sump - I know it's not best practice but it's all I can do, all pipes are good but have a certain amount of mayo. It's not been running as well in the last few days so I decided it was time to put a clean filter back in the rhs and then block the breather which dumps onto the filter (it's blocked half the time anyway). Seems to run better now but there's gonna be more pressure on the crankcase breather side now and I'll probably have to blow it out more often.

It's done around 110,000 miles and I think the mayo problem is age related and just not fixable - head gasket checks out fine. At higher revs when everything seems to get sucked back to the throttle, things are better but at tick over and below 1500 rpm there is too much pressure in the sump - it seems. I'm guessing it's blow by with age, even though leak tests say the piston rings are OK. I'm gonna have to find a way to vent to air at some point and just make things right when it comes to MOT time - I'll vent the rocker cover breather side. Never failed an MOT yet and it's 12 years old.

Trying to keep it ticking over for as long as possible cos it's had a few major jobs done on it last year - cam belt, discs and pads, 4 new tyres, thats without the service - then this problem sorta crept up and it doesn't seem fixable. I could take the oil separator off every week and clean it out but it will just clog again so blowing back down it is easier. I'm hoping blowing down it backwards isn't gonna hurt anything - there is a vacuum pipe Teeing off the crank-case breather back through a check valve into the throttle body so when I blow down the main breather - while it's blocked - the pressure goes through the throttle body into what normally would be a low pressure environment but with the throttle closed (engine off) the pressure has nowhere to go. Worried about putting pressure on the manifold pressure sensor or the purge valve solenoid which scavenges the petrol fumes from the fuel tank - worried about causing more damage.

Sorry to waffle - just in case anyone can reassure me.

It not not always age related I brought my car with 65000 miles on the clock on the the breather pipe was full of mayo and causing the car to stall becaause the breather was completely blocked.

The problem was linked to the fact that the previous owner only did 10miles a day which was not warming the oil up which also made the follovers tappy due to the oil pipe being blocked with mayo.

You can vent the breather to air with crackcase breather but if the breather is still filling with mayo you need to take the sump of and clean the oil pick up pipe.

Also what oil are you using? a good oil will help

It not not always age related I brought my car with 65000 miles on the clock on the the breather pipe was full of mayo and causing the car to stall becaause the breather was completely blocked.

The problem was linked to the fact that the previous owner only did 10miles a day which was not warming the oil up which also made the follovers tappy due to the oil pipe being blocked with mayo.

You can vent the breather to air with crackcase breather but if the breather is still filling with mayo you need to take the sump of and clean the oil pick up pipe.

Also what oil are you using? a good oil will help

Interesting. Is that a typo "follovers", did you mean followers - cam followers? Just checking - the terminology I use is all wrong by modern standards, I still call it a rocker cover but apparently someone tells me it's more properly referred to as a Cam Carrier.

Hmm... Sump off? I've thought of this - to look for sludge and stuff. Sounds easy doesn't it, it seems that nothing is on modern cars though. Think I read the other day on another thread, for the sump to come off the gearbox needs to come off. I used to work on my MKIII Escort with relative confidence but with this car I hit a brick wall with anything so I'm reluctant to tamper.

The oil is from a VW dealer - the one they use for this type of car. Syntegra, semi-synthetic 10W-40, it's affordable but I've no reason to believe it's not as good as any other.

So you reckon the oil pick up pipe needs cleaning. It's a fair point - if it's not going up there then it would cause problems I suppose. I believe it is circulating pretty well though other wise I wouldn't be getting oil being forced up, into, and out of, the breather on the top of the rocker cover that goes back to the air filter. Weird thing is I never get mayo on the oil filler cap (only a tiny bit once ever), or on the dip-stick. I'll bear in mind what you say - re. the oil pick up pipe - problem is I'm reluctant to do it myself or spend any further money on it.

I gather you've got a MKII or MkII facelift? Do you do a lot of work on it yourself besides the basic stuff?

yeah it a typo I meant followers but i would still call them tappets. And I still call it a rocker cover.

I will be removing the sump off the 6N1 soon as it has a leak. I don't think you have to remove the gearbox to get at it. I did the sump on a MK2F and all i had to do was undo the bolts on the exhaust at the manifold connection to give me some room.

I reckon the pick up pipe needs cleaning. the website about breathers is a good read to some of the causes and solution to blocked breathers

I do alot of work myself, services, brakes etc and call my brother in to help with head gaskets or clutches.

The sump is not a big job and their is no gaskets on these just sealent

I've had MK2's MK3's MK2 Golf currently I have MK2 saloon 6N1 1.4 8v and 6N1 1.6 8v

Edited 8 June, 201214 yr by residentmelon

yeah it a typo I meant followers but i would still call them tappets. And I still call it a rocker cover.

I will be removing the sump off the 6N1 soon as it has a leak. I don't think you have to remove the gearbox to get at it. I did the sump on a MK2F and all i had to do was undo the bolts on the exhaust at the manifold connection to give me some room.

I reckon the pick up pipe needs cleaning. the website about breathers is a good read to some of the causes and solution to blocked breathers

I do alot of work myself, services, brakes etc and call my brother in to help with head gaskets or clutches.

The sump is not a big job and their is no gaskets on these just sealent

I've had MK2's MK3's MK2 Golf currently I have MK2 saloon 6N1 1.4 8v and 6N1 1.6 8v

You're right about the gearbox - just checked the Haynes - must have been another car. Says I've got to remove one of the drive shafts though. Like you say gotta move the exhaust too. I'll read the website you listed again. Cheers for the help.

No worries lets us know how you get on