Well, I don't know what's going on. I'm kind of a purist and like to keep everything original as possible, but after some issues I was having with the air cleaner mounts and positioning of all the tubes and hoses, I decided to ditch the factory air cleaner and go with a Spectre cone filter along with an oil separator from Jeg's. I finally have it all installed, with the exception of currently using the oil separator as a catch can until I can drill a small hole thru the brass fitting on the bottom to drain out. The system seems to be working and the oil separator has been catching oil, however there is a very noticeable lack of power when accelerating especially after shifting up to 3rd gear, and there's an embarrassingly large amount of smoke coming out the tail pipe on a car that otherwise had very little smoke, except in high altitude. I also want to say that there's more oil being pushed out of the oil cap, but not totally sure yet. It's hard for me to believe that the engine is not getting enough air to do all this. Does this have to do with the oil separator system? Maybe the rubber hoses are too narrow and constricting? I don't want to start blowing seals due to lack of crank case ventilation. Thanks guys :-)

Easy to check...just route the tube from the valve cover to atmosphere temporarily. If performance comes back, you've got your answer - and if not, look for other sources of the problem.

Your oil separator looks a bit small to me.

Here's the one I built



Built a Catch Can

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

I think you're fine on the PCV hose sizes, looks pretty similar to mine. Hard to say on that particular filter, but I'd suspect that over the catch can system. I went with mach4's Ford Super Duty filter myself and it's been working great. No more rattle that shakes the whole car. Not sure how you could test it other than running up a hill without it.

-Rog

Ya, remove the Air Filter Element and go on a drive just long enough to see if the smoke clears up.
If the Smoke clears up your Air Filter is not allowing enough Air Flow.

Disconnect the Crancase Vent and see if performance imporoves.

Do the above one at a time.

If either of those has no effect you have other issues.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Yeah, thinking about it, if the intake is restricted then there won't be enough air to burn all the fuel so it'll go out the tailpipe as smoke. I suspect the air filter even more.

-Rog

I bought a kit from MonsterCraftsman and modified it somewhat. It has a two-stage catch can arrangement with the second stage can vented to atmosphere. I get zero exhaust smoke but occasionally get a puff from the atmosphere vent in stop-and-go city traffic. I also seem to get more mid-range power and a nice little induction growl.

Thanks guys, I put the car back in storage tonight and will deal with it another weekend. I'll try the couple of tests you mentioned. I'm thinking I might have two issues going on though, one is the lack of air flow, and the other, too much crank case pressure. I left a small puddle of oil in the couple of places I had parked from the oil flowing out of the cap and down the left side of the engine. It never did that before. I just hope there's no permanent damage. I hate the thought of going back to the original setup, especially since I threw a lot of it out and would have to re-purchase it plus all the wasted money for the new setup, but that beats what's going on now.

That looks like the setup I got from Dieselish (the site), is that the same person/company? I only got the catch cans as I had already built my own air cleaner setup. I ran it for awhile, but there was no baffling inside the cans so it didn't catch much oil. I packed bronze wool into both and that helped, but oil was still making it to the second can and out. Also the connection to the drain tube wasn't as nice as the one they show in their video (not a tight fit and too short), so it leaked quite a bit. Someday I'll cut them open to add some baffles and probably use it on a different car. Might as well have gotten a $20 one off of eBay though.

I had made my own catch can years ago for a different car out of a couple big ABS end caps, some ABS sheet inside for baffles, and bronze wool packed in. It worked great but leaked from the drain threads at the bottom. I've since sealed it and that's what I'm using now. Works perfectly, and once you pull the old air cleaner drain tube off you get a nice nipple in the oil pan to run a hose to.

Anyway, I'll be interested in hearing the verdict on what the OP's issue is.

-Rog

Rocky how does everthing mount looks like air cleaner, and a 2 stage catch system. Do the 3 items mount to something or are there just hanging there?

Yeah you want to have good crank case ventilation, as I recall, the outlet on the valve cover fits a 3/4" hose. I really would be surprised if that cone air filter is making your car run rich as the turbo should suck whatever it needs through it.
Curious to see how it turns out

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97 e300d, 78 300Dt, 95 E300d, 94 E320 estate

If it's the same one I'm thinking of and have part of, the air cleaner tube is rigid so it stays put. The first catch can needs an extra brace, which it looks like he added. The second can fits in the hole in the spring perch.

-Rog

As Rogviler said, I made up braces and brackets out of scrap steel bits and cable clamps.

Why not go for a Fram 8038 like many on your side of the pond do. I've always thought pod filters were a scam.
I have my crankcase breather hooked directly into my air filter housing. Stock setup it went straight into the intake anyway. When I get an intercooler I'll get a catch can or vent to atmosphere or both...

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1978 300D, 373,000km 617.912, 711.113 5 speed, 7.5mm superpump, HX30W turbo...many, many years in the making....
1977 280> 300D - 500,000km+ (to be sold...)
1984 240TD>300TD 121,000 miles, *gone*
1977 250 parts car
1988 Toyota Corona 2.0D *gone*
1975 FJ45>HJ45
1981 200>240D (to be sold...)
1999 Hyundai Lantra 1.6 *gone*
1980s Lansing Bagnall FOER 5.2 Forklift (the Mk2 engine hoist)
2001 Holden Rodeo 4JB1T 2WD

The rigid line from the cam cover to the first can is a 90deg piece of galvanized conduit from hardware store. It is held in place by cable clamp attached to the throttle mounting plate.

Be sure to keep all rubber components a distance from the turbocharger as it gets pretty hot.

I have had this arrangement in place for over a year and am very pleased with it. Last week made a round-trip to Vermont over three days, about 1300 miles. The engine just sings a baritone at speed.

For those in CA, you can mount a 1985 CA frame-mounted air cleaner, as I did in my 1985 when installing an earlier engine. They are crushing them every day, so grab one. I repeated in my 1984 because tired of the stupid air cleaner dance and cracked mounts. I stack 2 cheap Wix filters (for 80's Toyota MR2). In 85 CA cars, there was no oil separator other than a tee drain straight into the turbo. But, since I had the oil drain tube, I ran the tee to that in both cars. The 85 CA has no drain stub on upper oil pan. The 85 CA turbo inlet rubber is usually bad. I just used a silicone turbo elbow from ebay. Had to cut the 85 air cleaner outlet tube slightly to fit the lower turbo inlet.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans