Broke brittle breather tube OM603
 

Last night while taking off my oil filler cap which has become a bit stiff I accidentally banged this guy and broke it:

https://i.postimg.cc/ZnJh41Y3/IMG-2531.jpg

Some kind of breather no doubt. The break is about a half inch downhill from the elbow. One thought is to get some sort of sheet rubbery gasket material, wrap it a bit and use an hose clamp to gently hold it in place. I understand from he who shall not be named that removing if from the valve cover gasket is a serious PITA.

S'funny though, looking at the pic I see what looks like a crack running diagnolly across the vertical part. That part seemed fine when I pieced it back together. For now I put some aluminum tape around it but that's not a good solution.

Who knows, renewing the valve cover gasket might not be a bad idea, getting a new tube could be good all in all.

New tube is $30 and has rubber insulation around it.
This one is useless, it has to be supple.
You can take it out in one piece, there's no retainer inside. Just be clever with a prying tool.
Replace the grommet too. Now, if the grommet falls down, you have to pull the valve cover.

Don't drop pieces down the hole in the valve cover. There's no way to retrieve it from inside, you're screwed. There's a baffle and a breather puck in there, the hole doesn't just go into the valve cover cavity.

Replace the breather hose and the grommet. Parts are cheap. If you're cheaper than the already cheap parts, a 5/8" barbed fitting will fit the grommet.

I don't have a picture in my head of how these things fit together. Seems all pieces would be brittle. Does the baffle and the breather puck stay compliantly in place while one removes the breather hose and the grommet?

I gather that removing the valve cover is not a quick and easy job. Any thoughts on possible aging/failing valve cover gasket perhaps being renewed to advantage as a sort of fringe benny?

Taking the valve cover off isn't particularly hard, just buy a valve cover gasket and gasket and o-rings for the crossover tube and a new breather tube and install them. Maybe check the timing chain stretch while you have the valve cover off too?

Not a bad idea. What I don't know is how long I can delay this. Doing it in the next two weeks would be tough. I want to take it on a 2000 mile trip about on about 10/17.

I would think if I rendered it air tight and stable I could limp along with it for a spell. Here's a product that might do it: high temperature tape.

https://www.amazon.com/Temperature-Resistant-Automotive-Harness-32mm15m/dp/B07HHQNNV9/ref=asc_df_B07HHQNNV9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=316844970160&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16783488167562461151&hvpone=&hvptwo=&h vqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031928&hvtargid=aud-798931705416:pla-613328305884&psc=1

I'll clean it with WD40 and the electric cleaner or the like and give it this tape with possibly a hose clamp applied gently.

See my post 3 above. Buy a cheap barbed fitting from the hardware store and a section of tubing and be done with it. No point blowing oil all over the place or sucking unfiltered air through your turbo because you're cheap.

Do you mean something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Anderson-Metals-Brass-Fitting-Connector/dp/B000BQPZU8/ref=sr_1_9?gclid=CjwKCAjwxOvsBRAjEiwAuY7L8u76KtwCxXL68buI2hfGuKiK5Fasu_v5pENjYKkU-56Pg1Ap2uY_JxoCHdMQAvD_BwE&hvadid=198209184878&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9031928&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&h vrand=15520746179461690934&hvtargid=aud-646675773986%3Akwd-322327500389&hydadcr=954_9642224&keywords=5%2F8+barbed+fitting&qid=1570460132&sr=8-9

Or maybe 5/8 barbs on each side.

It's not cheap so much as reality being difficult at the moment. Taking off the cover might keep me up til 2 am one night when I can't afford to do so. I've not seen the new part, perhaps I should order one and that will give me a better idea about options.

They make polyethylene plastic ones that are double-ended and come in 90 degree fittings sold at places like Lowe's or Home Depot for a couple bucks. Buy 2, one for the valve cover, one for the intake snorkel and a section of hose to fit between.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...l-img_2992.jpg