Would a oil catcher benefit the engine.

[Paul Garvey]

I have the standard breather pipe fitted to the engine of my TR4a.

I have an electric fuel pump.

My question is would it be beneficial to tap the blanking plate where to mechanical fuel used be fitted. Then run a pipe to an external oil catcher with a separate pipe from the oil catcher to the rocker cover?

[trchris]

Hi Paul

The 4a standard set up works perfectly well I’d recommend leaving as is, it’s easy to maintain and doesn’t give to much trouble if you have to fit a catch tank there’s plenty of tips here in the forums just do a search 

Chris

[Paul Garvey]

Thank you. I felt the engine would be OK but a friend of mine who has had TR's much longer than me keeps trying to sell me the benefits of an oil catcher that he fitted to his TR4. Obviously the 4 did not have the breather. He is also building the engine in his TR4a that does not have a breather either.

I'll leave mine as it is

.

[stuart]

14 hours ago, Paul Garvey said:

Thank you. I felt the engine would be OK but a friend of mine who has had TR's much longer than me keeps trying to sell me the benefits of an oil catcher that he fitted to his TR4. Obviously the 4 did not have the breather. He is also building the engine in his TR4a that does not have a breather either.

I'll leave mine as it is

.

TR4 should have a block breather pipe anyway, it was deleted on the 4a to meet emissions at the time and replaced with a PRV .

Stuart.

[Michel Higuet]

18 hours ago, Paul Garvey said:

Thank you. I felt the engine would be OK but a friend of mine who has had TR's much longer than me keeps trying to sell me the benefits of an oil catcher that he fitted to his TR4. Obviously the 4 did not have the breather. He is also building the engine in his TR4a that does not have a breather either.

I'll leave mine as it is

.

The valve where cleaned, new bronze valve guide fitted... The inlet valves are carbon caked ( see pic ). ( outlet valve don't suck oil of the valve stem but due to vacuum inlet valve well ).

There are normally no valve stem seal in our TR motor, witch part is due from oil coming from the valve stem and the other from the PCV valve injecting oil vapor in the inlet manifold I have no idea...  "theoretically" a catch tank would be better ( all the makers of catch tank say so  :-) )  Modern motors mostly have the same problem...

I have no opinion I use a PCV valve...

 

But here 2 videos against a catch can... 

 

 

 

[Bleednipple]

On 11/24/2023 at 11:38 AM, stuart said:

TR4 should have a block breather pipe anyway, it was deleted on the 4a to meet emissions at the time and replaced with a PRV .

Stuart.

After plonking newly-built engine in my 4, realised we have a blank plug where the block breather goes. Now contemplating the faff of removing plug with engine in situ to refit the 'snorkel' pipe. Doh.

BUT... just to educate me... how does the PRV on the 4A work, to overcome a deleted block breather? In very simple language please! (I have a breather pipe on rocker cover but on TR4 inlet manifold/SUs with no pipework).

Thanks, Nigel

Edited November 28, 2023 by Bleednipple

[Z320]

11 hours ago, Bleednipple said:

After plonking newly-built engine in my 4, realised we have a blank plug where the block breather goes. Now contemplating the faff of removing plug with engine in situ to refit the 'snorkel' pipe. Doh.

BUT... just to educate me... how does the PRV on the 4A work, to overcome a deleted block breather? In very simple language please! (I have a breather pipe on rocker cover but on TR4 inlet manifold/SUs with no pipework).

Thanks, Nigel

I explained here at the forum a several times how the PCV valve works.

Sadly most TR4A owners do not understand the benefit of the PCV valve.

Please browse the forum

Edited November 29, 2023 by Z320

[Z320]

Here is my explanation from this summer,

I made it as a summary because of again and again returning questions 

 

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

1 hour ago, Z320 said:

Here is my explanation from this summer,

I made it as a summary because of again and again returning questions 

 

An excellent explanation

[Bleednipple]

Many thanks Marco. I now understand the general principle of the PCV. Since my post last night I've also been reading through a selection of the many posts on here and BCF etc about other aspects of crankcase breathing.

It appears that although getting the breather blank plug out of the block with the engine in place would be do-able, a simpler solution is to make use of the blanked off petrol pump hole (I have an electric pump). Although concerns have been raised baout sucking too much oil out by that hole which is obviously adjacent to the camshaft gallery, some good authorities appear to have done that successfully. Mick Richards suggested incorporating some kind of baffle to reduce the oil splash exiting via the new pipe.

As always, voluminous and excellent content on the forum - if you think to look in the right places!

Cheers all

Nigel

[monty]

My Racetorations catch tank kit/system appears to have worked well since fitment some years ago on my 4A. Certainly oil/muck in the tank.

[Bleednipple]

4 hours ago, monty said:

My Racetorations catch tank kit/system appears to have worked well since fitment some years ago on my 4A. Certainly oil/muck in the tank.

I'd seen that online but £190 for a small plastic tank plus some hose and fittings seemed a bit cheeky given that you can buy an ally catch tank for about 50 quid. But then again it always seems to end up being What TR Wants, TR Gets. 

Nigel

[rcreweread]

There's an interesting similar forum post in the TR6 Forum under the heading "Bespoke TR6 Catch Can"

Cheers Rich

[stuart]

2 minutes ago, Bleednipple said:

I'd seen that online but £190 for a small plastic tank plus some hose and fittings seemed a bit cheeky given that you can buy an ally catch tank for about 50 quid. But then again it always seems to end up being What TR Wants, TR Gets. 

Nigel

I bought mine many years ago when they were on offer and even then it was a bit expensive but It just does it and does it well and fits just right in the space so Im happy with it.

Stuart.

[monty]

2 hours ago, stuart said:

I bought mine many years ago when they were on offer and even then it was a bit expensive but It just does it and does it well and fits just right in the space so Im happy with it.

Stuart.

Exactly same as me Stuart.

[DaveB66]

Nigel,

You could see your local stanless steel fabricator and get him to make something similar to the photo, this came with the engine which went into my TR6 this summer. It fits neatly between the bulkhead and the rear fo the inner wing and combines the oil catch tank, radiator header tank and windscreen washer fluid tank and has the unforeseen benefit of giving your windscreen a  hot wash!!

Dave

[Z320]

19 hours ago, Bleednipple said:

Many thanks Marco. I now understand the general principle of the PCV. Since my post last night I've also been reading through a selection of the many posts on here and BCF etc about other aspects of crankcase breathing.

It appears that although getting the breather blank plug out of the block with the engine in place would be do-able, a simpler solution is to make use of the blanked off petrol pump hole (I have an electric pump). Although concerns have been raised baout sucking too much oil out by that hole which is obviously adjacent to the camshaft gallery, some good authorities appear to have done that successfully. Mick Richards suggested incorporating some kind of baffle to reduce the oil splash exiting via the new pipe.

As always, voluminous and excellent content on the forum - if you think to look in the right places!

Cheers all

Nigel

You are welcome,

don‘t worry, I‘m well used to the issue people don’t do what I recommend