valvecover T, breather?

[Goinsleeper]

I just wanted to get a clear answer, i have an s13 sr20det so i hve the T coming off the valve cover. I can just unplug the left hose and put a breather on it right? it would just be used for emissions? im in AL and we dont believe in emissions so i dont have to worry about that. would it be better to run the breather if you can, or would it be better to run an oil catch can? the line coming off the right side of the T flows back and down to the oil pan right? it would vacuum fumes and other stuff that would break down the oil correct? so wouldn't it be better to run the oil catch can off the hose coming out the right side of the T? sorry for the question overload, just want to get it right the first time.

[Vatche]

i beleive the oil catch can is on the right side stock, if thats what your asking.

and if there is no benefit from putting a breather on the left one, why do it?

[Goinsleeper]

because its sucking a hell offa lotta oil out of the head and putting it into my intake.... its called blowby! what do you mean about the oil catch being on the right stock? most people put an oil catch can between the left side of the T on the VC and the intake pipe so that it catches the oil and debris coming through the hose before it makes it to the intake pipe.

anyone else got input on the breather filter instead of using a catch can?

[kay_arsen]

what does that line actually do? whats the reason to have that going into the intake?

[Wei240]

hmm, haven't really noticed it before, but mine splits, it has a hose to a stock catch can to the right and the left hose goes to the intake...

[180sxidey]

i currently have the breather filter on the left side of the T and right side to the stock oil catch

and i don't think you really need the oil catch before intake if you are not runnin too much of boost...
(at 14 psi i had it opened and never spilled oil)
can't think of any other benefits of having catch can
other then emission reason,,, prevents spilling oil to environment or to your engine bay...

my question......
would it make any different in performance or functionality for vaccuming hotter air than atm air?
(since the filter is suckin enginebay air and most likely it s hotter than outside temp.....)
eh~..... nvm... wouldn't make much difference...

ok.. to conclude..
breather filter.... will prevent from getting dust or some shiet into the vaccume
and also the oil would not get into your intake(since disconnected)
but might spill oil to your engine bay...

and oil catch prevents getting oil into your intake. and no spilling...
(if you are worry about getting oil into your intake,, i guess this is better way but more expensive)
just grab a bottle and split the hose.... locate it same position or higher than your T.. DIY oil catch done...

[Goinsleeper]

well i would prefer to not have the oil catch can at all. i would rather run a breater, i just didnt know if it affect performance in any way. if it doesnt, ill just run the breather and plug the hole on my intake.

[breakindrifts]

If you dont have emissions just run a mini breather filter, wont harm you in anyway, just keep your intake cleaner.

[Goinsleeper]

well i think thats whats ill do. i just bought an oil catch can but it was off ebay so i can prolly just turn around and sell it.
thanks for the info.

[Pepperoni]

You know, for at least 4 or 5 months my idle was not too great. When coming to a stop, the RPMs would dip down (not enough to stall out, but it was not normal). Vac on boost guage was about 14-16 which was different from the ~20 that i originally had about a year ago when it was running perfectly. I've always had my BOV recirculated, so that was not an issue.

I really could not tell what the problem was until I thought about the breather I had installed. I did a lot of research, but never came across any solid evidence that having a breather filter would cause problems.

I did have a catch can, but instead of connecting the catch can back to the intake, I had a breather filter (so it went valve cover->catch can->breather filter on catch can) which is essentially the same thing as just having a breather on the actual T.

I decided why not try it, and I connected the catch can back to the intake. Like magic, idle is perfect again and the vacuum is reading back at ~20 on the boost guage. (and the car overall feels much better/smoother when driving it).

Another thing to keep in mind for those people looking into getting catch cans (based on personal experience):
There are some catch cans on ebay (for example) that have very small bungs/nipples (ie: 9mm). These are not the type you want to get if you have an SR/KA-T. If you use these, they will restrict the amount of air that needs to go from valve cover to intake. This results in too much pressure and you'll soon find your dipstick shooting out once you're boosting.

Sorry I made this a bit long, but I just wanted to point out that your idle *could* be affected by having a breather filter on there. True, some people claim to have 0 problems whatsoever with perfect idle. I'm just saying it can be a possibility because it happened to me.

[Boney]

I would never run a breather... Oil does come out of that T and all it will do is clog up the breather. You should run a catch can on that side. I have the GReddy bc its pretty but you could make one using 15mm fittings. It prolongs turbo life and performance by stopping it from gumming up.

[180sxidey]

oh wow..
maybe that s why i was having lit trouble w/ idle..
i always thought i needed to tune it more precisely.
i remove the hose from intake because i upgraded to bigger turbo and used different inlet pipe
and no longer have the nipple on the pipe..
what is the easiest way to make a nipple?
would it be easier to make it on the rubber tubing and seal it?
or use aluminum and weld it?

thx

[Goinsleeper]

180, i would grab a steal or aluminum pipe and just have someone weld it. alot easier to find a steal welder than an aluminum. im from Mobile, and we have ALOT of welding places (its a port city), but only a handful can do aluminum. or you can just buy an intake pipe from peperoni, i got mine from him and its, for lack of other words, perfect. lol. he can put whatever nipple on there you want. i would stay away from the stock rubber intake pipe because it can flex, especially with larger turbo's.

another question is, how would that affect the idle? i would think it would hurt the car more to breath through the head as well. alot of the cars that JGY deals with have the breather, its in many of their pics. i think im going to try the breather as soon as i get home (couple months), and see which does better. if i dont have a problem with the breather, ill keep it, otherwise ill put the catch can on that i already have. either way, ill let you guys know what happens.

thanks for the info tho, gave me something to think about pep.

[180sxidey]

thx to
sleeper
i will try to remove the breather in couple of days of and see if it runs better
let you know

i will try to do the welding myself thou..
since it doesn't have to be super strong..
maybe i can just jbweld a lil pipe to the intake

according to Pepperoni.. 4 inHg higher if run it from the intake
I guess it make sense in some sense, since the fluid is flowing in the intake..
and as the velocity increase in the intake,
the vacuum velocity or pressure will increase as well
maybe the ecu calibrates the vacuum air density flow as well

hm... not sure.. maybe maybe maybe...
always just assume things and break things

[Goinsleeper]

no problem man and good insight on why it might affect idle. hope you figure out what you need.