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Post your Provent/Racor setups

46K views 82 replies 24 participants last post by  ClarkeyWKCRD 
#1 ·
I will be getting the new intake tube at the next oil change (in 200 miles) to fix my "oil dripping onto the swirl motor" issue. However after being nearly a quart low at the last two oil change intervals, I've finally decided an oil-air filter setup is mandatory (I just cant stand the thought of all that oil going into the engine, mixing with the recirculated exhaust gases, and gumming it up!). I love this engine too much to ignore the problem any longer (the fact that a replacement engine costs the majority of the price of my WK new may factor into this decision).

So post up your fixes!
 
#2 · (Edited)
I use the Racor CCV4500. It is mounted to a bracket I had fabricated by a local machine shop. The bracket is bolted to one of the shock tower screws. The round, black CCV valve is removed and is replaced by a custom machined coupling that fits into the valve cover opening and is held in place by a fabricated clip. Attached is a 3/4" hydraulic hose with gentle bend (not kinked), running along firewall to a 90 degree brass elbow. 2 inches of the same hose runs into another 90 degree coupling that fits into the intake side of the Racor CCV4500. Leaving the CCV canister is a pre-molded 1" radiator hose I found at the auto parts store that perfectly fits the contour needed to reach the fitting at the turbo intake. It is secured with hose clamps at either end. You'll notice that I put insulating tape around the end that will be subjected to the high temps next to the turbo. I wanted a larger diameter hose with gradual bends leaving the CCV canister to hopefully help with reducing back pressure. There is a sealed drain tube that runs beneath the vehicle from the bottom of the CCV canister.
 

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#4 · (Edited)
Here are the last few with a close up of the connection to the valve cover and of the CCV filter canister. You'll notice in this batch that the hose running from the exhuast port on the CCV filter to the turbo intake is NOT the pre-molded hose I have in the FIRST set of pictures. It was patched together with the original CCV breather hose. These were taken before I found a heater hose with all the right bends in it.
 

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#5 ·
nice setup and pictures!

Does the Racor have a reservoir in it, or do you just empty it often? And as far as finding a radiator hose that had the right contours, was that crucial? or would a universal radiator hose have been flexible enough to work?
 
#6 · (Edited)
The canister is the reservoir plus the volume of the drain tube should cover it for quite a while. You're not really catching a great volume of oil, maybe a 1/2 cup in 5k miles. Still enough to really gum up your engine though. I had to use a pre bent hose. The straight 1" hose couldn't make all the tight bends I needed it to, for my design. A kinked hose would stop crankcase air flow and would spell disaster. Here's the filter new and after about 1k miles. Dark with oil but still a lot more absorption ability left. Plan to change it once a year(about 10k miles for me). In the background of pics 2 and 3, you can vaguely see the drain hose running from beneath the CCV canister.
 

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#8 · (Edited)
All CRDs suffer from this. Essentially what happens is that the oily blow-by or crankcase vapors that pass thru the round black valve (located on the valve cover on the passenger side near the firewall) and thru the black hose that connects to the air intake, get sucked into the intake. They mix with the dry, sooty EGR gasses and form a horrible black goo that clogs the intake, intercooler and the swirl motor. Apparently, it usually takes about 60k for these problems to appear. Many CRDs get so overwhelmed by these crankcase vapors that they start to leak from the connection where the air intake tube meets the mouth of the turbo. It can leak all over the outside of the engine and fill the valley between the cylinder banks. Thats what to look for. The Racor CCV filter catches the oil in in crank case vapors and just sends clean air thru onto the turbo. I plan to eventually get the InMotion ECM tune that electronically reduces EGR function which will minimize the sooty EGR gases that are forced back into the engine as well.
 
#13 ·
That's an interesting story CRD_Dawg. Great pics.
I recently bought a 2005 GC 3.0 CRD with 50kmls here in Germany. ( yes we were 2 years ahead of you, the US CRD fans had to wait until 2007 )

I read some of the threads about the intake tube and gasket, oil leaking from the tube on the swirl motor, clogged EGR valves...
So I went to investigate last sunday. For my surprise the intake tube was almost dry, only a very slight oil dust. The area below the tube close to the turbo inlet bone dry... although the 2005 CRD has the old red gasket design at the turbo.
Then I removed the EGR Valve. The German '05 don't have the water cooled EGR valve, so this job is easier as with the '07 US models.
To my second surprise, the EGR valve was close to clean. Only a black surface colour, nothing has built up there.

So 2h later all was installed again. I ask myself where the is difference between the 2007 US model to the 2005 German model... you guys have lots of trouble in these areas, I found nothing at all?

Harald
 
#14 · (Edited)
I recently bought a 2005 GC 3.0 CRD with 50kmls here in Germany. ( yes we were 2 years ahead of you, the US CRD fans had to wait until 2007 )

I read some of the threads about the intake tube and gasket, oil leaking from the tube on the swirl motor, clogged EGR valves...
So I went to investigate last sunday. For my surprise the intake tube was almost dry, only a very slight oil dust. The area below the tube close to the turbo inlet bone dry... although the 2005 CRD has the old red gasket design at the turbo.
Then I removed the EGR Valve. The German '05 don't have the water cooled EGR valve, so this job is easier as with the '07 US models.
To my second surprise, the EGR valve was close to clean. Only a black surface colour, nothing has built up there.

So 2h later all was installed again. I ask myself where the is difference between the 2007 US model to the 2005 German model... you guys have lots of trouble in these areas, I found nothing at all?

Harald
perhaps you could post some pictures of your engine compartment with the engine cover removed? I'm guessing your year of jeep does not have the diesel particulate filter that the '07 and newer US models required as part of the emissions laws.
 
#16 ·
I'll do tomorrow. When I cleaned the intake I forgot to take some pics..... as usual..;-)

The 2005 didn't come with a particulate filter, only a diesel cat.
I had a particulate filter built into the system a week ago, 'cause the german government is supporting that with 330€
I would not have thought that you could simply install a particulate filter like a common muffler. My jeep seems to have lots of extra plumbing and supposed ECU programming to support the particulate filter. Maybe in the retro-fitted model like yours you have to periodically remove the particulate filter and empty it out?
 
#18 ·
diesel particulate filter

this is the simple "add-on" setup they use in Germany with the 2005 - 2007 mj until the diesel particulate filter came from the factory.
I really don't know what to do when the filter is clogged. I guess it has to be removed and cleaned / burnt or whatever..
I will take some engine bay shots ... I think it's the difference of the two Mj from '05 - '07 and the tighter emission laws.... but then your described problems with the intake tube and clogged EGR valves are a step back..

Harald
 

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#19 ·
I don't want to hijack the thread, but maybe some pics of a german 2005 setup bring different ideas. As I posted earlier, no oil in the intake tube, no leaks at the turbo connection even with the old orange seal and the EGR valve was clean...
Harald
 

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#22 ·
Well I checked my service records on the CRD. Both dealers use the same part number, but one lists it as 5W30 and the other lists it as 5W40. But then I pulled the breather apart and this is what I found. Keep in mind the Mercedes dealer said they haven't seen any problems and I read a thread here that suggested everything would be okay if we all followed the oil change schedule. The filter was filthy but the box was quite dry. The There was a small puddle of oil settled on the inlet of the turbo housing. Same on the orange gasket and the inlet tube. But no goo or gunk anywhere that I could see. I did not disassemble the turbo. And I didn't have the proper socket for the impeller nut. So now what? The odometer reads
35,174 kms.
 

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#25 · (Edited)
Great pics. Looks like a fair amount of oil though. A CCV filter system would really clean that up. The center and right pictures look like the area beneath the turbo intake is pretty varnished with old oil that leaked thru the seal.
 
#24 ·
Huhh, that's a lot of oil.
In my case I only found the turbo inlet slightly covered with oil, no oil drops on the bottom of the turbo inlet.
There must be a difference somewhere.
What about the round black oil separator on top of the left valve cover (seen from the front). As far as I understand this device should hold back the oil and let only the fumes pass to the intake....
Harald
 
#30 ·
Well I sent the pics to a friend of mine that works at the dealer I bought the CRD from.. I asked that they make their way to the service dept to see what they will or are prepared to do. Where did you get your Racor from? There does not appear to be any dealers in AB.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Where did you get your Racor from? There does not appear to be any dealers in AB.
I got mine from a vendor on ebay, $153 USD shipped. You then need some fittings from Home Depot and oil rated hose from an industrial supply store. CRD Dawg has a sweet looking setup, maybe he can explain where his setup is from.
I also have to assemble a setup for my father inlaw. Instead of a Racor, I'm going to test a Husky brand large oil separator from the Home Depot I saw last week, its about $50 plus fittings and hose. I'm thinking it will work as well as the Racor and be lower maintenance with respect to emptying and lower cost with respect to buying expensive Racor filters. If this setup works well, I may toss my Racor, the problem is a mounting location for oil separator.
 
#35 ·
#36 · (Edited)
Here is a Q & A on an online Mercedes tech site. Pls feel free to comment..but from what he says (20 year diesel tech.. 10 with Mercedes) he doesn't think the problem is a problem.....

http://www.justanswer.com/questions...edes?jats=58718-34016235-MER-qkuxca7-7E672B14
interesting read and he re-states what most in this thread have already stated. I can point you to another jeep website where this topic has also been discussed in detail and a Chrysler Master Tech overseas offers his advice that, though what you are seeing is normal, he does suggest buying a filter or catch-can and stopping the oil going to the turbo.
Its your vehicle and its up to you, we can only offer our advice. :)
 
#38 ·
the pics are gruesome.. but in one of his responses he mentions the flaps and says the newer engines don't have them .. Perhaps he was speaking of the Bluetech... because you state that motor in the 300 was the same as ours...Guess I will get one of those Racors and jury rig it. Too bad Mercedes or Jeep didn't think to engineer one in the system already.
 
#39 ·
the pics are gruesome.. but in one of his responses he mentions the flaps and says the newer engines don't have them .. Perhaps he was speaking of the Bluetech...
All of the new generation of V6 Benz diesels have the swirl system. It's for more complete combustion and the first step in reduced emissions. Our engine is the exact same engine as in the 2007-09 "Bluetec" Mercedes E,ML & GL "320" CDIs. Even though they are called 320 CDI, suggesting 3.2L displacement, and thus a different engine, they are the exact same 2.987L displacement and engine. The only difference is the "Bluetec" designation which comes from an additional emissions control system called "urea injection". The Benzes have a tank of fluid that has to be refilled at each oil change called urea that is injected downstream into the exhaust to somehow reduce emissions even more than just with the CATs & DPFs that ours has. I was glad when I found out that the CRD Jeep didn't have the urea injection. Just one more thing to add to running costs. That's also why the Jeep only passed 45 state emissions for new car sales and wasn't available in Cali, Vermont,etc.

Find a local diesel tech if you feel uncomfortable installing a CCV filter system. If done wrong, it can do serious damage. A close friend of mine who builds and races Prostock 1/4 mile race cars referred me to his tech who helps him with his engine builds. They run custom made "CCV air/oil separators", as they called them, in the race cars beacause with high compression race engines with over 1000hp, there is a lot of blowby. They also installed them on the diesel trucks they use to tow the cars to races. He helped me design my setup and fab the parts I needed. It was a cool experience.
 
#44 ·
The only thing I have yet to learn before I make my purchase is how many members that purchased a Racor can tell me if it is a left or right inlet setup I have to buy. I found their site, (Parker-Racor) and their models (CCV35 and 4500) have that designation. I jsut don't wanna buy the wrong one and then have to jury rig it.... thanks in advance..
 
#45 ·
I live Australia just brought my 2nd WK CRD 1st 2007 60,000 kms (KN air fliter & chipped) 2nd 2010 Limited 1000km's will have (KN filter & put chip on about 5000k's does make a difference. Of the 60,000ks I was towing a 23' Caravan for 15,000ks of them, changed the oil every 5,000k's (nut's I been told before).

I have no idea or herad of anyone in Aust doing the mod's above or have any such issues. :confused:
 
#46 ·
This is a great thread. I dont own a CRD but i would like to and i am glad i read all of this valuable information about the CRD.

This thread should be made a Sticky.


Now my question is, to those looking to buy a used CRD, if someone buys a used CRD WK and it has over say 50k miles on it and the damage has been done since it was new, is there anything that can be done to clean up the engine and its internals before fitting it with a filter kit? So to reverse the damage that has already been done.
 
#48 ·
Now my question is, to those looking to buy a used CRD, if someone buys a used CRD WK and it has over say 50k miles on it and the damage has been done since it was new, is there anything that can be done to clean up the engine and its internals before fitting it with a filter kit? So to reverse the damage that has already been done.
I was wondering this too, for example using a pressure washer to clean the area below the intake tube makes me nervous.
 
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