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Re: Breather?

To: "triumphs@autox.team.net" <triumphs@autox.team.net>, "Turner & Turner" <turner@turner.se>
Subject: Re: Breather?
From: "Ross Vincenti" <RVincenti@lbfc.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 9:19 -0800
Adam wrote:

Why do some rocker covers have a breather pipe and some not?
What's the purpose of a breather?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To let the engine breath.  (chuckle)  Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

Adam, my boy, an internal combustion engine is basically a big air pump 
without 100% perfect sealing.  Think of the pistons going up and down in 
the cylinders and think about what would happen if the crankcase were 
completely sealed.  Pressure builds up.  Thus, there needs to be some way 
to vent the case.  Some manufacturers vent it through the crankcase (see 
the early Triumph 1147 cc motor - it has a vent tube on the right side of 
the block coming up from the vicinity of the oil pan).  Others vent it 
through a valve cover tube.  It really doesn't matter how one vents the 
pressure, it has to be done to prevent oil from blowing out through every 
crevice, including the dip stick hole.  Others on this list know more about 
the "quantum physics" of motors and I am sure will jump in with a far 
better explanation - but I hope this helps.

Ross D. Vincenti
64 Spitfire 4
64 Porsche 356C Coupe


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