Hi Geo,
Well, the early-TR4/TR3 type of open air crankcase breather tube works fine,
so long as you don't object to "British undercoating".
I don't want to pop your balloon, but thanks to that vent the EPA put me on
their 10 Most Wanted list and absolutely everything under my TR4, bellhousing
on back, was heavily coated with a mixture of oil and road dust, forming a 1/4"
or more thick "protective" coating. When I removed the gearbox and rear axle
and cleaned off the thick layer of grime, they are pristine underneath! Even
the black oxide bolts on the gearbox look like brand new, without a single spot
of rust. The underside of the car looks as if it was been undercoated
thickly, but it never was. I can't say that the large breather tube, which has
a sort
of baffle in it, actually helped prevent oozing oil from various other places
on the motor. Hopefully I'll cure a number of those other leaks during the
upcoming rebuild.
I've replaced that original breather tube with a TR4A plug (like yours)
that's been modified with a 1/2" pipe, which will in turn have a hose attached
leading to a catch tank/breather. A similar hose will provide ventilation for
the
cast alloy valve cover. There won't be a PCV valve or anything like that. Just
an open breathing circuit with a small filter on the catch tank, serving both
the valve cover and the crankcase.
The easiest way to remove one of those plugs is to drive a sharp flat bladed
screwdriver into it and lever it out.
It's your call. I can assure you there will be a lot more oil on everything
under the car rearward of the firewall, if you choose to put in the early style
crankcase vent.
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
Wisely or not I have it in my head to install a TR3 breather pipe on my
late TR4 engine. Have any of you managed to remove the metal plug from
that hole on the side of the block below & behind the fuel pump? Item
#49 in this illustration:
http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29116
Failing that can someone who has removed or replaced one of these with
the engine out of the car suggest what I am up against trying to remove
it? Access isn't bad but also isn't straight-on which is what would be
ideal.
Oh, my reason for doing this is that that skinny little crankcase
ventilation tube to the air cleaners seems an inadequate replacement for
the ventilation provided on the earlier engines as evidenced by oil
oozing out around the filler cap, air cleaner connections and other
places. Have tried a variety of gaskets and adjustment to the filler
cap but still get a messy leak.
Thanks for any advice.
Geo Hahn
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