ggdad1951 Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 (edited) my original breather cap is pretty rusty and dirty, so I ordered a new one. While the new one will work 100%, it is a substantially different "look". Is it possible to clean up the old one and reuse it? thanks! p.s. the one thread I found on this was from '06...wondering if there is any more info now (and mine looks like the pictured one in that thread). Edited January 8, 2011 by ggdad1951 Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 Is the new one vented correctly? Have you tried to clean and paint the old one? If you check the engine pictures on this forum of most every engine you will see that they are most all using the original breather cap. Quote
ggdad1951 Posted January 8, 2011 Author Report Posted January 8, 2011 haven't tried anything yet, just starting to get into it. looks like info in thread below is what about mine is like. I figured to ask the question first and not hose it up is the best way to go! http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=508&highlight=crank+case+breather Quote
Dave72dt Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 Ouytside can be treated as a small body panel project. Go through the styeps same as for a larger panel. Inside filter might be able to replace with a coarse steel wool. 3M makes a stainless steel scrubber you might be able to use for material. It's not supposed to be sucking air into the engine, just relieves excess crankcase presssure so filter does not need to be high quality Quote
Young Ed Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 Is the new one vented correctly? Have you tried to clean and paint the old one? If you check the engine pictures on this forum of most every engine you will see that they are most all using the original breather cap. I am not using an original one as I couldn't get rusty flakes to stop falling out of it. I didn't want rusty crap falling into my engine when filling the oil. Mark as long as you can get it clean enough that gunk isnt falling out you should be ok. Restuffing it with stainless steelwool is in interesting idea. I wonder where I put my old one...... Quote
HanksB3B Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 Fully cover the oil cap in gasoline and let it soak for a few days giving a shake each day. Next either steam clean (best), or use a parts wash tank to finalize the clean up process. If available bead blasting the part (with openings taped off) will get rid of the surface rust. Sand with 220 paper to rough up the surface. Next, here's where your body filler work happens and you get the chance to fill in low, or distressed portions of the part. Next is priming maybe a little more body filler, finer sanding to 320 grit a final prime coat and then your choice of finish coat. (Second to powder coat I like Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy) Decal and you are good to go. Here's what I was able to do with the one JJ was good enough to send me. Have Fun!, Hank Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 OK Fellows here's how it was done! Pour some Kerosene into it - light it on fire and let it burn all the way out. Bang it against a Column or Slab somewhere and beat all the rust - crap as you said out of it. Soak it in oil. Let Drain for a day. Clean and Paint outside. Put on Decals Re-install. Everything is new again. Fire seems to do the trick. Tom Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 (edited) It's not supposed to be sucking air into the engine, just relieves excess crankcase presssure so filter does not need to be high quality Actually the fill tube does allow air to enter the crankcase. In a Mopar flathead 6 engine there is a draft tube is located near the back of the engine inder the exhaust manifold. This draft tube is designed to create low air pressure in the crankcase when the vehicle is moving and suck air and crankcase fumes out. To make up for these fumes and air that is sucked out there must be a fresh air source. The oil fill tube vent cap is this source of fresh air. So this fill tube cap is supposed to be sucking air into the crankcase. One more thing. The factory oil fill tube vent cap is "keyed" so it will only go on one way. This one way is with the screened vent facing the distributor. With this vent facing rearward it creates an "eddy" or low pressure area so as to not pressureize the crankshaft when the vehicle is in forward motion. Edited January 8, 2011 by Don Coatney Quote
ggdad1951 Posted January 8, 2011 Author Report Posted January 8, 2011 OK Fellows here's how it was done!Pour some Kerosene into it - light it on fire and let it burn all the way out. Bang it against a Column or Slab somewhere and beat all the rust - crap as you said out of it. Soak it in oil. Let Drain for a day. Clean and Paint outside. Put on Decals Re-install. Everything is new again. Fire seems to do the trick. Tom What does the fire do to the filter media? Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 Burns it back to bright clean metal. Service Manuals intructed Mechanics to do this back in the Day. That is not Steel Wool in there. It is Stainless Steel Mesh. I have been doing mine this way since the 70's and they are in great shape. Of course soaking it in Kerosene for a few Day might clean it up as well. When they look like you want to throw them out - don't - burn em out. It really works, these parts didn't just march on down from mamby pamby land like they do today. They were built to last. Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 8, 2011 Report Posted January 8, 2011 Burns it back to bright clean metal.Service Manuals intructed Mechanics to do this back in the Day. That is not Steel Wool in there. It is Stainless Steel Mesh. I have been doing mine this way since the 70's and they are in great shape. Of course soaking it in Kerosene for a few Day might clean it up as well. When they look like you want to throw them out - don't - burn em out. It really works, these parts didn't just march on down from mamby pamby land like they do today. They were built to last. Great posting! Quote
Young Ed Posted January 9, 2011 Report Posted January 9, 2011 Great posting! I second that! Can't wait to find mine and try the burning thing. Will post before and after shots for sure. Tom care to give an idea of how much kero? Tablespoon 1/4 cup etc? Quote
Frank Elder Posted January 9, 2011 Report Posted January 9, 2011 Soak for a day then burn it was in his second post Ed. Quote
Dave72dt Posted January 9, 2011 Report Posted January 9, 2011 Actually the fill tube does allow air to enter the crankcase. In a Mopar flathead 6 engine there is a draft tube is located near the back of the engine inder the exhaust manifold. This draft tube is designed to create low air pressure in the crankcase when the vehicle is moving and suck air and crankcase fumes out. To make up for these fumes and air that is sucked out there must be a fresh air source. The oil fill tube vent cap is this source of fresh air. So this fill tube cap is supposed to be sucking air into the crankcase.I'd always thought it was compression and firing pressure escaping past the rings that created the need for the draft tube or pcv sytem. I know the rings don't seal everything tight and some gas escapes into the pan. Expansion from heat would also need some compensation. I wouldn't think the breather would move a lot of air. I guess I've always seen them blowing oily vapors out. They must be getting oil on them from somewhere or there'd be no reason for the kerosene and burning Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 9, 2011 Report Posted January 9, 2011 Soak it light it burn it. Let it burn all the way out. On Concrete in a well ventilated area - driveway. Let it cool all the way before touching. Its like new again. Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 9, 2011 Report Posted January 9, 2011 I'd always thought it was compression and firing pressure escaping past the rings that created the need for the draft tube or pcv sytem. I know the rings don't seal everything tight and some gas escapes into the pan. Expansion from heat would also need some compensation. I wouldn't think the breather would move a lot of air. I guess I've always seen them blowing oily vapors out. They must be getting oil on them from somewhere or there'd be no reason for the kerosene and burning It is true that piston ring blow-by is the prime reason for the draft tube. Condensation is another good reason for the draft tube. And as I mentioned the draft tube only works when the vehicle is in motion. When you observed oily vapors coming out of the oil fill tube the vehicle is not in motion and that is when the oil residue and other contaminants collect in the oil fill tube cap filter. Quote
ggdad1951 Posted January 9, 2011 Author Report Posted January 9, 2011 so regular gas is said here to work for cleaning instead of kerosene. What about the air filter? Is gas a substitute for cleaning that (minus the lighting it on fire)? Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 9, 2011 Report Posted January 9, 2011 I just prefer kerosene. for soaking stuff. By the way that breather will burn 10 minutes or more and be cherry hot when it finally goes out, so let it cool for 10 more minutes also. The oil globules and rust looks like coffee grinds when you beat them out of it afterwards. The results are remarkable almost unbelievable. Wire Wheel the top and sides and then paint semi-gloss black then decal. Tom Quote
HanksB3B Posted January 10, 2011 Report Posted January 10, 2011 It may re-kindle the pyromaniac in me and bring me back to the day when after I tired of one of the Revel car models I built would get out my old Steel Model Road Grader, create a Dirt Road Course and fill the model with Testors Cement. At some point in the race, there'd be a terrible crash at which point I'd lite it up. Maybe thats it.. eventually the glue fumes must have gotten to me. Fortunately, my Pyromania never progressed any further. Hank P.S. Remember back-in-the-day when toys were toys and they were made of steel NOT plastic! Quote
ggdad1951 Posted February 12, 2011 Author Report Posted February 12, 2011 (edited) ok, tried this today. Let it soak for a good 24 hours and drained it and lit 'er up today...somehow I expected it to end up a bit cleaner...still a bit "gunky" looking thru the oval hole on the side...maybe try it a second time? Funny having the neighbors drive by (and someone looking at a house that's for sale) while my buddy and I stand around watching this thing burn...while we drink beer Edited February 13, 2011 by ggdad1951 Quote
Tom Skinner Posted February 13, 2011 Report Posted February 13, 2011 Burning it out takes just the right amount of time to have a beer. Thats the fun part. Quote
MBF Posted February 13, 2011 Report Posted February 13, 2011 I was glad to see someone suggest the burn clean method. That was told to me over 40 yrs ago by an old mechanic. The same process works for cleaning out the draft tube. And Don is right, the oil filler cap is the air filter and intake for the draft tube or PCV venting of the crankcase. Wish it were warm enough outside to have beer here-it'd be good to have a good fire going in the driveway to stay warm. Mike Quote
ggdad1951 Posted February 13, 2011 Author Report Posted February 13, 2011 Burning it out takes just the right amount of time to have a beer.Thats the fun part. it also oddly looks like an Olympic torch top! Will re-soak and try a second burn...how "clean" should it look while looking in that oval hole in the side? Quote
ggdad1951 Posted February 15, 2011 Author Report Posted February 15, 2011 burn #2 cleaned her up nice....BUT I 've got a ton of pitting and a few dents...anyone have one in GREAT/good shape for my resto they'd be willing to let go? Quote
Young Ed Posted February 15, 2011 Report Posted February 15, 2011 Which style? I've got a few of the newer style that looks sorta like a tuna can. I'll trade you for the nice clean one Quote
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