Needing Crankcase Ventilation on My M40

[bwindrope]

My Universal 5432 (M40) from about 1987 vents it's crankcase gases right into the bilge and I am very tired of the smell. My cabin heater sucks these fumes and blows them right into the cabin to make it worse. I've done a bit of looking around and haven't found anything too clear about creating a ventilation system on these small diesels.

My first question is whether it is alright to simply plug the hose directly into the air filter and let the intake system suck and burn the blowby. I think that is how it is on my trust and great Mercedes 300D. If that is not OK, and I'd be curious why, then what sort of other system is best?

Any and all helpful comments are appreciated. I will make a call to Westerbeke tomorrow when they open and report here on what they say.

[aboutgone]

My perkins vents to the intake filter........IMO it wouldn't hurt a thing...

[jlogan]

One way to do it...K&N Filter, 5/8" hose and Auto Zone Positive Crankcase Ventilation parts...

[bwindrope]

Thanks for the photo jlogan. That is almost exactly the system I plan to use. I spoke with a Westerbeke guy yesterday and he said he thought it was fine, though if your rings or valve guides are totally shot you risk some runaway from the oil in the intake.

I'll get back on to post a picture of whatever rube goldberg arrangement I devise.

[Astrid]

Another thing to consider is your engine compartment should have its own intake and exhaust air vents independent of the air intake and exhaust ventilation systems for the galley and living quarters.

[DeepFrz]

Closed Crankcase Ventilation Systems (CCV)

A link to one product.

You should really duct your cabin heater inlet to a fresh source of air, as well as install a CCV.

[bwindrope]

Gulf 32's have air vents at the stern for the engine compartment, which helps, in addition to the finger holes in the floorboards in the pilothouse that well exceed the diameter of the intake pipe. As for cabin ventilation, I pity all those people out there without a pilothouse as we enjoy 360 views, natural light, and massive ventilation opportunities! Enough smugry.

Anyway, here is my blog post on the cabin heater I installed a few years back:Stories of Aeolus- Our Gulf 32 Pilothouse: New cabin heater, bilge hoses, windlass batteries and..

The heater draws air from the space adjacent to the diesel, and I have long wanted to have it suck air directly from the lower footwell of the cabin but there is a design feature of these things that makes running the hose rather tough. It is possible, but not a bit of a pain.

As for these high end CCV filters like the one linked and the Racor, it is unclear to me why thousands of cars and boats are run with the crankcase fumes plumbed right into the air intake and yet these devices are sold as though there is some need to filter that air separately. It may be that these big models are used on commercial trucks which have higher standards of one sort or another.

In any case, thanks to all for the input and now I am heading out for another three weeks in British Columbia and Desolation Sound! The good ship Aeolus is enjoying lots of trips this summer and plenty of time in that warm norther water (how? what? check temps in Pendrel Sound!).