540i osv oil catch can conversion

[slordr2000]

the valve is for 1/2" pipe thread, and it will drain back into the oil pan through the oil filter bypass hose

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I did the 12 volt solenoid but found the gunk collected in the CC was too thick to make its way thru the 3/16" oriface in the valve. At the moment I'm thinking about a different setup, maybe just manually emptying the can every few months.
I'm not interested in a drain line that would drain this crud back into the sump, not on my car.

The problem with my car is I'm burning about 2 to 3 qts a month and its all sitting in the intake manifold. the oil thats made its way into the intake isnt very thick so it flows easily. The valve I'll be using is for a 1/2" pipe. I doubt I'll have a problem

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can you give a more detailed how to about what you did with the original CCV to mod it like that?
Much much appreciated, also the hose routing would be great.

Didnt install it yet. need the time to do it. maybe this weekend since its gonna snow

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Nice BEADS, man. But Philly has a point, how are you going to clean it out? Am I missing the part where it shows how it opens up?

Cleaning it out wont be a problem, I'll just remove it and flush it out with carb cleaner. The solenoid valve is normal open so when there is no power going to it, it stays open. I'll have it wired to an ignition power so when you start it closes

[evomel]

I did the 12 volt solenoid but found the gunk collected in the CC was too thick to make its way thru the 3/16" oriface in the valve. At the moment I'm thinking about a different setup, maybe just manually emptying the can every few months.
I'm not interested in a drain line that would drain this crud back into the sump, not on my car.

gheez the more I read this thread ---- I just wanna run away lol ---- why are so many components miss designed on these cars? Now I wondering if I'm have Ny the same problem ???? Spending more time on diagnosing rather than modifying lol ---

[Scibbles123]

My theory is that the OS inside the engine is clogged. No oil is returning to the pan. CCV is sucking up a pool of oil inside the OS. Also inside the Chain Guide area there are plenty of oil splashing around. The OS opening is also pulling in the oil splash.

I have modified the CCV plate so I dont have to pull the manifold.
some of the parts you need for the modification
Attachment 523900

drill throught with 5/8" drill bit
Attachment 523901

Modded CCV plate
Attachment 523902

other side of plate - will still use the plate to push in the spring loaded tube from OS
Attachment 523903

That's exactly what I was scheming on doing but you beat me to it😊 neater than what i had planned though. did you tap a thread in the cover for the 90 back to the manifold or glue it? Or both? Can't wait to get rid of the smoke.

[Thorsteinarg]

Guys I need some help.
Bought a 540 with the M62, it had a non running engine due to timing problems. New chains and guides though.
After taking the upper timing covers off (I did not remove the lower cover or the jesus bolt) and retiming the engine is suddenly blowing blue smoke at startup. Just changed the oil seperator on the back of the intake manifold, I also cleaned the intake manifold very well.
But it is still blowing smoke, I really doubt it is the other oil seperator since it only started when I retimed the engine?

Could I possibly have nicked a hose or forgot to connect something? :/

[R Shaffner]

I have a new (to me) 2002 540i that was blowing smoke at start-up (sometimes, often enough to bother me). I'd replaced the CCV and still had the problem. So I did the oil separator by-pass as others here have suggested. Thank you all! It's working great.

In this case, my car had a connector for a hose at the rear of the driver-side cam cover that had never been opened up. So I drilled a hole in it and used that for the new outlet for blow-by gasses. I got an X5 oil separator and modified the CCV to block the flow from the stock oil separator and take the flow from the external one that I installed. And like others did here, I spliced an oil drain line into the unpressurized line from the oil filter. Works great.

Thanks again to so many who helped on this thread.

[philly98540]

Sounds pretty good! Any pics.

[Mannyf540]

Sounds pretty good! Any pics.

+1 on the pics!!

[R Shaffner]

Sure. Here are some photos. I'm not wild about the red hoses to the external oil separator, but I wanted to do this before taking a trip and that's all I could find locally. I might replace them with black hoses before long.

One photo is obvious. The other is above the rear of the driver-side cam cover, looking down on the hose connections. The one closer to the camera is attached to the cam cover. I used a brass plumbing elbow with 3/4' OD, and the hose comes out neatly, with no kinks. (It was a tight fit between the cam cover hose fitting and the stainless fuel line above it.)

If you look closely in the second photo you can also see where I attached the red hose from the oil separator to the CV. (I modified it by adding a 3/4' OD brass pipe in the end of the CCV, which also blocked the stock air (and oil) inlet to the intake.)

IMG_2987.jpgIMG_2988.jpg

[1bade38bmw]

I have a new (to me) 2002 540i that was blowing smoke at start-up (sometimes, often enough to bother me). I'd replaced the CCV and still had the problem. So I did the oil separator by-pass as others here have suggested. Thank you all! It's working great.

In this case, my car had a connector for a hose at the rear of the driver-side cam cover that had never been opened up. So I drilled a hole in it and used that for the new outlet for blow-by gasses. I got an X5 oil separator and modified the CCV to block the flow from the stock oil separator and take the flow from the external one that I installed. And like others did here, I spliced an oil drain line into the unpressurized line from the oil filter. Works great.

Thanks again to so many who helped on this thread.

Pics of install please...

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[Calli74]

So as you guys know I replaced every seal and the Ccv in my intake system and I still get random smoke on startup and have pulled off the throttle body and my manifold is coated in oil and pooled in the middle. The oil separator valve (osv) is the only part I haven't replaced and it is located behind the timing chain, 23 hours to get to it and replace it by the book. I do plan on getting to it eventually and do my timing guides at the same with all gaskets. But for the time being I'm planning on removing the aluminum tube between the crank case vent valve (Ccv) and the timing cover where the oil separator valve (osv) is located and putting a oil catch can system in, probly run a tube out and over to the free space by the oil filter and put some ricer Honda catch can in. I'll drain it manually whenever necessary but it should work for now until I get the $1800 together to do the real job. Any input or recommendations on a catch can system to use would be great. Heck if it works well enough, I might never do the real job


MAIN CONCEPT ---- 9/19/11 after 20k with the catch can no smoke. Tap the oil return and you dont even have to drain the can! JUst make sure the can is mounted high up. Mine is on the shock tower bolt

Would love to see some pics of this installed and also a full DIY!!!



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[ScottsmanJim]

Hate to add to a old post but I just bought a 97 540i and its got a botched CCV delete and I need a good proven fix for the external catch can setup. Just joined the forum a few days ago. Don't trust driving my car till I get this fixed. Replacement of the OEM CCV system is not an option now. Previous owner made sure of that by removing all the oem parts and plugging off the ports.
Cant do pics here yet, but can email them.
My email is mondogymc@gmail.com
so hit me up, I can really use some guidance and help on this please.

[flemsmith]

Getting ready to do this....the primary thing I'm confused about is how the rubber hose (and BTW, has anyone come up with a good source for a high temp oil resistant hose rather than heater hose) that is connecting to the Oil Separator under the manifold is able to seal the hole to the OS? Didn't the spring on the original pipe do that, along with an O ring? So now there's no spring force....

thanks, roy

[flemsmith]

Found McMaster Carr has 3/4" oil hose rated at 450 degrees F. So I'm using the original pipe, and moved it inside the coupling hose close enough that I could use the firmness of the pipe to mount a regular hose clamp so it will wedge against a rib on the block which is lower than the intake surface. Locks the Oring in place very solidly.

roy

[R Shaffner]

I should have posted better pics before, and I haven't been following this thread. Sorry.

Here is a pic of my modified CCV. Pretty simple. The plug at the end (where I put the piece of pipe) is glued in and can be cut/pried out. That's where I put a section of 5/8" ID pipe. (It might have been a pipe section or cut from a pipe adapter/connector. Can't remember but if you browse Home Depot you can find something that works. This one is slightly larger than 3/4" on the outside, but my 3/4" hose fit on it OK.

I used 5 min Quick Steel, or something like that, to plug the hole on the side and to secure the pipe in the opening for the blow-by gasses from the external OSV.

Modified CCV.jpg

Actually, this is a photo of an extra one that I have. I can't remember why I didn't use it. Not sure about the diaphragm and I'm not where it is, so I can't check it now. Anyway, after this weekend I can send it to the first person who wants it, for the cost of the postage. Just send me a PM.

[alpar80]

Can someone bring this back to life and provide pictures with a detail where hoses go? Rather than random sketches and up close pictures of hoses and plugged ports? This could be very useful if someone had a detailed outline on how to perform this modification with accurate diagrams, routing of hoses and parts used.

[E34 Lives]

Been reading up on adding an oil catch can and doing a CCV delete, I have a 95 540i M60, my stock oil separator is still working fine, I notice that there is a thin film of oil in my manifold no pooling since diaphragm is working and would like to add a catch can to further reduce blow by contaminant.

I wanted to know if I can keep the stock oil separator and add catch can between the separator and the manifold CCV delete plate? Will this setup work in catching contaminants and also reintroduce a vacuum and flow to work with MAF sensor to run engine smoothly?

Any catch can that will fit in this engine compartment and what size hoses and connectors need to maintain the right amount of vacuum?

Any feedback or advice is appreciated .... new to oil catch cans .... thanks.

[TyroneShoelaces]

My theory is that the OS inside the engine is clogged. No oil is returning to the pan. CCV is sucking up a pool of oil inside the OS. Also inside the Chain Guide area there are plenty of oil splashing around. The OS opening is also pulling in the oil splash.

I have modified the CCV plate so I dont have to pull the manifold.
some of the parts you need for the modification
Attachment 523900

drill throught with 5/8" drill bit
Attachment 523901

Modded CCV plate
Attachment 523902

other side of plate - will still use the plate to push in the spring loaded tube from OS
Attachment 523903

Back from the dead thread, I did this copper tube setup and it did NOT work in my application. The car I have has a major smoking issue and I replaced the ccv with a cheap unit and it did nothing. On to the OSV. I was worried I had a bad rings or bore scoring that it was smoking so bad. I didn't want to pull the manifold to hook up to the osv tube at the timing cover so we tried this copper tube fix. It just didn't provide enough vacuum. We took the catch can and hooked it to the port on the ccv plate where the booster goes and after a couple minutes of reving the motor the smoke cleared up. I'm not sure if it's the cheap ccv or what but it just didn't work. We went ahead and ordered a ccv delete plate for $60 and going to go that route since the ccv is ruined now.