Another go at sorting out Oil in Airboxes...

We've got the same engine and trans and I bought mine pretty much sight unseen at 313k and it was almost bone stock. Keep taking care of the issues as they come up and it'll be fine. I've always expected to replace the engine at some point and in some ways I look forward to it but I still want to get as much out of it as I can.

If you haven't already I'd highly recommend putting in a transmission cooler for the Auto trans. They like to get hot and that degrades the lifespan of the fluid rapidly. It's an inexpensive way to do a little preventative maintenance. I'm not sure if the Amazon adds at the bottom of your screen are the same as mine but there's a Hayden cooler just like mine listed or there are lots of oem options available from junkyards if you want to really pinch pennies. Or of course just keep it as it is, you do you! Either way I'd like to follow the progress

 

Catch cans on a daily driver is nutz! We used to put Marvel Mystery oil in the fuel tank as a "top Cylinder Lubricant. Not much has changed, but Mass Air Flow sensors don't like to see oil.

Your accumulation of oil may very well be intake manifold vacuum! Drain it back to the sump, Like the racers do!

As far as the sludge goes, Don't fret. EASY DOES IT! DON'T use SeaFoam or any solvent. Clogged oil pump screens SUCK! (Does anyone remember "essential-lube?)
Frequent oil changes with normal detergents will clean up the mess, but it will take a while. (Years)
If you are not using oil now, What more can you ask? Relax and enjoy!

 

Hi CC - this is technically a different topic - but when you added that oil pressure gauge, did you find that the idiot light sender was 1/8" BSP pipe thread 28tpi in the block? I got some guy from the dealer telling me it's metric. Some other guy sent me a sender adapter which appears to be 27tpi npt.... (!?!) which does not thread in. I realize you have a 4 cylinder motor...

 

I know - I'm not super fond of such a band-aid, or emptying the darn thing all the time. But 211,000 miles of deferred maintenance leads to this I guess.

By "intake manifold vacuum", you mean the normal pressure of things within the engine - which would likely not contain so much oil when it was new...? By what avenue would one drain the catch can back to the sump?

I think I'm taking you advice in your 3rd comment there, by default and by consensus here!

 

I always thought these cans were a bust......a sick joke on you...

Reason....95% of the oil in form of vapor will just go thru unimpeded.......which is still true...
unless you buy one of the $200 ones with a filter element.....

However, I've found unexpected benefit.....


They maintain a longer vacuum to the pcv system.....
which you lose or lessen as the vacuum drops.....
which happens every time you accelerate or top out.

This helps pull all the crap out of your engine....right when you need it the most....

So basically it adds 'capacitance' to sustain vacuum



There is a dark side.......a good catch can should have a blow off in case of blockage or freeze
......that could destroy the engine........or where's 'Waldo' looking for blown out gaskets/seals...


I would never reuse the catch oil....its contaminated with fuel and ect.
Thanks to competition.....oil is cheap...

 

Hmn, interesting, and the plot thickens. I think the people making this unit suggest the scouring pad 'catches' the oil, and I guess 1/2 cup per 90m drive suggests at least that volume is collected; if it is passing more than that, gees, that's just an insane amount of oil in the PCV circuit, as if 1/2 cup isn't already nuts. And I do assume you have to keep an eye on this thing, or risk blockage or flood of oil if the thing fills up. Of course, I've been looking into the airbox to see if any of this is keeping oil out of there; the whole reason this saga began. And I see your point on the contamination.

 

Theres a guy who uses a smoke machine and oil on a video....

and really the only one that makes a difference is with the filter.....

and if your older engine is blowing alot of snot.......how long until that clogs and causes bigger problems


so to hell with trying to catch it......just want to help maintain longer vacs using the little $20 cans...
totally unexpected....


I'm gonna buy one of those suckers......and find largest dia tubing I can make work......for least restriction...

This is the one he liked...

Engine Oil Catch Can Tank Kit with Breather Filter 300ml Aluminum Polish Black | eBay

 

Same for me and my catch can. Engine runs to spec and burns nothing but fuel. I suspect the sludge is a mix of unburnt fuel, condensation, blow-by (minimal oil), and who the hell knows what else. But since it's working and the truck runs fine that's good enough for me.

 

that gauge is actually a fuel pressure gauge from LCE

im guessing here but pretty sure all import(metric) manufactures have the same oil pressure sending unit(the one that always starts leaking) input (female thread) into the block

 

Real manifold vacuum totally depends on where the intake track is tapped. Any tap between the throttle plate and the inlet valves is going to see VERY HIGH vacuum during throttle roll off. That vacuum will suck hard and pull in oil. That is why there is a PCV VALVE that stops the flow during hi vac conditions. A catch can should be plumbed in between the air inlet and the throttle plate in relatively "quiet" air flow.

A drain back to sump is as easy as a small diameter rubber hose to any non-pressurized access to the engine block . Much like a turbo return, only far less critical. The oil level dip stick tube is an option.
Cut and braze in a tee.

Again, To me, an oil catch can on the inlet is a waste of effort.
Is your engine fitted with a windage tray? does it need one to prevent air entrainment? It's not until the lube oil starts whirling that there is any issue with "catching "it.

 

Well, in case anyone was holding their breath, or up all night wondering what happened with this, I just thought to report that I installed a JDM 5VZ from the guys in San Leandro Ca., JDMEngineBay (I think they call themselves) and to my mild surprise, I returned all the components, hoses, wiring to correct locations and the thing started right up. Here's a little quick video:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/oeiyiwz526y77wm/JDMfirstRun.MOV/file

I guess the JDM came out of a Japanese RH drive delivery van chassis. At the JDM warehouse they let me fool with their endoscope, a nice one that allows 180˚ 'backwards' viewing, and the combustion chambers, piston crowns and valves looked very good, like my Tundra with 50K. I couldn't get any stills out if that viewing, unfortunately. They did let me do compression tests, and all cylinders bobbed around 200, even after sitting in a cold Japanese warehouse for some years.

I stopped short of changing out the water pump to run the TRD oil cooler, but since they put the 5VZ in the 1st gen tundra without it, and I don't plan on towing 3 cubic yards of road rock, maybe I'll survive without it. Anyway, I'll let you all know if it blows up on the freeway.

I did end up with a brand new Denso 221-3138 radiator for the 4WD TRD Taco that I don't need, if anyone want it at cost/shipping. Or if anyone wants my original motor as a core, LMK.

thanks again for all your comments.