Replacing the dreaded £100 breather hose - options?!

[Paulgo]

Yes, mine has gone – all squidgey and a hole seals its fate. Thought Id gotten away with just finding the breather pipe that goes from the PCV round the back of the bock to the hard pipe being borked (worn away in two more like!) Got that on order from Vagparts. But, sods law, Ive also discovered that smaller stubby pipe that goes from the block to the PCV is equally shagged and needs replacing. And that one costs a lot of money for a stubby reducer pipe with a long little pipe grafted on the side!

There’s been a few posts about possible cheaper ways of replacing this “1a” pipe: group buys, Samco reducers, Newsh’s T piece but I don’t think any came to fruition as an easily available / cheap and do-able replacement? Anyone got any updates on any of these plans (or a spare hose!?)

Bleeding typical that I discover this on the eve of a much anticipated drive up to the Highlands for a long weekend of S2 fun! Hopefully the knackered breather hoses wont cause too much of a problem as I really, really, really don’t want to have to take the Zafira!!

Cheers

Paul

[newsh]

You can drive with it like that but you should block the Maf Hose where the breather system connects to it otherwise you're drawing in unmetered air.
Newsh is going to have to make a couple more T pieces in the near future I think

I'll have to have a look for some material..

[Nj]

"spangly as a pimp's belt buckle and cheap as an Amsterdam quickie" - Satisfied customer, Glasgow

[Nj]

I don't think that stubby pipe's anything special by the way. Steve (KightriderS4) lopped a chunk off a length he had in his car and replaced mine while we had the engine dangling from the crane. extreme if you don't have your engine out already but definitely improves access.

[Paulgo]

Well as I need the car for Sunday Ive bit the bullet and ordered the offending hose from the stealers £101!! Should get it today and spent last night removing the old PCV hoses - and taking everything off I needed to get at them and figure out what went where!!



At least this give better access round the back!!



What caused the biggest and most frustration problem so far was trying to get the jubilee clip off the crankcase end of the stubby PCV pipe. It was positioned in such a way, in a moat like recess that I think is part of the engine mount, that it was all but impossible to get a 7mm spanner or ratchet on it. Must have took me over an hour to get that thing off, millimetre by millimetre! Thanks to the almost impossible access due to the back of the rad fan, the ABS unit, Fuel pressure regulator and the power steering pipes hands and arms are covered in scrapes and bruises

At least it will give me the opportunity to change the rocker box cover gasket while Im on and hopefully the dizzy cap.

The breather and the PCV were completely blocked which is probably why I'd been able to drive the car ok as far as unmetered air getting in!

Paul

[Nj]

hat's off to you for managing it mate.

[newsh]

Well done! Its a right laugh isn't it? I've done mine a few times, fixed the original, replaced with newsh"T" and samco, took it off and fitted a catch tank, took the tank off (too smelly) and refitted the samcos...
I removed the original stubby and clip with a large screwdriver used as a chisel and a hammer

[Azman]

Ahhhh if you hook a catch tank up in the same vane as the breather you are doing the engine a favour as most of the poo stuff is caught in the tank. Rework that to the sump and bobs your uncle, less oil vapour going into the intake but also the need never to empty it and no smell. Or put the exit right down through the wing to the front just behind the oil cooler. I tried about three different spots and found that behind the cooler you don't get the smell come through into the cabin of the car.......

[Azman]

P.S. looking at the pics of the 3B engine brings back good memories........... oh the joy of a 3B.