Timing cover breather?

**Tins** · 4th March 2016, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by roverrescue

Solution looking for a problem

Indeed.

**Tank** · 8th March 2016, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by johntins

The description states

"one of these must be fitted to the timing cover if you have fitted a wading plug, if you go into water without one the inside of the timing cover will cause a vacuum and suck water and mud in past the crank pulley seal, this wont do the cambelt and timing gears much good if you dont fit one."

Seems to me that it would need a serious vacuum to achieve that.

Like a girl I used to date, she could suck a golf ball through a garden hose, LOL, Regards Frank.

**Roverlord off road spares** · 8th March 2016, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Tank

Like a girl I used to date, she could suck a golf ball through a garden hose, LOL, Regards Frank.

I find that hard to swallow

**WazDef** · 21st June 2017, 02:39 PM

I know this is an old thread but the fear is real. Here is what happened to my 300tdi when i went into a mud hole with no wading plug in the timing case.
I have a video where you can hear the motor fail about 4 seconds after entering. Had to get towed out and to a road where a tilt tray took me home.
My advice is Either Never forget to put your plug in or leave it in and add a breather. I chose the latter.

WP_20170618_13_29_39_Pro.jpg

**rover-56** · 21st June 2017, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by johntins

The description states

"one of these must be fitted to the timing cover if you have fitted a wading plug, if you go into water without one the inside of the timing cover will cause a vacuum and suck water and mud in past the crank pulley seal, this wont do the cambelt and timing gears much good if you dont fit one."

Seems to me that it would need a serious vacuum to achieve that.

The 300tdi crankcase is pressurised by the brake vac pump and the flow resistance of the little oil separator.
Nothing is going to be sucked in.....
Terry

**rangieman** · 21st June 2017, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by WazDef

I know this is an old thread but the fear is real. Here is what happened to my 300tdi when i went into a mud hole with no wading plug in the timing case.
I have a video where you can hear the motor fail about 4 seconds after entering. Had to get towed out and to a road where a tilt tray took me home.
My advice is Either Never forget to put your plug in or leave it in and add a breather. I chose the latter.

WP_20170618_13_29_39_Pro.jpg

Yep x2 , When i serviced mine i used to remove it to see if there was anything that should not be coming out of there

**WazDef** · 21st June 2017, 09:30 PM

A quick explain. When I entered the mud without the plug mud entered the timing case through the hole. I am assuming a drop in temperature caused a vacuum. No mud entered the crank case. I struggle to imagine how that's possible. The mud got between the belt and crank pulley causing the belt to jump 4 teeth out of time. This intern allowed the pistons to hit the intake valves at the top of the exhaust stroke. This bent all 4 intake rods and 1 intake rocker.
579AE26F-C8AC-4D62-815B-6C1000DC64C8.jpg
Hope this helps.

**mox** · 23rd June 2017, 10:49 PM

Re the two wading plugs in my 300Tdi Defender: Instead of storing them and having to find and install them if likely to go into deep water or mud, I just bought two brass right angled fittings that screw in where they go. Recall thread is quarter inch gas or British Standard Pipe.(Note nominal size is approximate pipe bore, not outside diameter as with bolt identification) The other takes 3/8 inch hose pushed on. Bought long lengths of clear plastic hose to fit. The other ends of these are high up, as for tubes from breathers on Defender gearbox, transfer box and diffs. Until plastic hose gets older, hard and it cannot be seen if has oil inside after outside wiped clean time near the fitting it is pushed on, time to cut out small opaque bit and replace or replace whole hose if rest not in reasonable condition.

**roverrescue** · 24th June 2017, 05:35 AM

Wazdef
To jump the timing belt four teeth you had other confounding issues
A bit of cold water was merely a lubricant

In over 750kkm of tdi ownership doing plenty of stupid stuff like like your picture showed, leaving wading plugs in at all times I never had a problem

Just plug the timing case and check it each oil change for debris or oil

Their is no seal where the AC tensioner attaches to case in front of IP pulley
Voila a breather

Steve

**AK83** · 24th June 2017, 07:42 AM

I did like mox:
I did my timing belt, but lazyily didn't replace the front main seal when I had the chance too. Did the timing cover seal tho. I have the main seal too, just lazy .. and not exactly sure how to remove the old one too.
Of course the main seal started leaking!
The difference to mox's method tho was that I use a T-piece on the timing cover, rather than a 90° barbed fitting.
Two reasons for that.

1/. I know my main seal is leaking and I didn't want the timing cover to fill with oil at all, so as I keep an eye on it, the added extension(drop below the timing case) of the T-piece, allows some leeway for oil weeping below the level of the plug itself.
So added to the depth level of the plug itself, is about 1-2" of extra depth of the T-Piece.
T-piece has two threads either side.
2/. on each side of the T-piece I've added one barb for the breather hose(I used a 3/8ths, I think) barbed fitting for a large diameter hose, routed up to the level of the shock tower. Plenty of room for the hose to be routed.
On the other side of the T-Piece I've added a small ball tap. 1/4 turn.
This allows me the ease to simply turn the tap to allow oil to drain out, with a small bucket under it resting on the steering rods.

ATM, I'm losing about 100ml or so every couple of weeks, or 600-1000klms.

It'll have to do for a short while, which I'll sort out properly on the next oil change, coming up soon.

I've only forgotten to release the collected oil on one occasion in the two or so months I've had my tap setup going.
Oil built up in the (clear) hose, but what happens is, if it does build up, there's enough pressure in the timing cover area to blow excess oil out of the end of the hose, at the fresh air end.
If you have the end of the breather hose oriented internally to the engine bay, it seems to be a great way to lubricate your steering shaft ... if this is important.

.. must remember to open the tap today! .. must remember to open the tap today!

One thing I wouldn't recommend is to add the breather to the IP gear cover in non A/C engined vehicles(as per the Gwynn Lewis system) it's too high up, just in case the main seal starts to leak and the plug is fitted 'permanently'
You don't need the tap(just makes access much easier) .. but definitely as per mox's method at least.

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