[JDG]

Well I finally got the car buttoned up and I'm pretty satisfied with it. I may get some better hose and a proper fitting eventually but not right now. Im going to type up the steps but I don't have all the pictures ready to go. It's a very easy D.I.Y though. Since there is no off the shelf solution I present my homebrew.

Parts:
about 8' 3/4 heater hose
1 90 degree 1/2' fitting
BMS catch can for n54(email BMS and get it cheaper without the hoses, you don't need them and it saves 30$)
6 hose clamps

That's it.

What I did:
Remove engine cover, cabin filter and tray, air filter all the way to the turbo. The next part is important. Before removing the CCV vent tube, its a good idea to pop off the oil lines. The first time I took the tube off, I didn't and ended up breaking this line. This will deadline the car and cost 144$ to replace, FYI. (see red circles) Also don't forget to take the oil cap off to remove it. The CCV vent tube is a pain to get off and back on. you could remove the factory separator but I didn't.

Now you have everything removed that you need to. The only permanent part is cutting the CCV vent tube. I made sure I left enough on both ends to push the heater hose on. If you cut it to close to the end, the hose will have nothing to clamp to. Second, I released the top factory band on the ribbed section and rotated the end about 80 degrees. then you just clamp it back together. Before putting it back together, I clipped off the angled wall section on the valve cover. Its just plastic and because the hose is to big, it gets in the way.

Now we can start pushing hose on. I put a couple inch piece on the CCV vent tube and then clamped a 90degree elbow on. now you can put the hose on both ends. I left the hose as one piece and cut it when I had the can installed. At this point your pretty much done. Run the hose and install everything back. Before you put the engine cover back on, I removed some of the end insulation so as not to crush the hose. I also trimmed the plastic part that over hung and sanded it clean. this keeps the hose from getting crushed. This is what I did and the install is pretty clean. You can use the factory airbox, but the hose is a bit over 3'. the can gets plenty of engine heat though so for my temps Im not worried about freezing, YMMV at different climates though. Also those I.D. of about 1/2" fits over the hard plastic CCV vent tube, so I'm not worried about flow restrictions. Anyways picture time!

[ssbourbon1]

I'll be the first to say it. Looks clean, looks simple, looks manageable I look forward to seeing how much you collect in the next 1000 miles. I have been waiting for mine d to get it's new intake...at least I have gotten to drive a 2014 X3 for the last 2k miles. Kind of a whiney engine though. Has handled the snow storms well.

[JDG]

Ok, well then lets call this 54k miles on it. we can open up the can at 55k. Unless I go on any road trips though it will take some time.

I like the x5d's but I'm not ready to be out of the sporty cars yet.

[TDIwyse]

Thanks for posting.

Got some questions for you if you have some time.

Before removing the CCV vent tube, its a good idea to pop off the oil lines. The first time I took the tube off, I didn't and ended up breaking this line. This will deadline the car and cost 144$ to replace, FYI. (see red circles)

Could you describe the oil line removal a little more and what happened to break it?

Also don't forget to take the oil cap off to remove it. Its a pain to get off and back on. you could remove the factory separator but I didn't.

What oil cap are you talking about (the engine oil cap?) and why is it a pain to get on and off?

Thanks again.

[JDG]

Sorry for the sloppy write-up lots going on today at the home front, but I was excited to have it done-ish. anyway to answer your questions.

the "Overflow oil line (part nubmer 13537799869 $144.18)" sit right there by the top of the injectors. The last two are very close to the awkwardly routed CCV vent tube. The firstime I didn't pop off the last two and I snapped the hose right off the end of the fitting. To remove, you pull up on the gray cap, this will release the tension, then you can pry up on the little leg there. They pop right off and it is just to keep them from breaking.

Second, I ment to remove the engine oil cap in order to remove the CCV vent tube. It was mentioned before that removal of the entire factory CCV on the valve cover may be simpler to remove than just the vent tube. I however just removed the 1 screw holding the vent tube in and wiggled it out. Getting the tube to line up when putting back in is mildly frustrating but very doable.

[TDIwyse]

Thanks for the clarification.

[Mark M]

Add another one to the list. Just completed it 20 min ago. Following the work of JDG and Doc.

Materials:
N54 BMS catch can
9 feet of 3/4 hose
6 Hose clamps
2 3/4 inch 90 degree elbows.

I chose not to cut the hard pipe that runs across the top of the valve cover. Rather I fabbed up fittings from the hose that connects the hard pipe to the intake pipe making it fully reversible if I ever need to. I removed the 4 inch hose but retained the OE end fittings. Then I added my own 3/4 inch 90 degree elbows to allow the connection of hose to and from the catch can.

Ideally a water ball pressure test off the dip stick end would be a great indicator of flow and restriction. However I don't have such a test.

[Mark M]

Pics attached.

[JDG]

nice Mark! I tried that route but didn't have the correct hose or fittings when I did it. Might have to update my build in a few months.

[EPOS]

So with this mod, it should help with carbon? I suppose this will void warranty though?

[JDG]

Should help with the carbon. This and EGR delete and the carbon issue will be negligible. As for the warranty, may or may not, in the US they have to prove that the modification cause the damage. For an example, they couldn't say the catch can made an injector fail. I don't know your laws though.

As a short follow up, I drove the car around for 30 miles today and had a full film coating with a drop of oil. that may not sound like a lot but for 30 miles I think that is pretty excessive. However you choose to install a catch can, it seems to be a def. necessity for the "D"

[FormerRotor]

Originally Posted by Mark M

Pics attached.

This is exactly how i was hoping to install. Glad to see it works!

[TDIwyse]

Originally Posted by Mark M

I chose not to cut the hard pipe that runs across the top of the valve cover. Rather I fabbed up fittings from the hose that connects the hard pipe to the intake pipe making it fully reversible if I ever need to. I removed the 4 inch hose but retained the OE end fittings. Then I added my own 3/4 inch 90 degree elbows to allow the connection of hose to and from the catch can.

Ideally a water ball pressure test off the dip stick end would be a great indicator of flow and restriction. However I don't have such a test.

Mark, I'd be interested in a little more details/photo's of this connection method. It sounds interesting.

Your comment on the flow restriction is good as well.

This is a great, detailed description from Cat about crankcase ventilation that goes over lots of different setups and best practice methods and equations on power levels and aging impact on blowby, pipe diameters, lengths of runs, slopes of the runs, impact of bends, and lots of things to be careful with when implementing this type of modification ...

http://pdf.cat.com/cda/files/3375381...EBW4958-02.pdf

[TDIwyse]

Here's the comment from CAT on measuring the crankcase pressure.

Restrictions higher than the limit on passive systems will encourage oil
leaks. A powered system should draw no more than a 25.4 mm H2O
(1.0 in. H2O) vacuum, or dirt and dust could be drawn into the engine
past the main seals. Measurement should be made at the engine
dipstick location with the engine at operating temperature, speed, and load.

Anyone know what type of device to use to do this? I'd like to take some data.

[montr]

You can buy manometer to measure the vacuum or you can build one for few dollars
http://www.leapsecond.com/pages/manometer/
http://www.ehow.com/how_10020653_mak...ter-gauge.html

[BB_cuda]

Originally Posted by TDIwyse

Here's the comment from CAT on measuring the crankcase pressure.

Restrictions higher than the limit on passive systems will encourage oil
leaks. A powered system should draw no more than a 25.4 mm H2O
(1.0 in. H2O) vacuum, or dirt and dust could be drawn into the engine
past the main seals. Measurement should be made at the engine
dipstick location with the engine at operating temperature, speed, and load.

Anyone know what type of device to use to do this? I'd like to take some data.

I was wondering the same thing too. A friend has a fuel rail pressure measuring kit but it has a schrader valve connection. I was thinking about how to circumvent the valve and put a mating schrader onto it (with core removed). I would get the mating piece of schader valve by cutting off from a bicycle tube. Then get a piece of small diameter hose and hose clamp on both schader valve end and dip stick tube end. Yes, this would be redneck but would be only temporary. I would think you need to drive it to put engine under load so as to get turbo boost going. I would run a long hose so that i could watch it while driving. I would route it under back edge of hood and around A pillar and hold it with my hand.

I would wonder how much oil will blow up into the hose from the dip stick tube. Hopefully none. I will have to talk my friend into letting me potentially foul his fuel pressure test rig.

[TDIwyse]

I kinda like montr's suggestion. We'd be trying to measure really, really low (hopefully) pressures. CAT's recommendation is to size things for maximum crankcase pressure ~0.5 inH2o, which is 0.018 psi .... I'm not finding many options for low pressure gauges out there that would be accurate to this level.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

Great insight amigos one of my next projects

[Mark M]

TDI,

Regarding the OE hose connection from the horizontal hard pipe down to the large intake pipe, it is comprised of three sections.

1. The upper 90 degree elbow (non heated)
2. The 4" flexible hose
3. The lower joint piece from hose to intake pipe (heated)

* From my measurements, appears the OE CCV pipe's ID ranges from 3/4" on the hard line to 7/8" on this connection section.

What I fabbed up:
- I separated all three pieces by removing the OE clamps.
- On the OE upper 90 degree elbow, I used a short piece of hose (~2" length) and mated it to a 90 degree elbow that I oriented to face forward.
- On the lower OE joint piece, I used a short piece of hose (~2" length) and mated it to a 90 degree elbow that I oriented to face forward.
- Then I joined both fittings with 3/4" hose and ran to the BMS catch can near the driver's side cowling while careful to conceal the hose runs under the intake plastic and above the radiator / fan to minimize unsightliness.

Link to the elbow I used.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...help_5706351-p

I admit, I would prefer a solution that keeps the catch can closer to the source, but I also wanted to keep my install fully reversible and retain the OE intake system as I am under CPO.

Ideally, if one were to use the driver's side location for the catch can, appears the best way to install is to run a line right off the Oil separator over the top rear of the engine and into the can. Then use a return line from the can back across the top of the engine and mate up to the black plastic hard line. But this would involve some cutting work that would render things non-reversible. This would be most ideal as it would create a hose run that keeps a slight uphill slope until it needs to meet with the can and it would minimize the run of hose to only ~36" for the full loop.

I skimmed your CAT article and found it to be interesting. I had also read other documents last week on ingestive CCV systems. Seems there is varying information out there. On a document I had read it mentioned that on an ingestive system a slightly smaller hose will increase the velocity of the gas flow which will help prevent vapor cool down and subsequent condensation buildup / freeze risk. Then once in the can (source of low pressure) the gas will smack into the sidewalls which will aid gas oil coalescence and the low pressure of the can will slow the gas down to help aid separation as it works its way back out of the can into a high velocity situation.

While I don't have a degree in fluid or gas dynamics, I guess the only real answer would be a pressure gauge to check before and after of the crankcase.

[BB_cuda]

Originally Posted by TDIwyse

I kinda like montr's suggestion. We'd be trying to measure really, really low (hopefully) pressures. CAT's recommendation is to size things for maximum crankcase pressure ~0.5 inH2o, which is 0.018 psi .... I'm not finding many options for low pressure gauges out there that would be accurate to this level.

Yea, Brent's fuel pressure gage range is waaaaay too high like you say. My oldest brother installed natural gas piping into his attic a couple yrs ago,. The city inspector had him install a gauge on the outside of the house end where gas company would eventually hook onto (later). The city inspector pressurized the piping to 2.5 psi with nitrogen and marked the spot on the gage. The idea was for inspector to come back 2 days later and look for any evidence of leakage by reading decrease. It held perfect and my brother's piping was approved for use.

I wonder if that gauge has a fine enough reading to hook up to dipstick tube. The other article showing the manometer was pretty cool. My gas meter has a regulator on it that has output into home down real low. I will report back info from brother.

[TDIwyse]

Thanks for the further details Mark.

Also, I ordered one of these to play with. Have the same thing on my radon mitigation system in the basement. For as cheap as it is didn't figure it was worth it to make my own...

http://www.amazon.com/RadonAway-Easy.../dp/B0029MXNGA

[TDIwyse]

When I got home from work just now I left the car running and pulled the dipstick out. I could see crankcase fumes coming from the dipstick hole, so measuring pressure there seems like it might be a good place to start.

Wonder how much crankcase pressure/gasses one could vent out the dipstick tube?