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<2002> Oil venting containers

Mike asked about crank case and tranny venting on a 2002.

I have DCOE's on my car also and had the same problem.  I ran the breather hose over to 
the drivers side firewall where the emission relay junk use to be.  On the firewall, 
using a carefully bent coat hanger as a bracket, I have a plastic Peter Pan Peanut 
Butter jar (18 oz I think).  I found a rubber 90 deg elbow in the Help! display at the 
local Auto Value.  One end is a male end that fits inside the breather hose.  The other 
end is female and has a grove molded into it to it will hold itself in place when pushed 
through a hole in the plactic jar.  On the inside of the jar I have a K & N stubby 
filter.  This filter has a male end on it which connects to the elbow.  Around the top 
of the jar I drilled a series of 1/8" holes to allow air to escape.  I use a large wire 
tie to hold the jar in the bracket firmly.  My theory is that the oil vapor will 
condense in the filter element and drip into the bottom of the jar.  The 'clean' 
air goes through the holes in the top of the jar.  After 600 miles there is a little oil 
in the bottom of the jar, and no oil on the outside lid of the jar.  Seems to work for 
me.

The transmission venting article was in the August 1994 issue of European Car, just 
happened to be on the top of the stack on the work bench :).

The gist of the article is this.  If the vent gets plugged the tranny does its breathing 
throught the seals.  Not good since it can suck dirt in during cool down.  The vent plug 
(according to EC) can be pulled out from the top with vise grips, making sure the area 
around it is clean.  My tranny was out so this was easy.  Once its out put it in a vise. 
If you are running Webers and still have your old intake manifold, you should be able to 
find a threaded nipple that will work.  If not, go back to Auto Value and they have a 
selection of brass nipples.  Drill a hole in the vent plug and then tap threads in it to 
match the nipple.  File the top of the plug flat so there is a good mating surface 
between the plug and the nipple.  A copper washer is needed if you use the manifold 
nipple.  Put teflon tape or other sealer on the threads and screw the two together.

I used blue brake hose and ran it up to its own catch bottle next to the crankcase 
bottle.  In theory the same bottle can be used for both, but the bottle would have to be 
large enough for both to come in independently.  I though about putting a T in the 
crankcase breather hose, but decided I didn't want Motor oil in the tranny and vice 
versa.  Anyway, the bottle arrangement is similiar, using a brass elbow and I think a 
small fuel filter inside the bottle.  The jar itself is a small jar designed to hang on 
a peg board.  

I also put a overflow bottle in for the radiator.  I used a commercial $12 kit and 
installed it where the battery use to be.  Works great.

I hope this helps.

matt brumwell
smoky mountain chapter 'cca
'75 2002	'87 535is	'88 M3