The VW Polo Mk2 is a fine little motor car, except for the awful crankcase breather system. Once you get a bit of wear in the engine, it blows engine oil out of the sump and into the air filter housing, where it soaks into the air filter and ruins it. This can happen even when the bores and pistons are still perfectly serviceable.
The Bangernomics Project Polo (bangernomics.tripod.com/polo.htm) has exactly this problem and I am trying to come up with a simple fix that I can publish for the benefit of others. The options I have come up with are:
1. Fit an oil trap in line between the crankcase breather and air filter - in which case does anyone know of something suitable?
2. Block off the existing breather and fit a new one into the rocker cover (as per 1600/1800 VWs) - a bit more complicated, and will it work?
Any suggestions appreciated.
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My 1800 1987 16V VW engine had a crankcase breather on the top of the oil filter/cooler assembly and also suffered from oil being pushed into the air box. The cause of this was a combination of the failure of a baffle plate and also the softening of the rubber hose which caused partial collapse and then a sort of vacuum effect which pulled the oil up into the airbox. A new hose and a refitted baffle solved the problem.
This doesn't solve your problem I know but could point you in the right direction!!!
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Fit a new breather oil separator into the engine block and VW fitted what looks like a huge in line fuel filter into the breather hose about 2" up from the separator to later polos and golfs. Not a cheap exercise but it usually works.
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Dunno about the VW, but on my Cavalier (170K miles or so) I just bunged the breather into a plastic oil bottle to catch the gunge and taped up the intake to the carb. A quick reset of the carb, and all was fine again. The engine definitely ran smoother afterwards and all I had to do was occasionally empty the breather bottle.
Only problem was that at a stop it used sometimes to suck the oil ridden fumes into the car.
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Thanks everyone for your help. Andrew's reply was right on the money. I just called in at my local VW agent, and once the parts guy had finished looking down his nose at me, he looked up the Polo breather system on his computer and there it was, an oil separator canister just as described. Price £13 + VAT, and of course they didn't have any in stock. Should be in tomorrow - I will fit it (with a new air filter - mine has about half a pint of engine oil in it), go for a quick blast on the motorway and see what happens. I already fitted a new block-mounted breather to no effect.
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Hi Richard
Have you taken off and had a look at the separator canister you're ordering? There's absolutely nothing to it other than a pair of baffles inside - if they're intact (and its unlikely they won't be) I fear replacing the part will get you nowhere.
This wisdom isn't mine - I tried to purchase the very same part for my Polo. The local parts specialist pulled one out the back, showed it me, and refused to sell it. Instead he insisted the problem was the block mounted separator, drew a picture to illustrate how the system works and lent me a tool to put the block part on with. (Cheaper than the plastic cannister thing, too).
The important point: there a narrow oil channel drilled in the block that goes from the block mounted separator to the sump. It gets clogged with oil and needs a coathanger/welding rod or such pushing down it to clear the way. If you don't do this before putting the new part on, you've wasted your time - the oil has nowhere to run to, so it eventually makes its way up to the air filter.
Apologies if you'd already though of this. I can attest to its effectiveness.
Rob
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Hi Rob
Yes, I replaced the block mounted breather. Early Polos like mine didn't have the separate canister - I don't know what year VW started fitting it, but it was certainly later than 1984. So hopefully fitting this (currently absent) canister will cure the problem.
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As promised, I have now put the information on the Web.
bangernomics.tripod.com/oilypolo.htm
Thanks once again, especially Andrew and Rob. I took Project Polo out for a blast (!) up the motorway, and my air filter remains spotless.
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