How to clean oil breathers???

[mayhem]

I usually use a pan evac system so this is a new problem for me. I recently acquired a set of valve covers with chimney style vents and chrome dome push on breathers. Unfortunately, the substrate is saturated and literally seeping out of both breathers. How would you go about cleaning out the oil? There is no obvious way to open the breathers (unlike rectangular top fuel breathers I have) to replace the filter material. I thought about placing them in a container of oil absorbant "kitty litter" and allowing the oil to drain - but that could take months if not years. Is there a solvent or a bath to soak them in that won't damage the chrome? Is the juice worth the squeeze to remove the oil or do I just get new breathers? Thoughts?

 

[Kendog 170]

In the 50's they soaked them in gas.

 

[mayhem]

In the 50's they soaked them in gas.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, back in the day a lot of things were done like that. My concern with the breather holes at the bottom underside of these breathers is that I'll be constantly soaking 'em to keep any oil off the valve covers themselves. After posting above, I did a little research (which I should have done first - duh!). I think I'm going to get a couple new breathers (AMD-337-1068-C) from Summit. They're spendy suckers but I'll be able to craft an evac system with some braided stainless line into a small top vented/baffled catch can. Easy peasy.

 

[doug 371]

Try brake clean

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Sonic cleaner

 

[Darter6]

Soak in mineral spirts, let dry for a day

 

[RedFish]

I had old original chrome breathers for my 273 Commando build. The element inside was fiberglass like mesh. Thump the outside and that stuff would fall out like shaving whiskers.
I cut the lower edge with a thin hackaw blade, bent the parts enough to unscrew the two parts. Purchased new similar breathers and destroyed them to remove their foam element. Screwed my housings back together and pecked my bends back down so they don't bite my finger. I did consider a small dab of epoxy there but just didn't see the need.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Many older filters of all sorts were "oil soaked" they had a steel wool type filter material then coated in oil to catch the debris / dust.

Look in 60 and older FSMs for cleaning procedures. All brands used them.

 

[CRUZE 418]

#6. Where is your PCV valve? May be the reason that they are so full of oil.

 

[George Jets]

Sticky Stuff... No Drip

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