Bear with me this is a long story. Took my '05 S in for 15000 mile service and a few warranty issues today. Got off to a real bad start with the service department after I left, when they called me and told me the service could not be done because the maintenance counter said the next service wasn't due for another 13000 miles. (My car has 13500 miles and is two years old next week.)

They said someone has been diddling with the computer or I was trying to pull a fast one by getting a second free scheduled maintenance. They could not perform the maintenance for free according to Mini USA rules until the maintenance interval counter was at least close to due.

Relevant facts: I paid this same dealer to change my oil at about 2500 miles, because recommendations notwithstanding, I think it is crazy to go 15000 on the first oil. I then changed the oil again myself at about 8000 miles. Factory recommended synthetic of course.

I told them I wouldn't know how to change the interval counter if my life depended on it. And besides, they should see in their records that they have not yet done the scheduled 15000/one year service. They said I could have had an independent shop do it. I said please direct me to the independent shop that will change my oil for free. They said records notwithstanding, the counter rules, and they can't do it if the counter doesn't say to do it. Service manager sang the same tune. When asked theoretically if they did the service yesterday and the counter malfunctioned and said it was due today would they do it again? They said no because the service would have been logged automatically in the big computer in the sky, which same computer shows evidence of "tampering" with the onboard computer either intentionally or by mistake while "setting the clock" or something. I guess we should all budget $59 twice a year for the dealer to set and unset Daylight Savings Time!

A call to the dealership manager and BMW in Jersey ultimately brought everyone to their senses, and they performed the service, I THINK! Interestingly, they did not reset the maintenance counter!

Here comes the good part: When I got home with the car, I noticed a snide remark in the paperwork which stated "Tell the customer to look under his oil cap to see what the aftermarket oil catch can is doing to his engine". I pulled the cap, and HOLY CRAP, the underside of the cap and threads are all covered with a thick, foamy gooey mess of what appears to be sludge, or the makings of it. I was shocked! This isn't supposed to happen with synthetic oil, especially with a garage kept, triple-the-recommended oil changes, frequently long-distance driven car. The car doesn't burn a drop of oil, so I haven't pulled the cap since last summer, and it wasn't there then.

I pulled the dipstick and it was there, too, but just along the shaft, not at the plastic gauge end. The oil appeared way dirtier than it should have been after being driven less than five miles.

If I've been had, I don't know how to prove it. But has anyone else experienced this with catch can use? Mine is the Alta.

I'm wondering if an unusually cold winter and my relatively short (about 9 miles) drive to work each day could be a factor. It gets a good 30 mile plus drive in a couple times a month and at least two 300 mile round trips a year.

I'm going to send this message to Alta to get their take on the mechanisms that could cause this. Thanks in advance to pros and amateurs alike who might have some input and advice.

 

how do you have it routed? did you route both hoses with a tee fitting into the can, or did you just route the pcv breather hose into the can and leave the other one alone? teeing both together can cause problems... i highly recommend the alternate routing.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...06&postcount=9

 

If it's a foamy, light-brown "milkshake"-looking mess, that's from moisture in the oil. It could either be engine coolant, or just atmospheric moisture condensing in the oil.

I would try to get the oil up to operating temperature at least once during the day, and I don't know if your short trips to and from work are enough to get everything warmed up.

 

Yep, it is probably just a combination of short cold weather drives and the way you have your OCC installed. I bet you have it installed as per the original inst. from Alta where you cap off the grey high vacuum hose. Many of us here have had this same problem. I solved mine by making sure that during our cold winters here I get the car up to temp at least every weekend, and by installing a second metal OCC for the grey line. Since this install, I have had no problems at all and I highly recommend it.

 

Hey guys; We do offer two ways to connect the can on the latest versions and shipments. However, I did have a lengthy conversation with jeffjmr this morning and I am still concerned there is something else going on with his car. Since his car is COMPLETELY stock with the exception of the can, this amount of crud to have built up in 20 minutes of driving is disturbing. Jeff is suspect that the oil was even changed, but if it was, it is inconceivable for this build up to occur in 20 minutes of stop and go or freeway driving. we did discuss alternative methods to connect the can, but we also discussed blown head gaskets etc., which would certainly better explain the volume of crud and foam. We will continue to work with Jeff to see what the resolution turns out to be. This is the first report to us about this problem and we assume it to be VERY isolated. It is also unfortunate that the attitude of this particular service department has lessened Jeff's chances for getting an honest answer or any real assistance. We hope that realtionship to also be repaired and more information to be forthcoming.

Thanks again NAM!

 

Jeffjmr
How many miles have you had the OCC installed?
Steve

 

First, thanks to all who responded. Very helpful. Especially to Alta, who responded quickly and personally.

To clarify, the foam could have been there before the visit to the dealer; it has been an unusually cold winter here in Virginia and after reading some posts about Mini owners with oil temp gauges and the temps they get in winter weather, it is certainly conceivable that this built up over the past few weeks when I have been driving to and from work and around the neighborhood only. It was not there in November when I last checked to prepare for winter. There is no evidence that this is the result of a coolant leak.

And after a warm day in VA today and a bit longer drive, it is almost all gone already.

I installed the can almost immediately after buying the car. I did not have this problem last winter, but the temperatures last year were nowhere near as frigid as this year. We had several single digit (F) mornings here.

Alta got in touch and we discussed alternative hookups for the can, but I think I'll leave it be for a little longer and see if the warmer weather clears it up as I manage to get the oil temps up where they belong.

The dealer still disappoints; calls today to the Customer Relations department and the manager weren't returned. After reviewing my records, I believe THEY are the ones who reset the counter mistakenly when I went in for an early oil change last year. How ironic is that?

Bottom line, it seems that connecting the can to the high-vacuum source (the gray, stiff line connected to the supercharger) may be a good idea in environments or driving conditions like I had this winter. The higher vacuum/flow through the valve cover probably does a better job of getting the water out. Second, I may have to stop baying my baby, and get the lead out more often. And maybe the next upgrade will be some gauges, one of them being oil temp.

 

Jeffjmr
I am glad you clarified how long the OCC was on your car with the current installation. The post that was made by Alta kind of indicated that this all happened in just a few short miles, which it indead did not. It is a help to all of us in the NAM community to know all the facts so we can make an informed decision for our own mods. There have been several discussions here on NAM as to the different means of hooking up a OCC and we all have to make our own decisions. IMHO I think the inline installation between the PVC and gray line will help to eliminate the problems of the milky oil. It also keeps the routing of breathers in the same configuration that the Mfg designed. I wish you good luck with your problems and hope you get them all worked out.
Steve

 

Trust me this is not the first time milky sludge has been encountered using the OCC. It does take more than a short drive to build up...but it has taken place for two winters in Chicago with similar weather and drive times. Short commutes and freezing temps lead to water build up in the OCC, white milky sludge and FREQUENT dumps of the can...or risk freezing the can and who knows what next. THIS WHILE FOLLOWING THE ALTA DIRECTIONS !!!

If there is an approved ALTA alternate hookup without plugging the gray line could someone share this information please?

If not I will be looking at a return to normal routing of hoses. ( Anyone have these instructions ? )
Thanks.

 

Hey folks: The newest instruction sets have details on connecting the can to the high vacuum grey line. However, you may need new tubing and or/stiffner (both come in the newest shipments but were not supplied earlier. The MSRP was also adjusted.) E-mail me at adam@altaminiperformance.com and I will gladly e-mail copies directly.

Thanks again guys! JeffMR: Glad you were able to determine the sludge/milk was not added by the dealer or developed in the shrot drive home. Things should be looking up!

 

alta approved or not, simply put the occ in line with the pcv hose, the one one the left side of the valve cover, looking at it from the front. leave the other one alone. this way the crankcase ventilation system will work as designed.

*just wanted to add that i've never seen any milky residue or water routing this way. nearly all the posts that i've read where people are getting water in their catch can have them routed with BOTH lines teed together and then going into the catch can.*

 

Lou
See post #26 in the attached thread. Seems as if this is the best routing.
Steve

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t=72959&page=2