Crankcase ventilation

2013 Mini Cooper Countryman, Standard TransSECTION Crankcase ventilation
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The air intake system has a vacuum during vacuum motor operation. This will cause the volume control valve to open and the cleaned blow-by gases to reach the intake ports and thereby the intake system through bore holes in the cylinder head. Since there is a risk that oil is suctioned through the crankcase ventilation in the event of high vacuum pressure, the volume control valve has a throttle function. The volume control valve limits the through-flow and thereby the pressure level in the crankcase. The vacuum in the crankcase ventilation keeps the non-return valve closed. Additionally, fresh air flows into the oil separator through a leak bore hole located above it. This limits the vacuum in the crankcase ventilation to a maximum of 100 mbar. During charged operation, the pressure in the air intake system will rise and thereby close the volume control valve. In this operating condition, there is a vacuum in the clean air pipe. When the non-return valve opens to the clean air pipe, the cleaned blow-by gases will be routed to the air intake system.

The following illustration shows the installation position of the crankcase ventilation.

Fig 1: Identifying Crankcase Ventilation System
G09908377Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Index Explanation
1 Oil separator
2 Non-return valve to the fresh air pipe with leakage bore hole
3 Pipe to the clean air pipe
4 Deflector with upstream fleece
5 Fine separator plate with small air vents
6 Pre-separator
7 Blow-by gas input
8 Oil return
9 Oil return with non-return valve
10 Connecting line to intake port
11 Volume control valve to the air intake system with throttle function
RENDER: 1.0x

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