Cat 302.5 mini excavator - oil breather mess

[PIgsfoot]

Hi, I have a cat 302.5 which always seems to have oil over the engine no matter how often I clean it.

I believe it’s an oil breather on top of the rocker cover and it seems to be dripping, presumably this is where the oil is coming from.

I expect this should have a pipe on it but I’m not sure if it should if that pipe should connect to something. Can anyone give me some pointers please.

Pictures attached showing the pipe, the engine and part numbers for reference

 

[hiluxman]

It should have a pipe on and should run to around the hight of the sump, if memory serves me correctly on the old 302.5

 

[PIgsfoot]

It should have a pipe on and should run to around the hight of the sump, if memory serves me correctly on the old 302.5

Ok thanks, does that mean the pipe is open so any excess oil can drip onto the ground. For some reason I thought it would connect back to the engine

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

Yes the hose used normally gets brittle and breaks and falls off, just find something to fit and jubilee clip it on, check air filter clean!

 

[hiluxman]

Ok thanks, does that mean the pipe is open so any excess oil can drip onto the ground. For some reason I thought it would connect back to the engine

Correct, just vents to open air.

 

[DaveDCB]

Just dropped down the back of the engine bay, you can see it just going past the dipstick
I see yours has done away with the original lift pump and gone for electric, always caused problems!!

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

Jcb type hand pump and filter assembly like this one?

 

[hiluxman]

Just dropped down the back of the engine bay, you can see it just going past the dipstick
I see yours has done away with the original lift pump and gone for electric, always caused problems!!

View attachment 44291

I noticed that too, I had problems with them, usually the gauze inside bunged up.

 

[DaveDCB]

Jcb type hand pump and filter assembly like this one?

That was standard on my machine from new, the lift pump it’s self blocked up and drew air in through the top seal, but a seal kit wasn’t available so had to buy new - tried many different seals but nothing worked!

 

[V8Druid]

noticed that too ... old mechanical pumps were either faultess/live for ever or totally troublesome ..... that breather'd either be a total loss, as described, to atmosphere via a flexi, or to a collection bottle, or to a block hose tail and back to sump

 

[V8Druid]

Jcb type hand pump and filter assembly like this one?

good ol' AC/Delco with the lever on the side ... fine unless it was 'on cam'

 

[PIgsfoot]

Thanks everyone very helpful, I’ll go fetch some pipe tomorrow and hopefully that stop the oil leak.

It got it a full service, all filters, oil and hydraulic system when I got it. The oil just annoys me as I like a tidy and clean engine bay just like yours which is really clean ( not jealous )

The fuel system was like that when I got it 6 months ago but the electric fuel pump packed up a couple of months ago and the one on it now is a cheap / quick fix from Amazon to get me going again but it’s still working . The mechanic that serviced it said the original mechanical pumps were always troublesome.

 

[DaveDCB]

… I’ll admit that photo was from 11 years ago! But she was still 7yrs old in the photo, bloody brilliant machine, stupidly sold it - the one machine I really regret letting go!

 

[V8Druid]

Thanks everyone very helpful, I’ll go fetch some pipe tomorrow and hopefully that stop the oil leak.

It got it a full service, all filters, oil and hydraulic system when I got it. The oil just annoys me as I like a tidy and clean engine bay just like yours which is really clean ( not jealous )

The fuel system was like that when I got it 6 months ago but the electric fuel pump packed up a couple of months ago and the one on it now is a cheap / quick fix from Amazon to get me going again but it’s still working . The mechanic that serviced it said the original mechanical pumps were always troublesome.

have had loads of gear with mech. pumps on ... only one ever gave me any trouble on a 4 pot perky after 20+ years of reliability ... in an FLT that was in constant use daily