ducati breather

[Ardenfour]

I've got a ducati 9hp air cooled diesel - ancient lump but stuck with it for now. The crankcase breather doesn't have a pipe fitted on it, with the result that it vents into the engine compartment which is covered in sooty deposit. Apparently this is an general purpose industrial engine, and normally is used in the open air with integral fuel tank and different airfilter to mine. I have a replaceable paper cartidge, size of an oil filter. Anyway, my question is, if I connect a pipe to the vent, where should the other end go? Should it vent into the intake, and if so which side of the filter? If pre filter then, judging from the reek, the filter will clog pretty soon. I know the thing needs servicing, but while it starts first time and runs sweet as a nut, I'm reluctant to pull it apart due to the unavailability of new gaskets, spares, etc.

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[Nauti Fox]

I know there was a place in Mitcham that did Ducati marine spares,I'll see if I can find their number.
Al.

<hr width=100% size=1>No dear,the water goes in the other one.

 

[TheoSr]

As this is an older diesel I would never recommend venting the crankcase into the inlet. As soon as too much oily fumes are vented, the engine will start to run on these fumes and will be difficult to stop. Diesels can, when not coupled to propeller, start running so fast that a conrod will break. That will end all your troubles with this engine.
I also think there should be a non return valve in the crankcase vent, have you checked this? When there is no compression loss, the crankcase vent should blow out as much as it sucks in.
Try to vent into a container like a plastic bottle in which the oilparticles can collect and then empty the bottle from time to time.
Good luck

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