Diff Breather Manifold (1 Viewer)

[NLXTACY]

Folks, I wanted to see if anyone else has incorporated a breather manifold to their trucks or not. I have scrounged through Search but I don't see a single person using a breather manifold. Just an air manifold for OBA. What I didn't want to so is have randomly placed extended breathers all over the truck. I also wanted to extend all breathers, not just the diffs. What I am found so far are these decent looking aluminum ones but they are expensive and do two or four breathers:
Diff Breather Kit

And
I found these although for LandRovers I'm sure it would be no big deal to use for the far superior LandCruiser:
Land Rover manifold

Plus they are far cheaper. So hoping that others have some other solutions and maybe something a little more local as well.

 

[sundaypunch]

I have just run individual breather lines from my front & rear axles. I terminate them with a basic plastic fuel filter. It's probably the simplest & cheapest way to go.

 

[NLXTACY]

Oh I know its simple and cheap. I am just looking for another option. And I dont want 4 fuel filters randomly placed in my engine bay. Now having them all plumbed to a manifold and then using the fuel filter for the air intake side would be fine. Although I would probably route it to the air cleaner or snork if I ever finally got one.

 

[NLXTACY]

Let me put it another way, I'm looking for organization not randomness.

 

[bhmmapping]

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[Godwin]

What about one of these?
Manifolds | Air Compressor Accessories | Air Compressors | Northern Tool + Equipment

Tie the breather lines into an appropriate manifold and terminate with a filter.

 

[NLXTACY]

Northern FTW!

Done and ordered. I wound up getting a 6 port 1/4" out with 2 port 3/8" in. This way I can do diffs, transfer case, transmission and if I get as crazy as PHOTOMAN then alternator and distributor as well

 

[NLXTACY]

Actually I would be surprised if there isn't anyone here who hasn't already done this. Seems pretty clear cut but would still love to see some installs.

 

[ScottsHZJ80]

I am just running 3 'Y' connectors in the lines to go from 4 into 1. The rear diff breather runs from the diff, up the chassis toward the front of the vehicle. As it passes the transfer there is a Y to join the transfer breather, then further forward another Y to join in the gearbox breather. Lastly the front diff breather joins it as it goes up the firewall to a cheapo fuel filter. Easy! I've used fuel line for the breather hoses so it shouldn't be worried by oil etc.

 

[Tonys]

I had the air stone type filters fitted to my diff breathers and after 18000 klm with lots of vibration from corrugations they broke off (plastic mount in base of stone.

Tony

Folks, I wanted to see if anyone else has incorporated a breather manifold to their trucks or not. I have scrounged through Search but I don't see a single person using a breather manifold. Just an air manifold for OBA. What I didn't want to so is have randomly placed extended breathers all over the truck. I also wanted to extend all breathers, not just the diffs. What I am found so far are these decent looking aluminum ones but they are expensive and only do two breathers:
Diff Breather Kit

.

 

[Tools R Us]

Let me put it another way, I'm looking for organization not randomness.

Organization is neat and all, but IMHO this isn't the best plan. I have done it in the past, and have had issues. When a gear box gets water in it and is driven, the fluid tends to foam, pumping fluid (white gooey mayonnaise) out the breather. If boxes are hosed together it is pumped into the other gear boxes. It's not so bad if gear boxes are hosed together (diffs, transfer) same fluid, just change them all. I wouldn't want contaminated gear oil in my auto trans or electrical stuff.

On mine they all have dedicated breather lines. The rear diff and actuator terminate in the quarter above the fuel filler. The front gear boxes, trans, transfer diff terminate under the hood above the brake booster and the front electrical stuff goes high under the dash.

 

[wierdbeard]

there's always these if you want to go aluminium

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I have to agree with Kevin. I don't think running a manifold is the way to go. Cross contamination issues, condensation potential in long lines, etc. etc.

I actually think the most "organized" solution is one neat, short as possible, hose per diff. Just my 2 cents.

 

[jfz80]

also is there any issue of condensation building up on long runs of tubing and draining back to diffs? or not enough moisture to be concerned about?

 

[-Spike-]

No more moist air will enter the extensions than would enter the stock breathers.

-Spike

 

[NLXTACY]

Er why is there an issue with condensation if the stock breathers let in air (moist or dry)?

 

[NLXTACY]

Hehe, once again I get preempted. Sorry SPIKE.

As far as cross contamination with "foamed mayo", this does sound like a real issue. BUT, I don't do river crossings and I don't see how there could be enough pressure built up in the axle to push the foam all the way up. This seems so isolated. Of course I could put in a filter to take out any moisture.

 

[NLXTACY]

BTW I wound up getting a (6) station Polyconn Manifold (aluminum) from Northern Parts. 1/4" NPT out and 3/8" NPT in. PART NO. 425006

I also ordered some barbed hose fittings from McMaster:
5346K18- 1/4" NPT to 3/8" hose
44705K383- 1/4" square head plug
44705K384- 3/8" square head plug

 

[-Spike-]

This might sound nit-picky, but if you don't plan on doing any river crossings, why bother extending the breathers? If it's 'just in case' then why risk cross-contamination in the event they are necessary?

-Spike

 

[NLXTACY]

What I mean by "don't plan on it" is that I will not go out of my way to do river fording. Its not what I am interested in doing. Just like I am not interested in doing hard core rock crawling. BUT, it IS strictly "what if". What if I need to cross a creek? What if there is flooding again in the LA Basin? What if I am caught in another flash flood?

To me it just seems that cross contamination for something that is going to be up THAT high is really very low. If this was going to be mounted say on the framerail and then the intake tube ran up into the air canister I could see this potentially happening. But to run an air manifold way up high, then for any system to be able to push ANY liquid with enough pressure to even make it up to the highest point in the engine compartment just seems really low.