BMW 550i xDrive Crankcase Vent Filter Replacement at your home or office.

What is the Crankcase Vent Filter all about?

The most common application for the crankcase vent filter is on high performance engines such as race cars, though it is widely used on older models of vehicles as well. Inside the engine, small amounts of combustion gases push by the piston in the cylinder and enter the crankcase, or the bottom end of the engine. These gases create a positive pressure inside the crankcase, which needs ventilation. Positive crankcase pressure robs the engine of power as the pistons have to fight against that pressure when performing each down stroke.

A breather tube is mounted at the top of the crankcase in the engine block that releases the positive pressure into the environment or into the intake to cleanly burn them before they enter the atmosphere. The breather tube contains a port or elbow at some point along its route where the crankcase vent filter is installed. The crankcase vent filter allows excess pressure to push out into the environment without carrying oil particles or other messy contaminants with the gases. It also prevents any debris or dirt from entering the crankcase if there is a situation where negative pressure occurs, such as engine cooldown. If the crankcase vent filter is plugged, the excess positive pressure inside the crankcase can blow out engine oil seals. If the crankcase vent filter isn’t in place, dirt can enter the crankcase and plug oil galleries or contaminate the oil, which can cause lasting engine damage.