Saikou Michi Filter Feedback

ChesterCRD · **Posted:** Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:12 am

The original thread is here, but it headed in a few directions so I'm starting a new one.
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... 1&start=90

I installed the Saikou Michi filter and have some feedback now that I have 6000 miles on it. After about 4000 miles I began to see oil in the return line. The way my lines are routed, some of this condenses in the line and runs back down into the filter. About a week ago I drained the filter and got about 3/4 cup of fluid out of it that appeared to be mostly oil. This amount isn't enough to fill the filter, so I'm somewhat dismayed to see oil in my return line. It's definitely capturing some oil, but not all of it.

What are other people's experiences with this filter?

chrispitude · **Posted:** Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:41 pm

Fred and I installed the Saikou 951 in his CRD today. Pictures of the installation can be found here:

http://auto.derfer.net/?mode=album&albu ... kou+Filter

We mounted it between the airbox and the radiator with a self-tapping bolt. We used a spring-loaded punch to mark the metal first, started an indentation with an 1/8" bit, then finished with a 17/64" bit. The gold color you see on the Saikou bracket is anti-seize, not rust. The 3/4" braided vinyl lines routed cleanly. We warmed them in the oven on WARM for 20 minutes to make them nice and workable. I'm sure Fred will share more observations as the Saikou intake begins to darken with use.

- Chris

RTStabler51 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:15 pm

I'm assuming its similiar to the Provent? I like that install.

ribbon · **Posted:** Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:39 pm

Not a provent. Its just a oil catch can. I dont think you can open it up to clean it. I may be wrong though. they should work though. I have used a catch can in the past

chrispitude · **Posted:** Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:43 pm

Isn't the Provent also just a catch can with condensation media, or is there more to it than that?

Saikou Michi homepage

You can't open it up, but there is a hand-turnable draincock at the bottom. We attached about 18" of hose to the draincock nipple for easy mess-free draining at each oil change.

- Chris

Ranger1 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 1137

Yes, there is more to a Provent than just a catch can. It has 3 primary advantages over a catch can. 1 - much finer synthetic filtration media, far more effective than steel wool. 2. Built-in excess pressure regulator valve 3. built in flow regulator to keep excessive vacuum off of the crankcase at WOT. A catch can doesn't come with any of these or it would be called a coalescing filter instead of a catch can. The Provent design makes it easier to remove the media for cleaning.

I went through this discovery process in April of 2005 when I first discovered what a poor job the factory ccv was doing. I built my own catch can and junked it after a month and bought the Provent. The steel wool and air compressor filter cannister I used didn't prevent the oil mist from reaching the output hose. I now have over 40K miles on the Provent and it's output hose is still clean. I made an aluminum bracket that is bolted to the turbo vacuum boost stand and the Provent fits in there perfectly. As an fyi, Dodge and Ford chose to go with coalescing filters on their 07.5 diesel pickup trucks. The Dodge cummins comes factory standard and Ford has an approved kit for theirs.

I like the safety design features - I think it too expensive to pull the engine to replace front/rear main seals if ccv system gets clogged. Then there are the seals on the oil cooler and turbo to consider, although they don't require engine removal. Still not what I want to be spending my mod money on.

One could argue that the factory ccv has some flow limiting design built into it also, but one could argue that the factory ccv is also supposed to be preventing excessive oil vapor from getting into the turbo. Since it doesn't do that job very well, you have to wonder how well it does at flow regulation on WOT. I like the extra filtration of the Provent filtration media over steel wool when thinking about tiny oil droplets hitting my compressor blades spinning at 100K rpm. But that's just me.

canlib · **Posted:** Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:34 pm

Interesting place to mount the canister...I'll have to look at that for a permanent Provent install once warranty is over. I just re-plumbed my Provent because the intake line had flattened from heat and being a bit too short. I'm betting your return line will do the same where it bends over the air intake. Happy to report the Provent outlet is still clean after 10,000 km.

CRDMiller · **Posted:** Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:34 pm

Toss a few screen door springs into your ccv lines, home depot has several available, although none of them are particularly close to the od (thier od hits the tubes id) that you would want, i found that the longest spring they had, that would fit, was fat enough to do the job. I wish it was bigger but yeah.

Possibly you could rig up a external spring but i'd worry about metal on the turbo hoses. (depending on your routing)

Ranger1 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 1137

It's been 4 years since I connected the Provent routing and the hose isn't flattened or crimped. I used some plastic loom over the heater hose, no sharp bends and some tie wraps to support it. I had the entire system and air box out last summer when doing the struts and moogs - hose is still good, clean, not soft, no bends or crimping.

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