zetec catch tank

[speedy blue]

please bear with me and probably a silly question but if i dont ask i wont know!   i have a zetec westy and have oil on drivers side of the engine and over brake fluid res could it be from an oil breather and is this what a catch tank prevents, many thanks in advance

[Tigger]

Speedy blue,

Do you have the breather pipe going to atmosphere or is it plumbed back into the engine block?

Tigger

[speedy blue]

i get worse i know but to be honest i do not know and do not know where the breather is or what it looks like any help would be appreciated

[Tigger]

Sorry Speedy, I'm not a ford man but there are plenty who are so hopefully somebody will be along to help you soon

For reference, this is a picture of a Zetec with the breather going to a catch tank, does it look like this?

Tiggs

[speedy blue]

am i right in saying that it is the tube from the rocker cover which drops down is the oil breather if it is then i guess its a catch tank i need    

[speedy blue]

also are catch tanks also known as breather tanks

[Tigger]

am i right in saying that it is the tube from the rocker cover which drops down is the oil breather if it is then i guess its a catch tank i need    

Yes it is and yes they are know as breather tanks.

[speedy blue]

thanks for that,will have to get one fitted before my engine bay becomes a mess. thanks again

[westy666]

You may have another breather on the other side of the engine aswell speedy blue.

It'll be behind the exhaust, half way down the block.  Some people actually block it off with a plate but if it isnt the chances are it'll be a long rectangular type box with a pipe coming out the top of it.

You may want to plumb that into the tank also as it has a habit of spewing oil at your exhaust headers under extremely spirited driving

[chappers]

My 1800 zetec had the crankcase breather coming out near the exhaust with a rubber right angle tube connecting to a metal tube along the back of the engine next to the bulkhead and then another 90 rubber tube with an outlet to atmosphere near the brake master cylinders. Same place as the outlet of the cam cover breather. That's why your bell housing/cylinders get misted with oil. Mine now both connect to a breather mounted on the bulkhead.