So what do you do with the oil?
Yeah, yeah, we totally said we weren’t going to do much to our 2010 Toyota Tundra, perfection already having been delivered from the Toyota factory in San Antonio, Texas. But that doesn’t preclude us from making our experience even more exemplary.
Our first modification was an easy reliability addition in the form of an air/oil separator from Moroso. Of course, this begs a question: “What is an air/oil separator, what does it do, and why do I need one?” Actually, that’s three questions, but we’re here to serve, so fuhgeddaboudit.
Anyway, an air/oil separator is a small holding tank that sits in the circuit of the crankcase ventilation system that simply traps the aerosolized blowby material (mostly oil mist) that would normally re-enter the intake manifold. Of course, the Tundra’s 5.7-liter V8 is a notoriously reliable and well-built engine, but even the best engines are going to produce some blowby, especially under heavy loads, like track use or, in this case, towing.
A typical PCV system would take that pressurized, oil-misted air and recycle it back into the intake. Over time, this can create carbon deposits on the intake valves and piston tops and cause premature wear of catalytic converters.
So, the solution is to route that PCV system through an intermediate chamber that separates the oil from the clean air, which is then routed back into the intake system. Unlike a catch can, which simply catches any blowby and vents the pressure to the atmosphere, an air/oil separator retains the entire pressure circuit from the crankcase to the intake. It just adds the reservoir into the circuit.
Installation of the custom-fit Moroso Tundra kit–which retails for about $209 but is available from many sellers like Summit Racing for a few bucks less–is really a snap. It took us barely 30 minutes, and we were stopping at every step to take pictures. Installation is aided by the custom Tundra-specific bracket, which attaches to an easily accessible existing hole in the truck’s chassis. As a result, there’s no drilling, and only simple hand tools needed for installation.
The quick walkthrough of installation involves removing the existing PCV hose, which just requires loosening a few spring clamps. After that, you’ll connect the catch can via the supplied lines: a 3/8-inch hose from the crankcase nipple and a ½-inch hose to the intake nipple.
The tank itself mounts via a custom bracket into an existing hole in the frame, right near the radiator. Install the supplied fittings into the tank with a little Teflon tape, trim the hoses to length and, boom, done.
The bottom of the tank features a quarter-tun ball valve for easy emptying. The inside of the tank is stuffed with filter media that separates the oil mist from the air, returning only clean air back to your intake. Call this a nice, easy mod that increases reliability on an already reliable engine.
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So what do you do with the oil?
IDK we all used to just go to Home Depot and buy a $20 air compressor air/water separator (the large one, not the little tiny one), which works exactly the same as the Moroso one but does it at 10% the cost. Routed in-line with barb fittings and back to PCV. I had one in my car for years. Had to empty the oil out every 6 months or so. Just gotta make sure you get the glass/metal one (the plastic ones don't hold up well if they're mounted in a hot area)
I mean, not as blingy as the Moroso one, but then again, nobody's ever gonna ask you to see your Tundra engine bay lol. So, just in case you wanted something a bit more.....uh....grassroots ;)
spitfirebill said:So what do you do with the oil?
same thing you do with the old brake fluid you bleed out of your system. you (don't just pour it onto some paper towels in your trash can) recycle it appropriately. Or I suppose you could just pour it back into the oil filler, really.
spitfirebill said:So what do you do with the oil?
Same thing you do with the rest of your used oil I suppose. I won't judge.
irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:IDK we all used to just go to Home Depot and buy a $20 air compressor air/water separator (the large one, not the little tiny one), which works exactly the same as the Moroso one but does it at 10% the cost. Routed in-line with barb fittings and back to PCV. I had one in my car for years. Had to empty the oil out every 6 months or so. Just gotta make sure you get the glass/metal one (the plastic ones don't hold up well if they're mounted in a hot area)
I mean, not as blingy as the Moroso one, but then again, nobody's ever gonna ask you to see your Tundra engine bay lol. So, just in case you wanted something a bit more.....uh....grassroots ;)
Yeah the process is certainly similar, but there's something to be said for a one-box solution with zero fabrication aside from cutting hoses to length required. Nice having options at both ends of the spectrum.
JG Pasterjak said:spitfirebill said:So what do you do with the oil?
Same thing you do with the rest of your used oil I suppose. I won't judge.
Let's try this again. Does it accumulate in a container that must be removed and emptied? How often?
In reply to spitfirebill :
Depends on the amount it accumulates, but generally you empty them at your oil change interval. It's not usually more than a few ounces if everything is working correctly.
The only time I've ever seen more than that in my MS3 (which is notorious for oil making its way through the PCV) is when I broke the turbos journal shaft and filled the can.
JG Pasterjak said:I won't judge.
Do yourself a solid and replace the PCV valve. They are cheap and typically the cause of any oil consumption on the 5.7.
If your 5.7 is using oil or filling a catch can, even under heavy towing, its broken!
spitfirebill said:JG Pasterjak said:spitfirebill said:So what do you do with the oil?
Same thing you do with the rest of your used oil I suppose. I won't judge.
Let's try this again. Does it accumulate in a container that must be removed and emptied? How often?
On a street driven vehicle like the Tundra—even with towing—you'll probably never fill it up unless something has gone horribly wrong. I'd empty it with each oil change and expect a teaspoon or two of oil to come out. Any more than that should send you looking for other issues.
On the Corvette, even with a 100,000 mile motor that only got run hard on track, I'm empty it after every couple events and it was maybe a few ounces. Maybe a bit more if I was at a track with lots of long left handers.
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