Hello Group

Ever try to service your breather separator?

It's that cone shaped what-cha-ma-call-it on the right side of the CH 250/Ch 150 near the muffler that is part of the emissions system similar to the PVC system on cars.

Crankcase gases pass through the breather hoses to the catch tank and breather separator.

Through normal cooling, oil deposits are caught in the breather element and filtered with the residue going down the drain tube.

Normal service is to drain the tube.

Normal---did I say normal?

Two problems exist

First, below the breather separator cone is a rubber elbow which cracks and spills the residue on top of the crankcase.

Second, trying to remove the breather separator is next to impossible since one of the three mounting screws near the back is behind the heat protector and hard to remove.

Removing the 8mm bracket bolts is no picnic since one runs perpendicular to the nice muffler which you have to remove to get to.

Know what that nice rubber elbow costs from Honda? Over six dollars! The element is a buck and change.

I have a better way! Remove the muffler and place it on the kitchen table.

Do this when your wife is out with the girls.

Remove the three 8mm bracket screws and the breather separator.

Disassemble the breather separator by removing the three screws from below the bracket.

Wash all parts in sudsy water.

Pry up the element holder from within and throw away the worthless element.

At the hardware store buy the following:

1- 3/8x3/8 nylon hose barb elbow (.68)
3- small 3/8 automotive clamps (1.50)
1- foot 1/2 OD x 3/8 ID clear vinyl hose (.23).

Borrow one small coffee filter (net 0.01) from the wife and cut it to fit inside the breather separator and attach the plastic stay.

Cut the barb edge off one side of the plastic elbow and butt it to the edge of the separator.

Connect the two with a small piece of hose.

Clamp the hose and elbow together to reconfigure that worthless rubber boot.

You will NOT need a clamp over the bottom of the breather cone.

Attach the rest of the clear hose to the other end of the elbow and clamp.

Use the third clamp to secure the drain plug at the end of the hose.

Reinstall in reverse order

EXCEPT ATTACH THE FRONT AND RIGHT SIDE SCREW AND LEAVE OUT THE BACK ONE.

Remove muffler from kitchen table and install.

Total cost of the project was $2.41 and you now can see any residue through all the tube, have a better filtering system costing pennies, and a serviceable breather without ever removing the muffler.

The wife likes that but I didn't mention the kitchen table.

Randy Pozzi (Rev. 02/2003)