1996 escort Air filter Smell

Hi

In the air filter holder there is liquid that has a high smell and a sponge on the left thats soaked in the same liquid is it surposed to be like that?. The liquid is kinda blacky that stains the fliter as well. Would it be ok if i cleaned out the liquid from the holder?

The black liquid is oil from the posiltive crankcase ventilation valve (PCV). The way it is set up the crankscase is vented into the PCV valve which then sends it to the intake plenum to be reburned into the cylinders. If the blow-by is high enough and can't be handled by the PCV and it is routed into the air cleaner housing to be reburned with the fresh air intake. When the blow by is excessive you get what you describe--oil pools in the bottom of the air cleaner housing. You can clean it up, but it'll just get dirty again the next time you put your foot into the throttle.

The best way to handle it would be to put a liquid separator bowl between the PCV valve and the air cleaner housing. It would allow the gases to be reburned, but would trap the liquid oil. These separators are used on compressed air lines that power air tools. I had the same problem on my 97 with 170k miles. Many mistake this hose as being a fresh air vent to the crankcase. It is not. It is to control excessive crankcase blow-by. Another way to handle it would be to pull the hose out of the air cleaner and run it into a receptacle (can or bottle). Of course, if you live in a state that has clean air mandates for vehicles, your car will not pass inspection if you do this. Bottom line, don't let that gunky stuff back into the air filter housing..

Auto parts places sell the new sponges. I think it's called a PCV filter.

Thanks for the quick reply. How did you plug the hose thats going from the pcv to the air cleaner? and after i do that i dont have to worry about any more contamination?

I took the clamp off of the rubber hose where it goes into the air cleaner housing.. Then I put a 3/8 inch bolt in the end of the hose. Yes, it will keep the air cleaner from getting dirty. Works so good and is so easy to do. If it makes your CEL(check engine light) come on, take the negative lead of the battery loose for about 5 minutes to reset the computer.

Thanks I shall try that out next wkd....

Hi..the hose that goes into the air cleaner is really huge..so i just buy a 3/8 bolt, stick it in the tube and it should plug it?..and there isnt a clamp for the hose anywhere its just inserted. Would this have any effect when i do emission testing?

That hose is part of the PCV system and that is emmissions equipment. They probably will not pass you if they see that it is unhooked.

If you put a bolt in the hose then you are asking for trouble. The engine will have no place to vent the blow-by and it will probably blow a gasket somewhere. You'd be best off just unhooking it (after the emmissions test) and just leaving it hanging. Then it will still work as a vent. If it gets messy from oil dripping out of it you can stick the end of the hose in a can or something to catch the oil. Going to a heavier oil like 20W50 might slow your oil consumption.