I recently installed the new Van Compass rear differential guard on Flint, Post #555 (a nice addition). When I was doing so, I noticed a problem, see if you can see it in the picture I posted at the time:
Here's a closer look. What you are looking at is the melted end of the rear differential breather vent tube that somehow broke free and came in contact with the hot exhaust. The end was completely melted closed and the remainder of the assembly was nowhere to be found.
I cut off the melted end of the tube so the vent could do its job, then I had to determine what to do next. I had no idea where the vent terminated, so I contacted VtSoundman and he crawled under his van to look. It turns out the vent runs to the frame rail located in the middle of the van and terminates there, I suspect with a check valve on the end of it. Here is the termination location, picture courtesy of VtSoundman. The vent tube is the uppermost one shown in the picture, you can see where it enters and disappears into the frame rail.
So what to do? Lots of simple and relatively inexpensive solutions, but....
Here is what I ended up with:
ARB Differential Breather Kit (170112) Relatively expensive? Yes, but very well made and it comes with a high level of confidence that it will be a final solution.
I located the body of the breather vent under the hood, conveniently attached to the ARB air compressor mounted there. The breather is the middle air filter, identical to the two on either side of it on the air compressor. A remote breather vent located up high under the hood is a typical location for a much more aggressive off-road vehicle than Flint. I don't ever expect to see water above the original location, but now I have one less thing to worry about if the water ever does get that deep.
BTW, I carry two rubber cane tips sized for the inlet and outlet lines of the D5. Again, I don't expect to see water that deep, but if there is a chance of it I will stop and quickly install the caps.
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