I was thinking of adding a catch can to my 2017 4010SE4x4, and bought one, but haven’t started the project yet.
Mule 4010's, 3010's and air-oil separators
I’ve got a new 4010 4x4. Some questions, but should be fairly easy ones.
I’ve read with interest the many posts on issues with 3010/4010 Mules idling/stalling/etc after xxx hours. After fuel system/electrical system/sensors trouble-shooting were eliminated as a possible cause, the gumming up of throttle bodies thought to be a direct result of the crankcase ventilation system seem to be a problem many have had. Seafoam etc. gives a temporary fix in many instances, eventually many posters note they removed the throttle body and gave it a thorough cleansing (and sometimes manually moved the throttle plate). Sometimes a Kawasaki dealer replaced their throttle body for free.
For those with older (pre-2014?) Mules, many people mention they’ve put an air-oil separator (aka catch can) on the line from the crankcase breather chamber, and then capped off where that line enters intake system immediately upstream of the throttle (Kawasaki calls where the crankcase vapors enter the intake system a DUCT p/n 14073-2100).
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Question #1: for those of you that have done this on any pre-2014 4010’s or any 3010, do you (a) vent the outlet from the catch can and also cap p/n 14073-2100 (i.e. an open system), or do you (b) route the catch can outlet back to p/n 14073-2100 (a closed system)?
Question #2: for those that have added catch cans and now have many additional hours on your Mule, do you think you’ve been able to eliminate or greatly postpone the throttle body gumming issue?
My new 4010’s crankcase vent system is a little different; on 4010’s since 2014 or so there’s an ‘extra’ air-oil separator (Kawasaki p/n 14069-0018) between the crankcase vent and where that vent line enters the intake system (this time a plastic Duct, p/n 14073-0784).
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Question #3: for those of you with 2015 or later 4010’s and have catch cans installed, do you (a) run the inlet to the catch can from the outlet of p/n 14069-0018 and then vent the catch can outlet / cap p/n 14073-0784, or (b) run the inlet to the catch can from the outlet of p/n 14069-0018 and then route the catch can outlet back to p/n 14073-0784?
Question #4: if anybody has done this, same question as #2 above.
I'm going to be adding a cheapo catch can as per question 3 (b), trying to be proactive, just wondering what success others may or may not have had with throttle gumming issues if you've also added catch cans.
I’ve read with interest the many posts on issues with 3010/4010 Mules idling/stalling/etc after xxx hours. After fuel system/electrical system/sensors trouble-shooting were eliminated as a possible cause, the gumming up of throttle bodies thought to be a direct result of the crankcase ventilation system seem to be a problem many have had. Seafoam etc. gives a temporary fix in many instances, eventually many posters note they removed the throttle body and gave it a thorough cleansing (and sometimes manually moved the throttle plate). Sometimes a Kawasaki dealer replaced their throttle body for free.
For those with older (pre-2014?) Mules, many people mention they’ve put an air-oil separator (aka catch can) on the line from the crankcase breather chamber, and then capped off where that line enters intake system immediately upstream of the throttle (Kawasaki calls where the crankcase vapors enter the intake system a DUCT p/n 14073-2100).
Question #1: for those of you that have done this on any pre-2014 4010’s or any 3010, do you (a) vent the outlet from the catch can and also cap p/n 14073-2100 (i.e. an open system), or do you (b) route the catch can outlet back to p/n 14073-2100 (a closed system)?
Question #2: for those that have added catch cans and now have many additional hours on your Mule, do you think you’ve been able to eliminate or greatly postpone the throttle body gumming issue?
My new 4010’s crankcase vent system is a little different; on 4010’s since 2014 or so there’s an ‘extra’ air-oil separator (Kawasaki p/n 14069-0018) between the crankcase vent and where that vent line enters the intake system (this time a plastic Duct, p/n 14073-0784).
Question #3: for those of you with 2015 or later 4010’s and have catch cans installed, do you (a) run the inlet to the catch can from the outlet of p/n 14069-0018 and then vent the catch can outlet / cap p/n 14073-0784, or (b) run the inlet to the catch can from the outlet of p/n 14069-0018 and then route the catch can outlet back to p/n 14073-0784?
Question #4: if anybody has done this, same question as #2 above.
I'm going to be adding a cheapo catch can as per question 3 (b), trying to be proactive, just wondering what success others may or may not have had with throttle gumming issues if you've also added catch cans.
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Finally got around to installing the ~$30 aftermarket air-oil separator on the new 4010 (closed system install). Only time (hopefully many hundreds of hours w/o needing a throttle body cleanup?) will tell if this was worthwhile or just a way to kill some time on a Saturday.
The only step that called for a mod on my part was when I discovered the rubber breather intake duct hose (p/n 92192-1855) was actually 2 sizes; ~3/8” ID on the stock plastic breather (p/n 14069-0018) side, and slightly bigger than ~1/2” ID on the plastic intake duct (p/n 14073-0784) side. I mounted the new air-oil separator (aka catch can) on the passenger side (i.e. the air intake duct side of the engine compartment) to minimize hose runs, and attempted to use the existing length rubber breather tube hose from the catch can outlet nipple (3/8”) to the intake duct nipple (~1/2”). But this rubber tube is pretty thin-wall and when I bent it to fit, it would collapse/pinch, causing a flow restriction from the catch can outlet to the intake duct.
I didn’t want to shorten the original breather tube hose to make it fit because, if I have to bring the Mule to the dealer for service for any reason, I’m planning on removing the catch can and re-plumbing p/n 92192-1855 as per stock. I don’t know how touchy they are about catch cans regards any “warranty work” that might be needed, so I’m playing it safe for now (until it’s 3 years old anyway).
So I broke down and bought a 3/8” x ½” brass barbed adapter fitting at the big box store, and bought a small length of bulk ½” rubber fuel line (35 psi service) at auto parts store. Another $15. The $30 cheapo catch can came with about 2.5 feet of 3/8” rubber fuel line. So that way I could make a very short run of 3/8” x ½” line for the CC outlet side, and used a smallish length of included 3/8” hose for the CC inlet side.
I think all stock 2014 and newer 4000/4010 Mules have the same crankcase ventilation plumbing.
First pic is stock view of plastic breather (p/n 14069-0018) and breather intake duct hose (p/n 92192-1855) going to the intake duct. Second pic is with CC installed.
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The only step that called for a mod on my part was when I discovered the rubber breather intake duct hose (p/n 92192-1855) was actually 2 sizes; ~3/8” ID on the stock plastic breather (p/n 14069-0018) side, and slightly bigger than ~1/2” ID on the plastic intake duct (p/n 14073-0784) side. I mounted the new air-oil separator (aka catch can) on the passenger side (i.e. the air intake duct side of the engine compartment) to minimize hose runs, and attempted to use the existing length rubber breather tube hose from the catch can outlet nipple (3/8”) to the intake duct nipple (~1/2”). But this rubber tube is pretty thin-wall and when I bent it to fit, it would collapse/pinch, causing a flow restriction from the catch can outlet to the intake duct.
I didn’t want to shorten the original breather tube hose to make it fit because, if I have to bring the Mule to the dealer for service for any reason, I’m planning on removing the catch can and re-plumbing p/n 92192-1855 as per stock. I don’t know how touchy they are about catch cans regards any “warranty work” that might be needed, so I’m playing it safe for now (until it’s 3 years old anyway).
So I broke down and bought a 3/8” x ½” brass barbed adapter fitting at the big box store, and bought a small length of bulk ½” rubber fuel line (35 psi service) at auto parts store. Another $15. The $30 cheapo catch can came with about 2.5 feet of 3/8” rubber fuel line. So that way I could make a very short run of 3/8” x ½” line for the CC outlet side, and used a smallish length of included 3/8” hose for the CC inlet side.
I think all stock 2014 and newer 4000/4010 Mules have the same crankcase ventilation plumbing.
First pic is stock view of plastic breather (p/n 14069-0018) and breather intake duct hose (p/n 92192-1855) going to the intake duct. Second pic is with CC installed.
Sounds like a nice and tidy install doing it under the seat. Interesting that a pretty new (3 yrs old) 4010 needed the throttle body replacement, just wondering how many hrs on it before it needed the warranty work?
The 'brillo pad' thingy is to act as a condenser as such to help knock liquid from the vapor as it passes through the catch can. The video on amz. site for can I bought shows it best. The 'brillo' thing fits in the perforated & threaded cap assembly inside the main body of the can.
Amazon.com: EVIL ENERGY Baffled Oil Catch Can,Oil Separator Catch Can 300ml Universal Aluminum Black : Automotive
Same principle Ford uses on their 5.2L Mustang GT350 'performance air-oil separator' except they use a fine mesh screen to help knock out liquids.
5.2L GT350 OIL-AIR SEPARATOR LH| Part Details for M-6766-A50S | Ford Performance Parts
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