Hi, just wondering if anyone knows what the plastic corrugated clip piping that connects to the hole in this picture is called and what it does as mine is cracked. Need to know what it is before replacing, cheers. I know it's a picture of an xj8 cover but the connector port is more or less the same as the xk8.

 

Part load breather pipe, it belongs to the Crank Case Ventilation System.

You could buy a new pipe, or instead install a catch can. Oil from that pipe often finds its way inside the intake.

 

Brilliant, cheers.

 

isnt that an air intake for the crankcase? air should go into the valve cover there and get sucked out from the other valve cover

 

No. it’s the opposite. It’s a way to release crankcase vapors. This usually also causes an aerosol of oil to enter the intake. In cars with blowby, there will be excessive oil in the intake.

 

The part load breather is the engine vent for bypass gasses in the crankcase. It connect at the cam cover travels beneath the the intake manifold and the then tees at the throttle body. One connector goes to the throttle body and the end goes to the the fuel tank vent system valve.
On the Supercharged XKR the routing is a hose to the supercharger and a oil catch can works well. I am unaware of a way to install one on an XK8. If anyone knows a picture of the install would be nice. The problem for the catch can install on the XK8 normal aspirated engine is the throttle body will be sucking un-metered air causing a lean condition and start throwing codes. additionally, the fuel evap system will cat up since it no longer will have a vacuum.

 

+1, Vern has it right, as usual. You need to replace the hose.

 

The part number for this hose is AJ84880 and it is sometimes referred to as the "crankcase load B breather hose". To replace it I had to lose up the anti freeze overflow tank by removing the torx screw and the two little water lines on the sides of the tank but was able to leave the bottom hose connected because you only need to move the tank enough to get to the the purge control valve (part #LJA1515AA) to remove the terminus of the load B breather hose. I also disconnected the the throttle body by removing the air duct and taking out the 4- 10mm bolts that hold the throttle body to it's intake support elbow so that I could get to the load B breather hose mid way connection at the throttle body elbow. When replacing the hose be sure to line up and press on the midway connection before securing the beginning and terminus of the hose. Since this hose runs under the intake you can't see it very well and I found out when I removed my old hose that the bottom of the hose was broken, twisted and obviously leaking. I hope this will fix my P0171 code that indicated bank 1 was running too lean. This is a fairly easy job and you don't have to completely remove the antifreeze expansion tank or the throttle body that has multiple connections, just shift them out of the way slightly for better access.