Crankcase Breather Line Left Disconnected

I took my jeep to the dealer to have the oil changed and I though all was good. I live in Eastern Washington and my wife used it for a trip over the wet cascade mountain pass to get to Tacoma for the high school basketball championships. When she got home, I greeted her, gave her a kiss and hug, helped with her luggage, all the husbandly things. Then I went a gave the jeep a once over on the outside, then opened the hood and checked the fluids. I removed the engine cover and looked around and I noticed the crankcase breather return line was disconnected from the air intake housing.

I'm concerned somewhat because I was not sure if it would have any negative effect on the engine or damage. Water exposure to that area was minimal at the most, but she did go over a mountain pass that was full of melting snow and rain, she said the windshield wipers on high had a hard time keeping up at times.

But from what I understand the crankcase breather line is there to let gas from the crankcase, that builds up from mild blow by during the combustion process, out and return it to the air intake mixed with the outside air and sent back into the engine for another go around. So, I believe then that air is not drawn in that line so theoretically water should not be either, is that correct? But I was also thinking that the negative pressure in the air intake box probably helps remove the gas for the crankcase to some degree also.

My only thought is that some how it was removed/left off during the service at the dealership. BTW after learning how easy it is to do it, I'm going to start doing it myself.

So I guess I'm just wondering if I should be worrying that it was disconnected for about 2000 miles, in some wet weather?

Thanks for the help.

I had a similar experience with the dealership for another brand. I don't trust any of them anymore and do as much as I can myself.

As far as the impact of that line being off goes, the line connects after your air filter so some unfiltered air made its way in. I think it is past your MAF sensor too, so maybe a minor impact on fuel metering? Performance wise you might be better off. Recirculating those gases is done to improve emissions, not performance. Once upon a time they were vented to the atmosphere and still are with some engines for other applications.

I did this to my '11 after replacing the stock air box with a CAI. It was off for some time. No real effects that I could tell. I asked a couple of mechanics at work, and they both said I was GTG.