Oil Catch Cans

Mine is around 137,000 miles. I need to get my car running to see if oil consumption is high because I also had a leaky valve cover gasket.

Mr_Clutch42 wrote: In reply to Swank Force One: Your bottom setup looks amazing. Is it that big with 3 filters because it's a race car?

It's that big to keep everything flowing well. I don't have a good way to "vacuum" anything out with that setup, so it has has to go to atmosphere, which means everything should be oversized. It's far overbuilt for the iteration you see in those pictures, will probably make more sense when/if i get off my ass and put the next motor together. 10krpms and 12.5:1 compression.

Leafy wrote: If you are going to make a catch can with scrubbie material it MUST be pure copper, not stainless, not copper coated steel. So Chore Boy brand is your ticket.

Why? Mesh should be mesh, what is the advantage of pure copper?

In reply to bgkast:

Isn't it obvious? It won't rust or splinter!

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Yes, I was about to ask.. Why? Does it make you all feel good to empty oil out of the can every month? Are their any real benefits? Dyno tests to prove more POWAH? I read that "hoses may pop off if oil gets underneath them" is cited as major need for the can. Hoses pop off if they were either not torqued properly or the joint is poorly designed. I've never seen a hose pop off due to oil in a commercial truck setting. I guess It could happen if the engine had incredible ammounts of blowby.

I mean... i personally have reasons for wanting/needing them, but i can't really speak for anyone else.

You've got an iron block M52, right? If the engine isn't modified and the factory system is in working order (you should just replace the whole thing at that age/mileage), there's little reason to expect high oil consumption. Valve seals can be an issue, but nothing like the older M10/M30 engines. Fix your leaks, replace the factory CCV, and you should be good to go.

Swank Force One wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Yes, I was about to ask.. Why? Does it make you all feel good to empty oil out of the can every month? Are their any real benefits? Dyno tests to prove more POWAH? I read that "hoses may pop off if oil gets underneath them" is cited as major need for the can. Hoses pop off if they were either not torqued properly or the joint is poorly designed. I've never seen a hose pop off due to oil in a commercial truck setting. I guess It could happen if the engine had incredible ammounts of blowby.

I mean... i personally have reasons for wanting/needing them, but i can't really speak for anyone else.

I'm just looking for data to help understand why?

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Yes, I was about to ask.. Why? Does it make you all feel good to empty oil out of the can every month? Are their any real benefits? Dyno tests to prove more POWAH?

I don't know about the OP but the defective valve cover on my Mustang let oil into the intake through the PCV system causing pinging and ash on the #6 spark plug. There was a replacement valve cover but it was easier for me to make the oil separator to stop the problems and make the engine run better.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote:

Swank Force One wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Yes, I was about to ask.. Why? Does it make you all feel good to empty oil out of the can every month? Are their any real benefits? Dyno tests to prove more POWAH? I read that "hoses may pop off if oil gets underneath them" is cited as major need for the can. Hoses pop off if they were either not torqued properly or the joint is poorly designed. I've never seen a hose pop off due to oil in a commercial truck setting. I guess It could happen if the engine had incredible ammounts of blowby.

I mean... i personally have reasons for wanting/needing them, but i can't really speak for anyone else.

I'm just looking for data to help understand why?

For the MX6, the PCV system isn't real robust and often ends up causing the #4 cylinder to burn up. Eliminating the PCV and going to a good vent system fixes the issue. I don't like just letting the oil fly around out of big holes in the valve cover, so... vented catch can.

Escort has no PCV system, or any way to really "vacuum" out crankcase pressure, as there's no manifold. Solution: Lots of really big holes in the valve cover.

those reasons make sense. It just seems that a catch can is mod number 3, After Intake and Exhaust, before "grounding kit"

Fueled by Caffeine wrote:

Swank Force One wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Yes, I was about to ask.. Why? Does it make you all feel good to empty oil out of the can every month? Are their any real benefits? Dyno tests to prove more POWAH? I read that "hoses may pop off if oil gets underneath them" is cited as major need for the can. Hoses pop off if they were either not torqued properly or the joint is poorly designed. I've never seen a hose pop off due to oil in a commercial truck setting. I guess It could happen if the engine had incredible ammounts of blowby.

I mean... i personally have reasons for wanting/needing them, but i can't really speak for anyone else.

I'm just looking for data to help understand why?

Probably not applicable on this but on the MS3 you need one to prevent buildup on the valves from the egr. The DI engines by definition don't wash the intake valve with fuel and crud will build up on the intake side without one. The preferable option is to block the EGR but you'll automatically fail smog.

FWIW I have a JBR catch can (air/oil separator) with the upgraded check valve. Its really nice.

Joe Gearin wrote: Moroso has developed a unit for the E36 cars. It's easy to install, and attaches to the passenger side strut tower. http://www.moroso.com/eb/catalog/search/advancedsearch.action?mustOccur=true&resetOffset=true&appn=&can=&modelFilter=-1&yearFilter=ALL&pr=&searchTerm=85499 The system gathers the blow-by vapors and deposits them into the can. The container has a valve on the bottom for easy emptying. Stay tuned to GRM--- the install article will be appearing shortly.

So, I can't seem to find this.

I'm looking to install one as we deleted the CCV system on my E36 and it's just venting to atmosphere right now. smells a little.

bgkast wrote:

Leafy wrote: If you are going to make a catch can with scrubbie material it MUST be pure copper, not stainless, not copper coated steel. So Chore Boy brand is your ticket.

Why? Mesh should be mesh, what is the advantage of pure copper?

So why copper? Ive always used stainless steel scrubbers. Doesnt rust and is in long strands so have had one suck in. If you got a good reason im not seeing for copper ill switch but i worry about the little water in there going all chemical reaction with the copper and making it green (is the green stuff basically copper "rust"?)

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: those reasons make sense. It just seems that a catch can is mod number 3, After Intake and Exhaust, before "grounding kit"

Its on a car to car basis, some cars need them and some dont. Example: most mild lt1s have pretty good oil control/pcv systems, so you hardly ever hear Naa lt1 guys running them, but even bone stock ls1s have terrible oil control issues, so even mild ls motors with just bolt ons will have them.

When i first pulled my intake it left a pretty big puddle of oil on the ground, so i replaced the stock pcv valve and hoses and it got much better but i do still have a lot of oil consumption. Its not out of line for a LS1 but for 100 bucks i can get a good can and cut it back even more.

If its not a rotary its probably not good to have an excessive amount of oil entering the intake.

16k miles no catch can lsa intercooler.