MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

I know there are several other write-ups for catch cans, but I hadn't seen one for this one, so I figured I'd throw one together and describe my experience with it. I had to get a bit creative to get it to fit where I wanted it.

Ok, the can I bought isn't a Greddy; it's the exact same can, though, that I got off Ebay for half the price. I didn't take a pic of it out of the car or with the box, but it looks exactly like this, but red anodized (to match my ground kit and Stillen TQ dampener and master cylinder brace), sans the Greddy logos (box even has the exact same instructions on it):



I chose this can b/c I wanted one that could easily be opened to put a filter media inside. The top has four allen head bolts that secure it to the can. Once off, I inserted a block of plastic bio-filter medium that you can get in the fish tank filter supply section of your local Petsmart. Like the stuff shown here:



I chose this over steel wool b/c it doesn't shed or come apart easily and I have seen it used in other race-style catch cans. I wanted something for the oil in the vapor to condense on, rather than just a big, empty can.

Once the foam was in place, I just sealed the top with a little silicone and bolted it back on.

On to the install. The remainder of the pics are on my HD and I can't access any image hosting services from work, so I'll attach them at the end of the post.

I chose to install the can vertically in the space between the Popcharger heat sheild, the engine cover and the radiator fan shroud, attaching the can via the supplied bracket to the heat sheild itself with a couple of bolts/lock washers/nuts that I supplied.

The problem I ran into AFTER I drilled the holes in my heat sheild, was that once the hoses (some 3/8" feul line tubing I got at Auto Zone) were attached to the fittings on top of the can, I had hood clearance issues.

Not willing to consider alternate mounting locations, I decided to unscrew the hose fittings from the can and insert the tubing directly into the holes. They were a snug fit and I sealed them in place with silicone. This alleviated the hood clearance issues, but looked somewhat ghetto. For aesthetic purposes, I put a couple of hose clamps at the base of the hoses. They don't actually DO anything, but at least make it look less redneck engineered. The untrained eye (and most trained ones) would be hard pressed to detect the modification, unless pointed out to them. You can see this in the first pic below.

In the second pic, you can see how I had to bend the bracket to mount the can in the desired position on the Popcharger heat sheild.

Now, onto the connections. I chose not only to install the can inline with the PCV recirculation line, but also to "T" the incoming line of the can and run the hose that goes to the underside of the intake tube to it as well. In the third pic, you can see how I extended that line. The 3/8" tubing was a fairly good fit inside it, so I simply siliconed it in place and put the stcok clamp around it. For the tube, I simply glued a cap on the intake tube nipple.

In the fourth pic, you can see the mounted can, the lines coming from it and where they are routed/tied as well as the "T" connection for the intake tube line. Since this is just a vacuum system and nothing high pressure, I'm hoping the siliconed connections hold up. The stuff I used was of the high temp, gasket quality variety.

The fifth pic shows the routing of the lines to and from the PCV recirc. connections.

And finally, pic number 6 shows the whole thing with the engine cover in place.

My plenum and intake are currently out while I wait for parts, so I haven't run the car with all this in yet, but hopefully it will function with no problems and hold up over time. If I had to do it over, I would get the newer Greddy tank or the Cusco, which have the hose fittings mounted lower on the side, to prevent the need to modify, as I did, for hood clearance. I'm happy with the appearance of this one, though, as it matches the other red accents I have in the engine bay.

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

Pic #6:

solidsnake

iTrader: (14)

Link to the ebay item?

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=160093427784

Just check out the seller's other items.

VQ35GANGSTAR

cools

MUZZY

iTrader: (28)

I need a catch can on my car too, but I never understood to what lines those it tie in to. is there a diagram or better picture or something that clearly showes ware the "loop" is for a catch can?

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

Don't have an exact pic, but if you look at the last pic I posted and look straight up from where the 3 ground wires attach to the front of the engine, you'll see the curved brass hard line coming from the lower plenum that one of the catch can hoses is clamped to... See it? Find that on your car, then trace the short tube that's connected there to the other end and that's where the PCV valve is. You take out that short tube and replace it with the catch can setup. The direction of flow is from the PCV valve to the lower plenum.

THE TECH

iTrader: (154)

Nice DIY.

Eazzy

iTrader: (8)

Good info--Another thing that would work well as a filter medium is the copper mesh Pot Scrubbers that have been around for years

MUZZY

iTrader: (28)

what happens when the vacuum line goes under boost? is that ok to push air back into the crankcase?

rcdash

iTrader: (18)

i assume the PCV valve is one way???

Eazzy

iTrader: (8)

A PCV is a check valve, yes, one way

Eazzy

iTrader: (8)

Thats incase your crank case fumes ignite, you dont end up with schrapnel in your lap

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

I had some funky noises result from the connection of the dr. side breather tube to the catch can setup, so I ended up pulling it back out, running it through it's own catch and venting it to atmosphere. Details here:

https://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-drivetrain/267640-technical-catch-can-connection-question-not-the-same-ole-one.html

Eazzy

iTrader: (8)

I didnt read that link, but am a firm believer in venting that one---K&N makes a nifty filter that is like 3 inches long and 1.5 wide, that has a 5/8 Male on it for the hose

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

^ Yeah? Where might I be able to pick one of those up? I was thinking about that and it would be alot simpler than what I did...


Edit:
I found this one:
http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...x?Prod=62-1060

I dunno; I guess the filter would catch any residue and just need cleaned every so often. Just wondering about smells if I just stuck this on the end of the tube where it normally plugs into the intake tube?

MUZZY

iTrader: (28)

do the cheap ebay catch cans have this PCV valve/check valve?

Eazzy

iTrader: (8)

Thats the one --Because of a situation, I have just been getting into the Catchcan concept ---The way I see it---the divers side line is the SUCTION that is the inlet for fresh ambient air, it is then circlatated through the CC and the Saturated, "dirty" air is SUCKED through the PCV, into the plenum to be cycled through the cylinders,burned and exited through the exhaust

I am about to start experimenting with what the flow rate is for the SUCTION side and the effects on evacuation

Point is---Fumes would be neglegable in the suction (K&N filter) side

MustGoFastR

iTrader: (13)

That's NOT suction going into the engine on the dr. side. It's venting gasses OUT and recirculating them into the intake tube. That's how you get deposits on your throttle body. It isn't really under much vacuum at all, as it's connected off to the side of the intake air flow (prob gets a bit of suck at WOT). So in this instance, the K&N filter acts in reverse; the gasses vent OUT through it and the filter will catch any residue on the inside. That's why I just ran it though one of the DIY oil catches and vented it down in the fender well.

Eazzy

iTrader: (8)

The motor MUST have an Inlet somewhere for freash air to replace the recirculated air being pulled by the PCV side, so I took for qranted, I was considering a catch can there also. But before I did it< I was going to take a smoke source and see if there was a pull ( towards the CC ) on that line.

The motor must have a CC air inlet somewhwere ?????