Notices
Engine & Drivetrain VQ Power and Delivery

homemade catch can mod

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-22-2010, 07:52 PM
  #1  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default homemade catch can mod

i did my first real(?) mod since i bought my car last week. HOMEMADE OIL CATCH CAN. i spent about $28 for the whole thing.The oil catch can is from home depot.
After the installation, i drove the car less than 15 miles and i see oil in the catch can... not a good thing, i assume..
Attached Thumbnails homemade catch can mod-0622002037a.jpg   homemade catch can mod-0622002037.jpg   homemade catch can mod-0622002036.jpg  
Old 06-22-2010, 08:04 PM
  #2  
0jiggy0
New Member
iTrader: (13)
 
0jiggy0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 7,418
Received 12 Likes on 12 Posts
Default

Great explanation on this DIY. I know exactly what to buy to copy this.
Old 06-22-2010, 08:21 PM
  #3  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by 0jiggy0
Great explanation on this DIY. I know exactly what to buy to copy this.
yep. i saw the DIY and did it. great cheap mod.
Old 06-25-2010, 12:31 PM
  #4  
VO...
Administrator
iTrader: (25)
 
VO...'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Down Under & Dirty
Posts: 58,609
Received 2,747 Likes on 1,836 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 0jiggy0
Great explanation on this DIY. I know exactly what to buy to copy this.
Smarty pants.

John(USN) did a DIY on this awhile back. I can't remember what section it's in...
Old 06-28-2010, 11:30 PM
  #5  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

After a week of installing this, it collected little bit of oil. It was enough to see it boil(?) when the engine is running. Today i took the car for some hard driving Always shifted above 3~4.5k rpm. i hit the redline a few times. Now that i checked the catch can, the oil is gone --__--.. what happened to the oil? Could it have gone to the manifold? If so, how do i prevent this from happening again?
Old 06-29-2010, 02:08 PM
  #6  
Acesopro
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
Acesopro's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

What's a catch can for?
Old 07-05-2010, 02:57 PM
  #7  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Can anyone explain to me about the oil catched in the catch can disappearing after a few hard driving? Any way to prevent this?
Old 07-05-2010, 03:19 PM
  #8  
Bellaco
Registered User
iTrader: (9)
 
Bellaco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

riot ... are you using any kind of filter media?? something for the oil mist to collect on??
Old 07-05-2010, 08:20 PM
  #9  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by Bellaco
riot ... are you using any kind of filter media?? something for the oil mist to collect on??
Inside of the catch can? no. I have a pop charger.
When i got the catch can from Home Depot, it came with brown filter (?) kind but i took that out because that's what the DIYer did.
I assume the oil might have gone in to the manifold when i went hard on the car.
Old 07-06-2010, 11:32 PM
  #10  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

BUMP
Old 07-07-2010, 06:42 AM
  #11  
bryan@Z1
Vendor - Former Vendor
iTrader: (23)
 
bryan@Z1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

You need something in the catch can to "hold" the oil in, otherwise it's just going to be pulled back into the engine in a continuous loop, unless you vent it to the atmosphere and don't run it in a closed loop system.

Most true catch cans have a steel wool like media in them to retain the oil vapor and condensed oil.

I have this model catch can on my GTO and as you can see in that picture it has a divider in it, inside that upper portion there is a steel wool media that catches the oil vapor, as the oil condenses it drains down into the can. This also helps to keep it from being sucked back into the system as there is resistance to the oil being able to leave the can.
Old 07-07-2010, 06:48 AM
  #12  
bryan@Z1
Vendor - Former Vendor
iTrader: (23)
 
bryan@Z1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Acesopro
What's a catch can for?
Essentially the PCV system allows the crankcase of the engine to breath and in this process vapors, and in some cases oil, circulates through the PCV system and back into the intake. However what tends to happen is that oil will condense and settle in the intake tract, either on the blade of the throttle body or in the plenum. Over time this oil build up can be detremential to the engine's performance. We want the engine to burn gas, not oil.

So the basic idea of a catch can is that it seperates the oil from the normal crankcase vapors that are passing through the PCV system. It then (if working properly) traps this oil in a container and does not allow it to enter the intake system. I run one on my personal car (04 GTO) and typically catch between 4-6 ounces of oil between oil changes (7,500 miles). That doesn't seem like a lot at one time but over the life of the engine (mine now has 142,000 miles) it adds up. That is potentially well over 3 quarts of oil that would just be sitting in my engine's intake system clogging things up.
Old 07-07-2010, 08:30 AM
  #13  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by bryan@Z1
You need something in the catch can to "hold" the oil in, otherwise it's just going to be pulled back into the engine in a continuous loop, unless you vent it to the atmosphere and don't run it in a closed loop system.

Most true catch cans have a steel wool like media in them to retain the oil vapor and condensed oil.

I have this model catch can on my GTO and as you can see in that picture it has a divider in it, inside that upper portion there is a steel wool media that catches the oil vapor, as the oil condenses it drains down into the can. This also helps to keep it from being sucked back into the system as there is resistance to the oil being able to leave the can.
I did read a thread about someone putting in steel wool in the catch can. But Some other ppl said that it's not necessary, i think..
Is the steel wool from kitchen appliance? Just cut a little bit of that and stick it in the catch can?
How often should i change the steel wool?
Old 07-07-2010, 08:38 AM
  #14  
Acesopro
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
Acesopro's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by bryan@Z1
Essentially the PCV system allows the crankcase of the engine to breath and in this process vapors, and in some cases oil, circulates through the PCV system and back into the intake. However what tends to happen is that oil will condense and settle in the intake tract, either on the blade of the throttle body or in the plenum. Over time this oil build up can be detremential to the engine's performance. We want the engine to burn gas, not oil.

So the basic idea of a catch can is that it seperates the oil from the normal crankcase vapors that are passing through the PCV system. It then (if working properly) traps this oil in a container and does not allow it to enter the intake system. I run one on my personal car (04 GTO) and typically catch between 4-6 ounces of oil between oil changes (7,500 miles). That doesn't seem like a lot at one time but over the life of the engine (mine now has 142,000 miles) it adds up. That is potentially well over 3 quarts of oil that would just be sitting in my engine's intake system clogging things up.
I drive a 2008 HR 350z. Only has 6,800 miles on it. Think I'll need a catch can?
Old 07-07-2010, 09:42 AM
  #15  
bryan@Z1
Vendor - Former Vendor
iTrader: (23)
 
bryan@Z1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 350zRiot
I did read a thread about someone putting in steel wool in the catch can. But Some other ppl said that it's not necessary, i think..
Is the steel wool from kitchen appliance? Just cut a little bit of that and stick it in the catch can?
How often should i change the steel wool?
I've seen different types of media used, steel wool, stainless steel mesh, I've even seen some catch cans that used metal shavings in them. Whatever you use for it to be most effective it needs to be in a separate chamber from the where the oil is actually captured at.

As for replacing the filtering media, I've never had my can apart and never replaced the media in it. It's going on 100k miles on the car now and still works well. If you don't have a way to keep the media above the oil level it will obviously need replacing from time to time once it becomes oil soaked and can not work properly anymore.
Old 07-07-2010, 09:44 AM
  #16  
bryan@Z1
Vendor - Former Vendor
iTrader: (23)
 
bryan@Z1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Acesopro
I drive a 2008 HR 350z. Only has 6,800 miles on it. Think I'll need a catch can?
It's not required, but I recommend them on any vehicle that has an engine with known blow by issues.
Old 07-07-2010, 09:59 AM
  #17  
JDMStanced
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
JDMStanced's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in Michigan
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by bryan@Z1
I've seen different types of media used, steel wool, stainless steel mesh, I've even seen some catch cans that used metal shavings in them. Whatever you use for it to be most effective it needs to be in a separate chamber from the where the oil is actually captured at.

As for replacing the filtering media, I've never had my can apart and never replaced the media in it. It's going on 100k miles on the car now and still works well. If you don't have a way to keep the media above the oil level it will obviously need replacing from time to time once it becomes oil soaked and can not work properly anymore.
I don't see how you could separate the chambers from where the oil is captured and the steel wool with husky catch can.. I went back and read thread on HOMeMADE CATCHCAN. One of the guys just put the steel mesh in the catch can which soaks by the oil. I guess i'll just put it in there, not separating
Old 07-07-2010, 12:25 PM
  #18  
bryan@Z1
Vendor - Former Vendor
iTrader: (23)
 
bryan@Z1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 2,890
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 350zRiot
I don't see how you could separate the chambers from where the oil is captured and the steel wool with husky catch can.. I went back and read thread on HOMeMADE CATCHCAN. One of the guys just put the steel mesh in the catch can which soaks by the oil. I guess i'll just put it in there, not separating

You could fabricate something to create two chambers in the canister but it probably wouldn't be worth it. That's the primary drawback to a modified air compressor filter as a catch can, it's not really going to work like it should. It's better than nothing though.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
apex locator
Autocross/Road
10
07-23-2021 02:27 AM
MM'08_350Z
VQ35HR
225
04-22-2021 09:42 PM
Sleeper_Z
Forced Induction
3
09-30-2015 10:25 AM
Tochigi_236
Feedback & Suggestions for Our Forum
8
09-27-2015 03:40 PM



Quick Reply: homemade catch can mod



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:10 PM.