Catch can for GM L86 6.2L?
- Thread starter Mike1108
- Start date
I have a J&L OCS (Oil Separator Can) on my L86 6.2L since new. I have put 23,000 miles on in one year and have collected approximately 200 grams of oil in 23,000 miles. The can does its job well. I was waiting to post my findings at 25,000 miles and do a write up, which I will still do. Yes, I recommend a catch can if you plan on keeping the vehicle. The point is to keep deposits from the back side of the intake valves.
The install is less than 5 minutes if you don't drop the screw like I did, so it took me 10 minutes. Great kit that even comes with quick couplers on the hose ends that attach to the valve cover and air intake.
Total oil dumped from the catch can into the gallon windshield washer fluid bottle. All oil collected since the vehicle was new:
The install is less than 5 minutes if you don't drop the screw like I did, so it took me 10 minutes. Great kit that even comes with quick couplers on the hose ends that attach to the valve cover and air intake.
Total oil dumped from the catch can into the gallon windshield washer fluid bottle. All oil collected since the vehicle was new:
If makes you feel good…sure. Are they going to prolong the life of the engine…no.
I have two L83 / 5.3L GM trucks. Both have catch cans. Both collect about an ounce of gunk per thousand miles.
My Suburban didn’t get one until the warranty expired at 100k miles. At 115k miles we pulled the motor to delete AFM hardware. I was fully prepared to clean the intake ports/back of intake valves, but they were surprisingly clean.
If I did it all over again, I’d still run them.
Catch cans (air/oil separators) are extremely simple devices. The one advantage the blingy ones have, is a nice mounting bracket…
I’m probably into mine for $20 each plus a couple zip ties.
My Suburban didn’t get one until the warranty expired at 100k miles. At 115k miles we pulled the motor to delete AFM hardware. I was fully prepared to clean the intake ports/back of intake valves, but they were surprisingly clean.
If I did it all over again, I’d still run them.
Catch cans (air/oil separators) are extremely simple devices. The one advantage the blingy ones have, is a nice mounting bracket…
I’m probably into mine for $20 each plus a couple zip ties.
There are many here way more experienced than me with these. I can speak to a sample size of one 2014 L86 with about 140k. When I had the heads off after it ate a lifter, the valves were really clean. Clean enough that I debated even cleaning them.
I'm of the opinion that very few modern vehicles benefit from a catch can. Unless they are known for deposits or have a lot of blowby from high levels of boost, the latter usually in modified boosted vehicles so it's not really applicable here. Early DI vehicles were pretty bad for intake deposits, but vehicles with DI over the last 8-10 years haven't really had much of a deposit issue. Of course short trips and extended idle may be the exception there, but a catch can likely won't cure the issue in those situations either. After working on cars professionally for many years, I rarely saw heavy carbon build up unless there was neglect or other compounding issues involved. Sure, it happens. But it's a lot more isolated than many think.
Here's my biggest pet peeve of catch cans. Every winter you see all the posts (facebook groups mostly) of catch cans FULL of that milky substance and people elated that isn't going in their intake. Which is huge misunderstanding of what is actually happening and it doesn't happen if you don't have a catch can. That milky solution is simply condensation build-up caused by the catch can being 15F (or whatever your winter temps are) while 200+F gasses are passing through it. It's pretty much acting like a pot still (alcohol distillation). The catch can is rapidly cooling the hot vapors from the crankcase because of the massive temperature differential, but instead of making alcohol, it's making a milky oily substance because that condensation is mixing with the 1/2oz of oil in the can. Unless there is a way to heat the catch can or it's sitting an inch away from the exhaust manifold, it's unavoidable. If someone doesn't believe me, next winter just disconnect the catch can and reconnect it like factory for 1k miles, then check the PCV hose where it connects to the intake manifold for any buildup, I bet there is zero milky substance in the hose or in the intake like you'd see in the catch can. Rant over. haha
Here's my biggest pet peeve of catch cans. Every winter you see all the posts (facebook groups mostly) of catch cans FULL of that milky substance and people elated that isn't going in their intake. Which is huge misunderstanding of what is actually happening and it doesn't happen if you don't have a catch can. That milky solution is simply condensation build-up caused by the catch can being 15F (or whatever your winter temps are) while 200+F gasses are passing through it. It's pretty much acting like a pot still (alcohol distillation). The catch can is rapidly cooling the hot vapors from the crankcase because of the massive temperature differential, but instead of making alcohol, it's making a milky oily substance because that condensation is mixing with the 1/2oz of oil in the can. Unless there is a way to heat the catch can or it's sitting an inch away from the exhaust manifold, it's unavoidable. If someone doesn't believe me, next winter just disconnect the catch can and reconnect it like factory for 1k miles, then check the PCV hose where it connects to the intake manifold for any buildup, I bet there is zero milky substance in the hose or in the intake like you'd see in the catch can. Rant over. haha
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quick Jethro ciphering - that grunge jug will last 18.12 years
Are you running 0w-20 oil in it ? My '23 L87 lives on 5w-30 now and oil consumption has decreased from the 0-20 and the 0-40 oils.
No can on it.
My '16 3.6 with a can collects at least 2 oz. per OCI's at 5k miles. They upgraded the 3.6 oil separator in '20.
No can on it.
My '16 3.6 with a can collects at least 2 oz. per OCI's at 5k miles. They upgraded the 3.6 oil separator in '20.
HPL 5w30. It used 1/2 quart in 9,600 miles during the last oil change interval.
I put one my 2019 L86 when it had 18K miles on it. I have less than 20K now. Easy for me to reach. Cheap one with a dipstick too.
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