wemay
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Many in the Hyundai Di community use one. Jury is still out though. 50% say its hype etc.
Do You Use A Catch Can?
- Thread starter Silvercreek
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Catch cans are helpful if the stock separator/baffling is inadequate, or if there is excessive blowby. I used to use them way back in the days on older (turbo) cars, like 1988 older.
I run one on my 2014 Mustang GT and I catch quite a bit of oil in it. They may not be necessary but I don't want that oil going into my intake and any oil that I can keep out, I consider that a good thing. Here is a picture of my setup. It is a Bob's catch can.
Here is how much oil I caught in about 2,400 miles.
Here is how much oil I caught in about 2,400 miles.
If you are using it on the PCV side to catch oil that is not what they need to do. You should have little oil coming out here. It is vapors of water and light hydrocarbons that you want to catch. These will condense in the intake track and form carbon.
You really should consider them a condensation can and have them in a cool area below the intake manifold. They are very effective in this situation.
On a turbo car, having one on the fresh air intake for the crankcase you will catch almost pure oil from when the engine is in boost and the crankcase is under pressure. This blows the oil mist out the valve cover hose and into the turbo or IC.
Here's a pic of what I collected from both cans I have. The oil on top was from the turbo side, the gunk below is from the PCV side.
You really should consider them a condensation can and have them in a cool area below the intake manifold. They are very effective in this situation.
On a turbo car, having one on the fresh air intake for the crankcase you will catch almost pure oil from when the engine is in boost and the crankcase is under pressure. This blows the oil mist out the valve cover hose and into the turbo or IC.
Here's a pic of what I collected from both cans I have. The oil on top was from the turbo side, the gunk below is from the PCV side.
Mine is on the PVC side and it is the side that is catching the oil. Your engine is different than mine and the amount that I'm catching is pretty typical for the 5.0 Mustangs running 5W-20 oil. The guys running the 5W-50 seem to catch less.
I've seen pictures of intakes that have been taken off that have not run a catch can and they are coated with oil where no oil is supposed to be. That is reason enough for me to run one.
I don't have one on the other side but the guys who do run them on that side, usually don't catch anything at all, even any type of condensation or water.
Wayne
I've seen pictures of intakes that have been taken off that have not run a catch can and they are coated with oil where no oil is supposed to be. That is reason enough for me to run one.
I don't have one on the other side but the guys who do run them on that side, usually don't catch anything at all, even any type of condensation or water.
Wayne
It was mainly designed to help with highly tuned engines. The vapors can increase pre-detonation when it mixes with the fuel. Reducing the vapors keeps the fuel vapor at the nominal octane for combustion.
They don't keep anything much cleaner than without. There have been several tests with people using catch cans that still have the same cleanliness issues.
They don't keep anything much cleaner than without. There have been several tests with people using catch cans that still have the same cleanliness issues.
Some modifications make them necessary I think. For my 03 Mach 1 I had bought a plate that would make the idle drop faster, IAC restrictor I think it was called. But that could make the PVC pull oil, so I bought the oil separator to stop that from happening. I wound-up not installing the thing and instead put the separator on my 1967 GTO. Pontiac had issues with oil in the PCV, that is why their highest performance 455 Super Duty had the PCV relocated to valve cover instead of the valley pan.
I've considered one, but remain undecided. It is adding a maintenance item, so I'm concerned about how frequently the catch can would have to be drained and the consequences of failing to do so before it filled up.
I have mine mounted to sides of the front frame both lower than the point of origin and have a hose with a plug on the end for draining. I only mess with them at oil change time and the hoses are coiled up in the fender well area easy to get to.
The Hemis catch a lot of oil on the PVC side. I think that's the item that keeps Billet Technologies in business. At one time, Mopar was going to offer one as an accessory. There were part numbers, and it was on their website (BT was going to make it for them). They ended up axing that idea.
I have had the HE catch can from Conceptual Polymer on my 2013 Silverado 5.3L engine since around 1000 miles on it. Currently have about 5200 miles on it since the last oil change, and the catch can has accumulated a little over 3 oz of oil. Would it be an issue in the intake? I have no clue except on some of the stuff I have read on affecting pre-detonation and seeing pics of opened up engine top sides. Just the thought of that nasty stuff going back into my intake manifold and getting on valves, etc just doesn't fit well within my comfort level. The cost to put it on was well within my comfort level cost benefit ratio. Could be overkill, but it was only a one time cost occurrence. Not nearly the overkill of using a boutique synthetic oil and changing it out at 3000 OCI's.
Originally Posted By: KonaMustangGT
I've considered one, but remain undecided. It is adding a maintenance item, so I'm concerned about how frequently the catch can would have to be drained and the consequences of failing to do so before it filled up.
If you get one like I have that has the drain valve on the bottom, it makes draining very easy. How often do you check the oil in your car? In the picture I posted above of my open can, that was 2,400 miles worth of driving and I had a lot more room in the can for more oil. You could just drain the can every time you check your oil so there shouldn't be much of an issue of it filling up.
Wayne
I've considered one, but remain undecided. It is adding a maintenance item, so I'm concerned about how frequently the catch can would have to be drained and the consequences of failing to do so before it filled up.
If you get one like I have that has the drain valve on the bottom, it makes draining very easy. How often do you check the oil in your car? In the picture I posted above of my open can, that was 2,400 miles worth of driving and I had a lot more room in the can for more oil. You could just drain the can every time you check your oil so there shouldn't be much of an issue of it filling up.
Wayne
The reason for my inquiry is that I have a new 2013 5.7L Hemi RAM approaching 3300 miles. I disconnected the line where a catch can would normally be installed and it was near bone dry. I disconnected the intake tube where it connects to the throttle body and there is no sign of oil residue in or on the throttle body. The oil level on the dip-stick is still on the full mark. This is why I'm wondering why I need a catch can.
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Maybe your particular engine doesn't pull much oil through. On my 2014 Mustang GT, it pulls enough through that I think a catch can is a good idea.
Wayne
Wayne
Usage patterns affect oil through the PCV as well. In light use, my Jeep throws a bit of oil into the catch can (not a lot), but if I beat on it, it fills it up much faster.
I try to check it every 1000 miles. My car tends to consume a quart every 5000 miles. I don't what percent is going through the PCV line. Not sure want to mess around with this during a long highway trip.
Originally Posted By: KonaMustangGT
I try to check it every 1000 miles. My car tends to consume a quart every 5000 miles. I don't what percent is going through the PCV line. Not sure want to mess around with this during a long highway trip.
Back in September I took my Mustang on vacation from MO to TX and back. I was gone a week and put about 1,800 miles on the car. When I finally checked my catch can, I had about 2,400 miles on the car since I had checked the catch can the last time. I had about 2 ounces in the can and still had plenty of room before the can was full.
I assume that if you check your oil about every 1,000 miles, you would also check it if you were taking a longer than normal trip.
Obviously catch cans are not mandatory and if you don't want to run one, I'm sure your car will run fine since most people with Mustangs probably don't run one.
As much oil as mine pulls through, I'm glad I have one and I don't have a problem checking mine occasionally to see how much is in it and to drain it.
Wayne
I try to check it every 1000 miles. My car tends to consume a quart every 5000 miles. I don't what percent is going through the PCV line. Not sure want to mess around with this during a long highway trip.
Back in September I took my Mustang on vacation from MO to TX and back. I was gone a week and put about 1,800 miles on the car. When I finally checked my catch can, I had about 2,400 miles on the car since I had checked the catch can the last time. I had about 2 ounces in the can and still had plenty of room before the can was full.
I assume that if you check your oil about every 1,000 miles, you would also check it if you were taking a longer than normal trip.
Obviously catch cans are not mandatory and if you don't want to run one, I'm sure your car will run fine since most people with Mustangs probably don't run one.
As much oil as mine pulls through, I'm glad I have one and I don't have a problem checking mine occasionally to see how much is in it and to drain it.
Wayne
With out a catch can you can only guess as to how much oil is going thru into your intake and out thru the cats. I had no signs of oil in the pcv lines but I wanted to know and am glad that I put a catch in. I dont need to empty mine but when I do an oil change twice a year. Not a big deal, screw off the reservoir and dump it out re-attach, done.
I had this much built up after not checking the can for maybe 800-1000 miles.
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