How To Properly Build An Oil Catch Can

[whitey]

so here it is, instuctions on how i built my oil catch can...

before we start, i want to say that first of all, im not a mechanic, or an artist, i used the tools i had laying around, and bought some other items to make this thing happen. i dont really care about how my epoxy job "looks", i care if it works, an indeed it will, i wont win any awards on the looks of the innards, but the functionality is second to none with the products i used. here it goes...

1: started off ordering a catch can off of ebay, i ordered blue, because silver was not available. i also picked one out that was able to be opened, had a drain plug, and specifically chose one that the top attched with 6 screws and not 4, for a better seal.

2: next i purchased 2 types of stainless steel mesh, a "120 strands per square inch" for a bottom pre-filter/baffle and a "10 micron sintered stainless steel mesh, 3 ply" from twpinc.com, both were what TWP called swatches(samples)

3: i then bought 1' of 1/2" copper tubing, and figured out a way to cut the end at such an angle that it would attch to the nipples on the inside of the catch can, i used a portable bandsaw, and just played around untill i liked the angle i seen.

4: i removed the anodization from the outside of the catch can with heavy duty oven cleaner, than polished the bare aluminum with "nevrdull" polishing wadding, and it looks fantastic now, not the ricer blue that it was.

5: take the nipples you cut in step 3 and temporarily attach them to the nipples in the catch can with a small dab of hot glue.

6: i used jb weld, but any epoxy that is oil/water/chemical resistant should work, to permanantly attach the nipples. i jb welded a portion of the tubing, let it dry, removed the hot glue, and finished jb welding the spot the hot glue was in.

7: the bottom of the catch can could be removed by uncrewing it, upon doing this, i seen there was an o-ring to form a seal, but the top was metal on metal, no o-ring, or gasket, so i went ahead and used some hi temp silicone gasket maker, and just smeared some on. i let the silicone dry for a day, then assembled the top, because i want a reuseable gasket, not both parts held together with the silicone that will rip apart once i remove them.

8: next i took scissors and the 120 mesh and cut it out to the inside diameter of the catch can, the swatch was a 3" square. after that, i eyeballed where the inlet copper tubing would pierce it and cut out a circle inside the mesh so that the inlet tube would go past it inside the catch can. i then used quicksteel epoxy putty and epoxied the mesh in place inside the can, about an inch down from the top. i epoxied both sides of the mesh, incase the epoxy failed to stick to the mesh, it is now sandwhiched in between two rings of epoxy, and cant go anywhere.

9: the 10 micron mesh is a 1" sqaure, and i epoxied that to the outlet nipple, that way nothing larger than 10 microns in size will ever go into my intake. i did not cut this into a circle, as there really is no need to, i just slapped it on there.

10: youll need 5/8" fuel line to connect everything, about 3ft total, but i played it safe and bought 4ft. my rubber boot on the intake of the pcv line was cracking, so instead of re-using it, i removed it, but the nipple sticking out of the intake hat(?) is larger than 5/8", and i couldn't get the hose to slip over it. from here i took a 3/4" wood drill bit and reamed the inside of the hose end until it slid over this nipple, i accidentally tore through a reinforcing fiber, but i dont care because once installed, that portion will be sealing against the nipple...not under vacuum like the rest of the line.

11: install everything. use hose clamps to make sure everything is sealed tight!

[Raven34]

Cool! Got any pics to go with your write up?

Sent using Tapatalk 2

[whitey]

please hold up, im trying to post up pics now

[whitey]

pics are in order, step 7 and 8 have 2 pictures a piece

[tallpaul]

Looks good!

[whitey]

pics for steps 9, 10(2 pictures) and 11.

[whitey]

and a finishing note.....

this took a little more time than anticipated, mainly waiting for the mesh to come in from twp. total cost:
$30(catch can)
$32(ss mesh)
$17(fuel hose)
$2(copper tubing)
$10(jb weld and silicone gasket maker)
$3(oven cleaner)
$3(hose clamps)
=
$97...a little more than anticipated, but some stuff you might have lying around....like oven cleaner, epoxies, hose clamps...etc.

getting this thing silver was very time consuming, be careful with the oven cleaner, the lye will burn your skin.

after 15 miles, there was a slight oily residue on the face of the drain plug....its working.

if anybody wants to add suggestions or ask questions, feel free, i'll try to answer them to the best of my knowledge. thanks--whitey

ps: i shouldve cleaned my engine bay and removed the excess silicone from the catch can, but thats another day

[SpartaPerformance]

OR you can save yourself all that nonsense and spend $13 more dollars and put get one that looks great, fits like factory without running hoses across your engine bay.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m298/buysuperlow/IMG_0343.jpg

and it assembles in a couple of minutes

Proper catch can (https://id144237.webhosting.optonline. net/spartaperformance.com/merchantmanager/product_info.php?cPath=32_62&products_id=455)

[whitey]

OR you can save yourself all that nonsense and spend $13 more dollars and put get one that looks great, fits like factory without running hoses across your engine bay.
and it assembles in a couple of minutes

and the pissing battle starts now:

im not here to compete with sparta, musclemerc, jlt, etc...im here to give valueable information on oil catch cans.

first off, id like to know what micron rating your filter is.

second, your factory routing with the existing pcv hose is wrong, in the sense of you have youre catch can sitting right above the engine where its HOT, vapor will condense better the colder it is, that is why mine is further away.

third, the plastic pcv line that you use/reuse will fail in a much shorter time period than the fuel line im using. the elements, the constant hot and cold of the engine bay, etc.

fourth, you have NO BAFFLE, ive seen your catch can, and if someone were to hit a pot hole, go over a speed bump, or even ride on rough road, there is NOTHING there to protect your filter from becoming soaked with oil.

fifth, you have no drain plug, or sight glass, so you must unscrew the entire bottom half just to see if there is anything in there.....maybe ford shouldve skipped a oil pan bolt, and a dip stick;).

that is all, please promote your $13 more inferior product in another thread.

[SpartaPerformance]

First off my catch was engineered by a multi million dollar company that makes Ford performance parts and has been since the late 80's so don't even go there saying its designed wrong. As for you other bogus concerns such as the tube, it's the factory tube cut to fit the unit, so I guess now the factory engineers don't know what they're doing either? The factory tube is exposed to same heat as the catch can so "heat soaking" would be the same and being that catch cans work on vapor pressure differentials heat soaking has no affect. As for pot holes, how much oil do you think it collects??? I guess you make your so you don't have to empty it for 52 oil changes but there are only really going to be a few onces between oil changes if the person can't un screw a simple can then building your erector set is going to be impossible for them.
My beef is, I pay to earn a living here, you want to help out fellow members my making this thing I would have no problem the case was "Hey here are a list of parts for $40 and spend an hour to assemble and your done" Ok, but at $97 you're cutting into my rent, utilities, insurance etc...

That is all!!

[Vortech347]

You didn't weld anything? I'd be worried about things coming off into the intake and being ingested by the engine. I'm glad you have pride in your work but I wouldn't run that on anything I own if ya paid me.

[whitey]

sparta: i dont care about a multi million dollar company that engineered your catch can, it doesnt make it right. oil vapor will condense better if hot air is redirected into a cool container, same as when you breath on glass and it forms a mist. i didn't start this thread to knock your product, but when you knock my design and call my facts bogus, you can bet i will call you out. im not digging into your wallet, how much money does it take to make your catch can, it aint $97, because the profit margin would not be effective, also, if my catch can was such a terrible design, you wouldn't be arguing with me and considering my design a threat to your profits..again....what micron rating is your filter/mesh?

vortech: there is nothing inside a catch can under such extreme forces, that welding is required. epoxy is a tested and tried method of attaching parts together, jb weld and quicksteel epoxy putty are both reputable epoxies that have been tested in much more harsh environments than a catch can, and have been proven effective. although i do agree that welding would look much more appealing, it wouldnt reinforce its internal structure any more than epoxy.

[babbage]

Fuel line will likely collapse under vacuum, that's why no one else uses rubber hose.

Your "gas gauge" will never register anything. Oil will be sucked into intake before that ever happens. This is (essentially) the same design as musclemerc (didn't work)

[whitey]

well i figured i would take the top off after 60 miles to take a look and make sure everything is still intack. so far, the epoxy is doing fine, everthing is holding up, and i took a peek inside and seen a puddle of water and oil inside the can. as for the rubber hose collapsing, it is fuel line, its reinforced and is very hard to squeeze, unlinke radiator hose which would collapse. my gauge will give me a reading, because my final filter is at the very top, unlike musclemercs which is halfway down. i also have a prefilter which serves as a baffle to keep splashing oil that has accumlated from ever spashing on my final filter. im not bashing anyones ideas on how well this will work, im just explaining how i took precautions on concerns such as babbages.

[ctrlraven]

I made mine like Whitey's a long time ago, added steel mesh padding as the baffle and drilled a few holes in the bottom side of the long tube. Worked a whole lot better than MuscleMerc's. I only bought his because it was easier to drain the oil from than the one I made.

I'll be running a Moroso breather catch can with my new motor.

[MMBLUE]

Whitey.

I commend you on your project. ;) Keep it up. It sounds like you are R+D-ing it to perfect it, and make it work great. :beer:

[whitey]

Thanks mmblue, it seems everybody is trying to shoot me down when im flying high. Also for the hose collapsing issue, the fuel hose im using is reinforced with some sort of fabric threads in the middle, it was made for marine engine fuel lines...if that means anything special?

[Vortech347]

Epoxy does come off. I've got the pictures of an intake that had epoxy placed where bolt passages were penetrated during porting. It came off and was ingested by the engine. Also several people have had epoxy jobs fail when trying to plug the silence holes of Eatons.

This whole oil catch can thing on mostly stock N/A cars is still making me chuckle. Save your money guys...

[Curless]

If you have massive amounts of oil coming out of your breathers you have an internal engine problem...sorry but its true...

[whitey]

well, i guess ill see if the epoxy holds up, i personally dont see it failing, but stranger stuff has happened. i dont have massive amounts of oil coming out of the pcv, but i think that the problem lies in that no one has a set answer on how much oil/water vapor their catch can will catch....too many variables that go into the equation that takes away from the scientific data that is required for proof. i see it as this, everybody who makes oil catch cans claim that theirs is the best, with no data, proof of concept, or list of materials used to make a useful statement. i know by building my own, that i have a prefilter rated at 117 microns which also acts as a baffle to protect against splashing, and a sintered stainless steel mesh, 3 ply, rated at 10 microns. i couldve used some stainless steel brillo pad sandwhiched between 2 screens, but that isnt nearly as effective, or i could have went with layers of perforated metal sheets, but that is flawed because of when the top layer drips oil down, it will be blown/sucked back up from the direction theb air flows, plus its gives you no where near a 10 micron filtration of the vapor its exposed to. oil vapor coming out of your pcv can be sub micron in size, the only way to catch this without slowing cfm to a dangerous point would be to use a gauze type filter made of some sort of fabric. the problem with that is that it will eventually need to be replaced, and i personally dont feel like replacing some sort of fabric filter every (take a wild guess) miles.

[MMBLUE]

Fuel line will likely collapse under vacuum, that's why no one else uses rubber hose. You are correct Sir !

Your "gas gauge" will never register anything. Oil will be sucked into intake before that ever happens. This is (essentially) the same design as musclemerc (didn't work) Mucsclemerc is not here to defend this, so i'll give it a shot; It does work as an oil catch can. I used one for a while and collected a boat load of oil from it when I was N/A. The key is to do regular maintenance on it. You must drain it every oil change. True; the " Gas gauge" thing doesn't work worth a hoot. That's why you must stay on top of it.


I made mine like Whitey's a long time ago, added steel mesh padding as the baffle ( Musclemercs V.2 catch can has this added you must've gotten a V.1) and drilled a few holes in the bottom side of the long tube Doing that probably helped reading the oil in the tube . Worked a whole lot better than MuscleMerc's. I only bought his because it was easier to drain the oil from than the one I made. True, so true Birdman. The bottom design of the drain plug is great for maintenance

I'll be running a Moroso breather catch can with my new motor.


Comments added in RED. ;)

[fastblackmerc]

I have one of these installed on the passenger side. Will be installing one on the drivers side soon. Used hard lines with rubber connections.

http://www.42draftdesigns.com/categories/products/catchcans.html

[whitey]

tommorow i will check to see if my fuel line hoses are collapsing. i will have my wife throttle and let off of it at different rpms....the problem is that i have one of those wacky tachs...it doesnt really work anymore. i do agree with fuel line collapse, but i *think* that would be with a greater vacuum than what the pcv system actually gives, plus this line is pretty rigid 5/8" id, i could see collapse if it was like 3/8" id. does anybody have a better method of checking to see if the line will collapse under pcv vacuum?

[B.C. Bake]

If you have massive amounts of oil coming out of your breathers you have an internal engine problem...sorry but its true...

OK, that's what I was wondering :confused: with a stock engine is this catch can a must have or just re-burn the gasses.

[Baaad GN]

Nice write up Whitey, I think we need more articles like this to help people decide what to use or different options. Not taking sides but I've always felt better when I was able to make my own item. In the same breath it's nice to have venders offering products to improve our cars especially for those who have never learned which end of a screw driver is used.

[Chayton]

what's an oil catch can and what does it do? :o

[SC Cheesehead]

what's an oil catch can and what does it do? :o

If we tell you, we'll have to kill you...;)

[Chayton]

If we tell you, we'll have to kill you...;)


:bigcry:

me thinks it has to do with catching oil? :P

[SC Cheesehead]

:bigcry:

me thinks it has to do with catching oil? :P


You thinks correctly!;)

It's a device that fits between the PCV and intake system to capture excess oil blow by.

[Blackened300a]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure fuel hose is designed to withstand inside pressure trying to burst out, not vacuum putting pressure pulling the inside walls inward. Possibility of it collapsing is pretty good especially since it will be exposed to oil constantly.
Also I purchased the same exact can you have and I didn't wanna drill holes into my plastic fender well cover nor did I wanna clutter my engine bay with hoses, that's just my preference. I also am curious how much cooler your can is when its still located in the engine bay, pulling hot engine oil and vapors? As for a sight glass and drain plug, I plan on draining it each and every oil change, I don't need a glass on the side to make sure it's working and I also don't have a issue taking a whole 3 seconds to remove and drain the it over a bucket instead of having to rig a cup up to drain it while its still mounted. My can uses a paper element that sits about a inch above the bottom of the can, sure there are no baffles to prevent "splash" but we are also talking about less then 2 ounces of oil between changes. I don't think saturating the filter is a giant concern with such little oil that will be in the can at any given time.
I'm also using the hard plastic line that ford used as the bridge from the upper intake lid to the pcv valve, it's quite thick and chances of it collapsing are slim to none. I pulled one off a engine with 250k miles and it wasn't distorted or collapsed just like the one on my engine with 70k miles.

I applaud you for making one on your own, I hope it works out for you but since the "inferior" can is mounted on my engine for the last 6 months with no issues, I felt I needed to defend it.

[Marauderjack]

PCV system is simply a "sweeping" system pulling oil "lights" and water vapor into the intake to be burned.....there is very little or no vacuum to worry about!!:shake:

I still contend that this is a nice looking gizmo to have under the hood and ole Whitey has done a GREAT job but it is not necessary......millions of cars and trucks have been built without "catch cans" and they have been fine for billions of miles.......my Marauder included with 245,000 miles on the original engine this week!!:beer: :bows:

My $.02....FWIW!! :bandit:

[fastblackmerc]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure fuel hose is designed to withstand inside pressure trying to burst out, not vacuum putting pressure pulling the inside walls inward. Possibility of it collapsing is pretty good especially since it will be exposed to oil constantly.
Also I purchased the same exact can you have and I didn't wanna drill holes into my plastic fender well cover nor did I wanna clutter my engine bay with hoses, that's just my preference. I also am curious how much cooler your can is when its still located in the engine bay, pulling hot engine oil and vapors? As for a sight glass and drain plug, I plan on draining it each and every oil change, I don't need a glass on the side to make sure it's working and I also don't have a issue taking a whole 3 seconds to remove and drain the it over a bucket instead of having to rig a cup up to drain it while its still mounted. My can uses a paper element that sits about a inch above the bottom of the can, sure there are no baffles to prevent "splash" but we are also talking about less then 2 ounces of oil between changes. I don't think saturating the filter is a giant concern with such little oil that will be in the can at any given time.
I'm also using the hard plastic line that ford used as the bridge from the upper intake lid to the pcv valve, it's quite thick and chances of it collapsing are slim to none. I pulled one off a engine with 250k miles and it wasn't distorted or collapsed just like the one on my engine with 70k miles.

I applaud you for making one on your own, I hope it works out for you but since the "inferior" can is mounted on my engine for the last 6 months with no issues, I felt I needed to defend it.
You are correct Paul. Rubber fuel lines are designed to withstand bursting.

I also used the factory hard plastic line with my catch can install.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/fastblackmerc/MM%20Mods/Oil%20Catch%20Can/DSCN0443.jpg

[whitey]

I just checked the lines and they are not collapsing.

[fastblackmerc]

I just checked the lines and they are not collapsing.

Yet....................

[Curless]

Fuel lines will withstand suction as well, our cars don't use the lines this way but mechanical pumps are mounted on the engine, they "pull" fuel from the hard line on the frame rail, at the back of the car at the tank there is a rubber line used to hook the tank to the fuel line and the fuel is "pulled" through that as well. It will eventually break down but not for a long time.

[CBT]

I applaud your effort and enthusiasm, sir. Nothing wrong with trying to make a better mouse trap.

[whitey]

Fuel lines will withstand suction as well, our cars don't use the lines this way but mechanical pumps are mounted on the engine, they "pull" fuel from the hard line on the frame rail, at the back of the car at the tank there is a rubber line used to hook the tank to the fuel line and the fuel is "pulled" through that as well. It will eventually break down but not for a long time.

Thank you...were not talking about suction so powerful to where it will rip your finger off, but like i said i really dont see this reinforced fuel line collapsing under the vacuum our pcv line is under. The plastic lines that come with our cars will not collapse either however they do crack. Its give or take with the lines. What i have going on works for me. Blackened: thats fine how yours and spartas are set up, but it can be improved. Hot vapor will condense better in a cold can. Im not sure how much cooler my location is, but one thing is certain...its cooler. Heat rises.

[na svt]

The rubber fuel lines will not collapse given the low vacuum.

Are the catch cans necessary...well possibly if the blow-by is significant. I've cut open many intakes only a very small percentage had enough oil in them to where it "may" have caused a pre-ignition problem.

Also, are you connecting the breather to a catch-can? If you're not, there's no reason to have one on the PCV line.


Im not sure how much cooler my location is, but one thing is certain...its cooler. Heat rises.
Your's is above the exhaust manifold. At least when it's above the engine it's shielded somewhat from the exh manifold heat.

[na svt]

I still contend that this is a nice looking gizmo to have under the hood and ole Whitey has done a GREAT job but it is not necessary...
I can't agree more :beer:

[Blown3.8]

Here is my design. Super cheap after you drink the pepsi! :lol:

[whitey]

Chris, may god help you if youre serious. Lmao

[rocky]

Here is my design. Super cheap after you drink the pepsi! :lol:

What size micron filter are you using and is that container stable at 86.7 psi @ 11,500 ft above sea level?


Sent from my iPhone 5

[whitey]

Its not above the exhaust manifold...its off to the side. Again heat rises, any radiant heat that hits my can will hopefully be reflected due to its shininess, like aluminum foil on a grill. Geeze, you guys are brutal, im just going to mount this thing in my trunk...:p

[rocky]

Now that I have researched this thoroughly I'm doin one! Not on my stock MM IMO I don't think it's necessary, but this would help my old F150 that damn near pushes the dipstick out


Sent from my iPhone 5

[whitey]

You dont have to be boosted to benefit from an oil catch can. When i get home, im going to drain it and take a picture.

[Vortech347]

Now that I have researched this thoroughly I'm doin one! Not on my stock MM IMO I don't think it's necessary, but this would help my old F150 that damn near pushes the dipstick out


Sent from my iPhone 5

Save your money then for the rebuild it needs. Do most of you even understand piston ring gaps? blow by? chamber pressures, ect...

[rocky]

Save your money then for the rebuild it needs. Do most of you even understand piston ring gaps? blow by? chamber pressures, ect...

Lol yes, and my old ford needs a rebuild but still runs strong and will for some time...there are catch cans on eBay for like $10. When I go eaton I may do one my MM.



Sent from my iPhone 5

[fastblackmerc]

Lol yes, and my old ford needs a rebuild but still runs strong and will for some time...there are catch cans on eBay for like $10. When I go eaton I may do one my MM.



Sent from my iPhone 5

Almost all the catch cans on eBay are garbage. The inlet and outlet will be too small, it won't seal and it will be empty inside.

[Blown3.8]

Needed a quick fix at the track. Too much boost and not enough ventilation pushing gaskets out and creating a smoke show.

Just stuffed the hose in the bottle cut some holes in the bottle, bottle is there to catch the oil. And plugged off the nipple on the intake.

[Joe Walsh]

Needed a quick fix at the track. Too much boost and not enough ventilation pushing gaskets out and creating a smoke show.

Just stuffed the hose in the bottle cut some holes in the bottle, bottle is there to catch the oil. And plugged off the nipple on the intake.

PEPSI!!!!

Should have used an empty can of this:

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae326/JoeJWalsh/NOSEnergyDrink.jpg


Would've knocked 3 tenths off your ET!.....:D

[whitey]

alright, heres the pictures after around 110 miles of mixed driving(highway/city) it had just a little more than a half of a teaspoon of water. the brown oily residue didnt want to run out of the can or out of the container i used to drain it, but im assuming a 1/4 teaspoon of that stuff. i wiped everything off with a rag, so next time i will get another accurate reading. keep in mind people, this is after 110 miles. ill post another picture after about a thousand miles for a more accurate assumption.

[whitey]

rocky, the ebay catch cans are hollow/no baffle.....thats why i used one to modify with my own parts.

[Blown3.8]

Yeah you get quite a bit of condensation when its cold outside.

[rocky]

rocky, the ebay catch cans are hollow/no baffle.....thats why i used one to modify with my own parts.

I didn't check for a baffle, was just looking at kit prices. This summer when I do it ill keep that in mind.


Sent from my iPhone 5

[Marauderjack]

alright, heres the pictures after around 110 miles of mixed driving(highway/city) it had just a little more than a half of a teaspoon of water. the brown oily residue didnt want to run out of the can or out of the container i used to drain it, but im assuming a 1/4 teaspoon of that stuff. i wiped everything off with a rag, so next time i will get another accurate reading. keep in mind people, this is after 110 miles. ill post another picture after about a thousand miles for a more accurate assumption.

Mostly water......exactly what PCV is supposed to remove and you probably only caught about 25% of it??:dunno:

Won't hurt a thing but if you wanna catch it and discard it....God bless ya Whitey!!:beer:

[whitey]

Mostly water......exactly what PCV is supposed to remove and you probably only caught about 25% of it??:dunno:

Won't hurt a thing but if you wanna catch it and discard it....God bless ya Whitey!!:beer:
Lol, i agree, water wont hurt nothing, but it did catch some oil :P.....just have to play the waiting game until mileage goes up

[na svt]

Are you also connecting the breather line that connects to the intake tube to a catch-can?

[whitey]

Na svt, no i didnt.

[rocky]

Na svt, no i didnt.

I thought this was necessary?
Explain...


Sent from my iPhone 5

[na svt]

Na svt, no i didnt.

Is there a reason you would restrict the oil from entering thru the PCV while aloowing it to flow thru the breather?

[whitey]

Its no where near the amount of oil that goes through the pcv from what ive heard. I have no further explaination for it, and before i go any further with this, i need to make sure this design i made actually works the way it was designed and i can have proof of the oil it catches.

[whitey]

alright everybody, the results are in!!! i couldn't wait anymore, so i figured id pull apart my catch can and see what i caught in ~750 miles. catching a total of 1 1/4oz of oil/water mix. the epoxy i used is holding up like a champ, same with the fuel line. driving was primarily highway, 65-80mph(as I'm now back working :) ), mileage on my car is 139,000, if that makes a difference.

1st pic: shows the entire catch can disassembled.
2nd pic: shows the inside of the can looking in from the bottom.
3rd pic: shows that i have 1oz of oil/water it caught.
4th pic: shows that i have about an additional 1/4oz of oil/water.

the math: 3000miles/750= 4. 4X1.25oz= 5oz every 3000 miles.

I'm done with the 'testing' of this thing, it works extraordinarily well, my design and all the research i have done has officially paid off. i cant make any official claims that mine is "better" because i do not have results from other catch cans, hopefully somebody will chime in with their results, but i will leave with this.....

This is HOW TO PROPERLY BUILD AN OIL CATCH CAN, :) take care--whitey

[cat in the hat]

Thanks for doing all this, I've been trying to get an idea of how much oil these things catch for a while.

[Baaad GN]

Good work Whitey, it nice to see people do these projects and the results!

[Blackened300a]

I'll post my results. My can has been on my engine for about 6 months and I maybe put 300 miles on the car with it installed. Engine has about 3k miles since the rebuild and has Mobil1 synthetic in it at the moment.
This was on the bottom of the can
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/7589998F-3482-4CF2-AB6C-F0F6AFB8BF19-920-000001170471C6F8_zps70388e80.j pg

Nothing excessive which is what I expected and even better that it is pure oil, not contaminated with water. Also my filter element is still in great shape and not oil soaked, I can provide a pic of that later on. Total drainage time of catch can with removal was less then 1 minute. I didn't even have to clean it because its all pure oil inside. Even better is zero chance of a collapsed line over time, no condensation since its directly out of the pcv, and its a clean neat install that works.

For some reason, the driver side vent tube is bone dry and the passenger is always pulling oil, I don't have a explanation for it. My throttle body blades are immaculate and don't have a trace of oil on them.

[whitey]

Nice pic blackened, before i start typing here i want to say in no way do i mean to sound sarcastic, or like an a-hole.
Is there any way that you could measure your results? The can looks a lot smaller than mine and im trying to get an idea on the measured amount of liquid caught.
Also the reason i have water mixed in my fluid is because a lot of water goes through the PVC system along with the oil, my filters seem to be fine/small enough to capture and condense this also.
Also i would like to add that when i did this i just got home from driving 47 miles home from work and the oil and water mix did not have time to settle and seperate. How long was your car parked before you took a look? Thanks for the compliments guys and for the picture blackened. I think the 'end all, be all' to this discussion would be to have someone send me their oil catch can, and i could use it on my vehicle to compare results. That way we could leave out as much variables as we could from the equation....same motor, same driver, same climate, same commute, etc. Thanks again guys

[guspech750]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/19/4uve7uzy.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/19/budyraha.jpg


Reinforced hose works fine on mine. My catch can is from JLT.

No water, just oil in mine. I don't know how many miles it took to collect that much. But it works.



Nice job on your catch can Whitey!!


Nice


Sent from my iPhone 4S

DTR + 4.10's + Eaton swap = Wreeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Is there concern about the water?

[whitey]

no, there is no concern about the water, it will just evaporate in the intake. its not really the water im concerned about, more of the filter being used, allowing water vapor to pass through also allows the oil particules of the same size to pass through also. since im catching water, opposeed to blackened, who is not, im assuming it is because my final filter catches everything down to 10 microns in size, which is about the smallest thing you can see with the naked eye(human hair is between 30-120 microns, for comparisson).

[Blackened300a]

Nice pic blackened, before i start typing here i want to say in no way do i mean to sound sarcastic, or like an a-hole.
Is there any way that you could measure your results? The can looks a lot smaller than mine and im trying to get an idea on the measured amount of liquid caught.
Also the reason i have water mixed in my fluid is because a lot of water goes through the PVC system along with the oil, my filters seem to be fine/small enough to capture and condense this also.
Also i would like to add that when i did this i just got home from driving 47 miles home from work and the oil and water mix did not have time to settle and seperate. How long was your car parked before you took a look? Thanks for the compliments guys and for the picture blackened. I think the 'end all, be all' to this discussion would be to have someone send me their oil catch can, and i could use it on my vehicle to compare results. That way we could leave out as much variables as we could from the equation....same motor, same driver, same climate, same commute, etc. Thanks again guys

No way to measure, much less then a ounce of oil because I didn't put much mileage on it but I did pull it off cold with my car sitting about 3 weeks and I didn't have any milky residue at all. I pulled it off and snapped the pic to send Tommy from Sparta to show him what his product is doing. I do not know where you are getting water buildup in a hot engine, I also do not know how this would even be acceptable in a engine unless you are letting moisture into your catch can setup at some point. Did you pull your dipstick and insure that the water contamination is isolated to just your catch can? I also do all my oil changes hot to make sure the oil is thin so I can drain as much of it as I possibly can. I have never seen moisture or a milky residue in my oil or inside of my filter. I run Motorcraft filters and occasionally a Royal purple brand filter. Neither of them have I drained any water contamination out of. I have even let the oil sit in a open container over a weekend because I simply forgot to dispose of it and I never seen a milky residue come out of my engine.

[whitey]

As far as i know, i dont have water in my oil. I do all my oil changes too with motorcraft 5w20 and use a motorcraft filter now(previosly used fram until you guys showed some research on how crappy fram is). Water is a natural occurance with combustion in any motor, thats why you see the vapor coming from exhaust in the winter time...why dont we see it in the summer then? Because vapor condenses better in cooler temperatures. Ive already discussed this in why i put my can in the location i did, not saying your can is in a bad spot, but i am saying that my spot is better for this reason;). The downside is that yours does look like factory component, and mine doesnt. Also every engine will have some blow by from the piston rings and anything going past them, including the water vapor will be condensed in my catch can. We dont see water in our oil because it wont condense in the hot motor, and will pass through the pcv system, into the intake and most will escape through the exhaust and some will repeat the cycle again. I hope this helps explain it a little better.

[ctrlraven]

With my first catch can it did have some water in and looked like a milkshake until I took it apart and re-sealed it with some better stuff then I saw no water in it ever again.

The MuscleMerc catch can I use right now has never seen a drop of water in ever, always just straight oil. My average est is about an oz captured per 1000 miles.

[whitey]

My seal is good as far as i can tell. When i first finished it i blew into one hose and plugged the other with my finger...didnt lose any pressure nor did i hear any hissing although thats a pretty hillbilly way of doing it, lol. Im going to say the reason mine looks like a milkshake is because of my baffle. Same idea of an aerator on a water faucet. The liquid i have is currently sitting in the plastic cup still and im hoping to eventually see the oil and water separate and the bubbles pop so i can actually report back with exactly how much water and exactly how much oil was caught, but im going to say from the looks of it, its going to be a while for this milkshake to melt......speaking of milkshakes, did you know...... my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and theyre like " its better than yours"i could teach you but id have to charge:lol:

[whitey]

Fuel line will likely collapse under vacuum

Your "gas gauge" will never register anything.

bringing this post back up to show proof. this morning i took a look at the sight glass on the side of my catch can, and to babbage's dismay:flamer:;), i seen something. later, once i got home from work, i let the car sit for ~30min and went out to take pics and empty the cc, also i emptied the old stuff i caught, so this is not 'in addition'. i took some other pics too, to show the consistency of this and what i mean by 'milkshake'. i dont really know how many miles this was but if i had to take a guess, probably 1500-1700 miles. i also didnt measure the amount(although i could if anybody cares to know an exact amount). the last time i did this was this was when i posted up the pics in my previous post, since then, i had the oil mixture milkshake sitting in the same tub, most of it never seperated out of the milkshake form(like 95% of it im guessing), so i still couldnt give a definate amount of water/oil/air bubbles/whatever else. fuel line is still going strong, no signs of weakening or collapsing. i will periodically update this thread whenever new info/statistics come along, whether bad or good, no smoke nor mirrors here.

[Cheeseheadbob]

Well, no duh you have an oil milkshake, given you are running Wegmans Olive Oil...

So much for the synthetic vs. organic argument! :D
bringing this post back up to show proof. this morning i took a look at the sight glass on the side of my catch can, and to babbage's dismay:flamer:;), i seen something. later, once i got home from work, i let the car sit for ~30min and went out to take pics and empty the cc, also i emptied the old stuff i caught, so this is not 'in addition'. i took some other pics too, to show the consistency of this and what i mean by 'milkshake'. i dont really know how many miles this was but if i had to take a guess, probably 1500-1700 miles. i also didnt measure the amount(although i could if anybody cares to know an exact amount). the last time i did this was this was when i posted up the pics in my previous post, since then, i had the oil mixture milkshake sitting in the same tub, most of it never seperated out of the milkshake form(like 95% of it im guessing), so i still couldnt give a definate amount of water/oil/air bubbles/whatever else. fuel line is still going strong, no signs of weakening or collapsing. i will periodically update this thread whenever new info/statistics come along, whether bad or good, no smoke nor mirrors here.

[CBT]

bringing this post back up to show proof. this morning i took a look at the sight glass on the side of my catch can, and to babbage's dismay:flamer:;), i seen something. later, once i got home from work, i let the car sit for ~30min and went out to take pics and empty the cc, also i emptied the old stuff i caught, so this is not 'in addition'. i took some other pics too, to show the consistency of this and what i mean by 'milkshake'. i dont really know how many miles this was but if i had to take a guess, probably 1500-1700 miles. i also didnt measure the amount(although i could if anybody cares to know an exact amount). the last time i did this was this was when i posted up the pics in my previous post, since then, i had the oil mixture milkshake sitting in the same tub, most of it never seperated out of the milkshake form(like 95% of it im guessing), so i still couldnt give a definate amount of water/oil/air bubbles/whatever else. fuel line is still going strong, no signs of weakening or collapsing. i will periodically update this thread whenever new info/statistics come along, whether bad or good, no smoke nor mirrors here.

Call me crazy but unless that is Belgian Waffle mix, something ain't right. I'm no catch can-ologist, but I'm just sayin'.

[whitey]

The reason it looks crazy is because there is no other catch can on the market that filters out stuff this small. Like i posted previously its my baffle and 10 micron mesh which is causing the crap to get aerated in the process. Waffles anyone?

[CBT]

The reason it looks crazy is because there is no other catch can on the market that filters out stuff this small. Like i posted previously its my baffle and 10 micron mesh which is causing the crap to get aerated in the process. Waffles anyone?

Makes sense. Does it ever separate agin? Like have you let it sit to see if it un-aerates?

[whitey]

i let the first one sit(750 miles one) for a few weeks on top my refrigerator...and it separates a wee bit, but it mainly just stays as a sticky glob stuck to the bottom of the cup.

[IwantmyMMnow!]

i let the first one sit(750 miles one) for a few weeks on top my refrigerator...and it separates a wee bit, but it mainly just stays as a sticky glob stuck to the bottom of the cup.

twss.......:d

[CBT]

twss.......:d

You sick bastard, I just snorted a snot bubble outta my left nostril :lol:

[Raven34]

I'm asking a question here but I'm confused. I want to know what is causing the "milkshake." I think it may be water? But if that's the case where is the water coming from? I understand it is probably condensing from vapor in the air.

I have a theory that I am really just guessing at. You say that your mounting location, being further away from the heat of engine, is better allowing the oil vapor to condense. Thus allowing your catch oil more efficiently, which I do believe it does. But now you seem to be catching water out of the air too. I understand you have a baffle but wouldn't it be inefficient or potentially hazardous to your engine to have a can holding water hooked up to your pcv system?

Again I'm just asking because I really don't know and I applaud your work as I'm a do-it-yourself kind of guy too.



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[whitey]

Raven34, water is a naturally occuring byproduct of combustion, same reason you have water vapor coming from exhaust pipes when its cold outside. The way it gets into the pcv is from the gaps/allowances from the piston rings and cylinder walls. Pcv is positive crankcase ventilation, it allows the crankcase to be ventilated so it doesnt pressurize your crankcase and blow a seal, also it allows the blowby from your rings and the combustion chamber to recirculate back into your intake manifold, with that you will get oil, water, unused gas, etc. Idealy a catch can is to catch the oil vapor and condense it so it doesnt burn and gum/gunk up your intake manifold. While all catch cans will catch some oil, none of the ones you can buy tell you just how much or the filtration media used. I took it upon myself to make damn sure i was catching as much as i possibly could without preventing flow by using a 10 micron mesh( human hair is around 50 microns)

[Raven34]

Cool :thumbup: still seems weird to be catching so much. But I guess you have to catch the water vapor if you want to be sure to catch all of the oil.

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[whitey]

Exactly, 10 micron doesnt care what it is, oil vapor can actually be sub micron in size, but a filter that fine would impede airflow. Generally speaking though, oil vapor is greater in size than water vapor, so its easier to catch only oil and no water, too bad i didnt take the easy/ cheap way out with some sort of stainless steel wool. :)

[whitey]

raven, if you have the time, please read my other thread i posted before this one

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=84228

it has a lot of information in it preceeding the build of my catch can, and will give you a better understanding on the things i used and why i did.

[Marauderjack]

Exactly, 10 micron doesnt care what it is, oil vapor can actually be sub micron in size, but a filter that fine would impede airflow. Generally speaking though, oil vapor is greater in size than water vapor, so its easier to catch only oil and no water, too bad i didnt take the easy/ cheap way out with some sort of stainless steel wool. :)

Study distillation of petroleum products and combustion byproducts!!:rolleyes:

All you are doing is trapping unburned fuel, oil "lights" and moisture from combustion and ambient......NON OF WHICH will harm your engine!!:shake:

The Military developed PCV in the 50's and extended engine life 3X and more!!:beer:

The "Milkshake" is light petroleum and water vapor mixed.......forget to drain your gizmo and suck a wad into you intake and you might not be too happy.......can ya say hydro-lock??!!:mad2:

246K miles sucking this horrible stuff through my PCV and still running just fine!!:bows:

As Mac would say......"Carry on Gents"!!:beer:

[whitey]

Marauderjack, i love you too :) youve been against this idea from the word go, and you give a good argument. We will never agree on this idea, but to each their own.

[Marauderjack]

Ha Ha.......I really think you have done a magnificent job and your "gizmo" would probably sell and make you rich if marketed properly.....but I still say these things are not really necessary!!:shake:

GREAT job though!!:beer:

PS: Forget about the hose collapsing......UNLESS the system plugs up!!:eek:

I'm gone for good this time!!;)

[whitey]

Its all good, you make a valid argument and back it up with facts, and its much appreciated. Its just that we dont agree on whether or not its necessary to have one.

[CBT]

Its all good, you make a valid argument and back it up with facts, and its much appreciated. Its just that we dont agree on whether or not its necessary to have one.

I'm thinking the only way to properly guage this is to send me one, and see if the cocoa butter affect happens on just your car, or others.

[whitey]

Well, if i had to let anyone use it, it would be richardp, on the account that he lives 5 minutes from me..good idea, and nice try :P

[CBT]

Well, if i had to let anyone use it, it would be richardp, on the account that he lives 5 minutes from me..good idea, and nice try :P

can't say i didn't try :D

[whitey]

Lol, it almost got me;)

[whitey]

Update: july 25th 2013, now have 149,000 miles on the mm, and about 10,000 miles or so on the catch can. I haven't taken the cc apart to see how the insides are holding up, but im sure they're fine. Its still catching oil, however the oil is oil now...not a milkshake anymore. I changed nothing with its design or seal since i made it. Im assuming that since the weather is warmer/hot, that the water vapor is not as great as when its cold. Ill try getting around to dismantling my catch can soon to see how the innards are holding up.

[cat in the hat]

Update: july 25th 2013, now have 149,000 miles on the mm, and about 10,000 miles or so on the catch can. I haven't taken the cc apart to see how the insides are holding up, but im sure they're fine. Its still catching oil, however the oil is oil now...not a milkshake anymore. I changed nothing with its design or seal since i made it. Im assuming that since the weather is warmer/hot, that the water vapor is not as great as when its cold. Ill try getting around to dismantling my catch can soon to see how the innards are holding up.

How much oil is it catching ?

[whitey]

Ill measure next time, around a 1000 miles.

[whitey]

Update: catch can is still holding up very well. Insides are fine, hose is fine. But i do have an issue with freezing. Since the can catches a lot of water in the winter, it seems the final filter will freeze up slightly with the oil/water milkshake and the car runs sluggish if i dont keep an eye on how full it gets. I drained it at 900 miles this interval, its been super cold this winter, and the sight glass was half full. I think im going to have to empty it every 500 miles or so in the winter to keep things open as much as they should be. Mileage is now 159,9xx, caught atleast a half of a cup(4oz)

[Haggis]

Update: catch can is still holding up very well. Insides are fine, hose is fine. But i do have an issue with freezing. Since the can catches a lot of water in the winter, it seems the final filter will freeze up slightly with the oil/water milkshake and the car runs sluggish if i dont keep an eye on how full it gets. I drained it at 900 miles this interval, its been super cold this winter, and the sight glass was half full. I think im going to have to empty it every 500 miles or so in the winter to keep things open as much as they should be. Mileage is now 159,9xx, caught atleast a half of a cup(4oz)

You Sir, have a leak.

[whitey]

If i had a leak, id have the same issue in the summer, but i dont. I doubt i have a leak, just condensation in the winter months.

[whitey]

173,5xx miles now and i had a small leak occur where the bottom sight glass fitting screwed into to can. Teflon taped that booger back up and checked and cleaned the inside. Innards are still intact, nothing has fallen apart or became loose. Sight glass, which i assume is some sort of lawnmower fuel line, has turned poop brown, and needs to be replaced to gauge anything. Reinforced fuel hose feeding from the pcv, and back to the upper intake looks brand new, inside and out, no deterioration at all. Still catches straight oil in the summer and a milkshake in the cooler weather. Poured about 3 oz of milkshake from it after about 3000 miles.

[gdmjoe]

A contribution to the foray ...
What Are PCV Oil Catch Cans? (http://oilcatchcan.com/) ««« -click-
UPR (with optional extension section) installed on 2011 F-150 (5.0L) ...
http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothf150/engine/oilcatchwextension.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothf150/engine/uprcatchcanlowermount.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothf150/engine/oilcatchcandiffuser-parts-r.jpg

[whitey]

Good read gdmjoe! Thanks for posting.