oil catch can - which brand?

[CC Performance]

This is what I run on my car and it was only $89. It vents to atmosphere and the cold air return is filtered and for just $89 so there are plenty of alternatives out there.

[1FAST SS]

Interested in purchasing a catch can, so I will wait until the test is complete to determine which I will buy.

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by Mickeyroar

Interested in purchasing a catch can, so I will wait until the test is complete to determine which I will buy.

You won't find out the truth until you test for yourself. There won't be an independant that you can trust. As far as I know SC2150 has been the only one to suggest testing and said if you find one that allows less oil pass through he'd buy it back (you need to verify exact wording). The only way to know how well one really works is to buy it, put the filter inline and run it for a while.

One size doesn't fit all. Some will be willing to compromise functionality, due to size limitations, mounting, and or looks preference.

[BlownSS]

everybody has the "cutest baby".....there is probably one that is a little better than the other but to find out which one truly is better, YOU would have to buy them all and do long term testing. This is going to be far too expensive. I went with the one that I thought was he best value for the money. (mike Norris) and I love mine. Since i dont have one from Tracy, I cant comment on theirs, but mine was alot cheaper.

[GSUNCSU]

Well at least no one said anybody's can inhales vigorously... I have the Rx Can and breather (and billet pulleys) from Tracey, I'm very satisfied with my Purchase, fit, form and function, as well as the customer service. I am a mechanical engineer and I initially tried an industrial type filter that did remove oil, but I wanted something that looked good and was functional. The cut away picture of the Rx can sold me on that concept. Good for us the consumer to have many good choices. Work with who you feel comfortable with in the end, most on here back up their products or they don't seem to last long in here. I apologize for wandering into V6 land, but I like knowing what my cousins are up to sometimes.

[rhd]

i dont have a catch can PICK ME PICK ME............. lol

[KMPrenger]

Umm...can anyone here save me some research time and just tell me how much the Mike Norris can costs? Isn't the RX can and the one from Mike Norris the only two can's out there specifically designed with brackets for the V6?

I'm going to be getting a can, just not sure which, and no, getting the cheapest can will not be my deciding factor, but it is a factor.

[RubyCamaro]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

Umm...can anyone here save me some research time and just tell me how much the Mike Norris can costs? Isn't the RX can and the one from Mike Norris the only two can's out there specifically designed with brackets for the V6?

I'm going to be getting a can, just not sure which, and no, getting the cheapest can will not be my deciding factor, but it is a factor.

Here is another option. I have not decided yet either.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122867

[chicagobulls]

i could test one out for you i do not currently have a catch can plus i need one real bad and i would be happy to share the results with the forum

[Revo1]

Are these fairly easy to install?

[chicagobulls]

suposedly they are if you can install an intake you should be able to install this

[jagan323]

Originally Posted by IndeedSS1

Sorry but I don't know you and you are trying to sell something. If someone wants to know how well a catch can is working they will have to test it themselves. Anything else can't be trusted. As you know, just because a can has oil drain doesn't mean that it's keeping all or most of the oil out of the intake. I don't expect to believe my test, but I do want to plant the seed to get them testing what they are using. Word will get out. The good thing about this is that some catch can makers are going to have to make improvements or fade away.

good point, someone selling a catchcan isn't the right person to test with lol. Independant testing is still the best result.

Originally Posted by chicagobulls

i could test one out for you i do not currently have a catch can plus i need one real bad and i would be happy to share the results with the forum

lol.. looking for a free catchcan?

Originally Posted by Revo1

Are these fairly easy to install?

Revo, as posted on my blog, took me 15 minutes to install. That pretty much included taking the photos, removing the throttle body, and cleaning the intake manifold. I would say, if you know how to plug a computer into an outlet, you can do this LOL.

[SC2150]

Ruby, every post you have made is about the Elite can...and every reply I have made gives it a .....not sure your point, but the Elite & the service Apex Chase provides are both great.....what is your question?

[SC2150]

Here is a copy of the stickey on this....good actual information and facts:

Understanding the need for
a proper PCV oil separating catchcan

Any engine driven hard will ingest a certain amount of oil into the intake air system resulting in loss of power, detonation, and long term carbon buildup on the pistons & valves reducing the velocity and flow through the engine.


Preventing this on a street driven car subject to emissions requires some simple modifications to the closed OEM PCV system.


On all out race applications where emission rules do not apply, this is accomplished in different ways, but proper crankcase ventilation is a must! The crankcase gets filled with harmful combustion byproducts that if not evacuated will cause internal damage to your engine and shorten the usable life. These byproducts include: Sulfuric acids, abrasive carbon particles, unburnt fuel, water, and more. If you do not have a proper crankcase evacuation system these compounds will condense inside the engine and mix with the oil as well as begin corroding internal parts. It is NOT enough to just vent the crankcase pressure through a breather, but it must be flushed with a filtered fresh air source to carry these out & away. In an OEM system, these are burnt in the combustion chamber & further in the catalytic converters.


In an off-road or race application, the engine is normally not used to burn them off.
At the very least drag only motors have a scavenge evac system in the header collectors to pull vac, and anyone that's serious has a belt driven vac pump.....especially the Alky motors due to the amount of moisture the alcohol introduces to the crankcase.

Want to see whats in your oil? A simple oil analysis will show you how much harmful stuff ends up in it.


The oil analysis will show the acid build up....and no, it takes a year or two before you would see any substantial damage to your internal engine parts.....but an easy way is after 6 months or so of running like you describe pull a valve cover and look and the corrosion from the vapors on your rocker arms. This is the first place it is visible.


Bottom line is, w/out a proper evac system you WILL sustain long term engine damage. It may take a few years to notice, but I build motors 6 days a week when not racing and see the results first hand.

There are several other ways for oil mist to enter the intake manifold, the PCV system is the most common with the fresh air make up source (the fitting on the top rear of your throttle body) being the second most common. To eliminate that you need to cap the TB fitting and run a valve cover breather (installed as far from the crankcase vent as possible...ideally you want to pull filtered fresh air in one valve cover & evac it out the other or the LS6/LS2 style valley cover is second best) Then if it is excess crankcase pressure pushing oil vapor/mist out faster than the PCV can evac it you will see it pushed back through the line from the pass valve cover front to the TB and it is ingested from there. The 3rd point of ingestion is from reversion. This of course needs at least one piston/ring/bore/valveguide or seal issue that is allowing oil to be pulled into that one or more intake port and at high RPM's the reversion pulse will "push" that oil throughout the entire intake manifold. It will appear to have entered from the vac fitting that the PCV system uses but is really from one of the cylinders (reversion is a whole different process that is not widely understood but do a Google search and you can actually find some super high speed video of engines on dyno's where at high RPM's...9-10-12K plus the reversion cloud of A/F mixture is actually rising out of the intake runners or carb on a non fuel injected motor). To test for that just place a clean clear fuel filter inline between the catch can outlet and the vac fitting. If it gets oil on the can side, oil is coming through the can. If it first appears on the intake vacuum side, then it is reversion so you have a deeper issue.

Having engine smoke or excess crankcase pressure? There may be a deeper issue. On the LS motors we pull apart it is usually # 7 ringland broken between the compression & middle ring, or the land itself broke off at the top. We also find the top ringland pinched or crushed down on the top ring (comp. ring) and metal transfer along the piston side has caused the oil & scraper ring to stick allowing oil & blow-by. Also, try this: at idle (vac is at it's greatest when at idle or when the throttle blade closes from high RPM's) remove the oil fill cap and hold your hand over it. Does it pull a slight suction? If so, all is good with most of the system and I doubt you have a damaged piston/ring/bore. But if there is ANY pressure pushing back you have a deeper issue and that is the cause of the oil problem.

Now on big cam/stroker builds a can inline on the dirty side, and a can inline from the fresh air source may be needed (the bigger the bore & longer the stroke, the more crankcase pressure is built up) If it is forced induction, then you have a whole new process to deal with......and that is the PCV system works properly when at idle & non-boost, but when you start making boost you have switched from the intake manifold being negative atmosphere to a pressurized component and the PCV system is rendered useless and pressure escapes wherever it can. The solution then is to have one way check valves inline so the vacuum need for proper evacuation comes from in front of the compressor (head unit) through a line run to the air filter.

This is getting a bit long and I hope all can follow this, but if not ask me specific questions for clarification so this helps all. I'll go over every type of solution and the pros & cons of each....and remember, this problem is NOT just in the GM LS based engines, but is an issue with ALL modern closed systems. We just tear into our cars where as the Mercedes or Lincoln owner never even realizes there is an issue.

I also wanted to address the water in the oil. You will NOT fill your crankcase up in short order with just breathers. What happens is each time your engine reaches operating temp the unburnt fuel, water vapor, combustion by-products will gas or "flash-off" as vapor. But only the excess crankcase pressure being relieved through the breather will carry any of that out....and without a proper evac system, a good amount remains in the crankcase and re-condenses back to droplets that coat the internal engine parts as your motor cools down and it contaminates the oil. Every time you heat cycle you are adding more contamination and it is not very visible to just "look" at your oil....you need a professional analysis to see just what is accumulating in your oil and how it is breaking down its ability to protect...but the corrosion from the sulfuric acid is also very damaging over time (I'll try to post up some pics of parts showing just this in the near future). Just pull the dipstick on a diesel 20 miles after an oil change...it already "looks" black & dirty, but is still new and providing the proper protection. Sight is deceiving. Oil might look pretty clean or dirty but an analysis report will show destructive levels of contaminants.


And finally, some have gone so far as to cap off the entire system and run an open hose from each valve cover to near the ground. While this will eliminate all oil getting into the intake via the PCV system, the damage done by the hose with the least amount of air moving past it while at speed will suck dirt/sand/dust/water/and who knows what else directly into the motor via that valve cover. It may take some time (depending on how clean the roads you drive on are) but will result in premature engine wear & failure.


The solution for the street crowd is a properly designed, good functioning oil separating catchcan. Many are available on the market, but ONLY one designed with internal baffling and a good distance separating the inlet from the outlet. Many of the cans seen for low prices on Ebay, etc. are great looking, but are nothing but empty cans with two fittings attached. Do your homework & get a full understanding before you make your selection.