The "Catch Can" Explained

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by hammdo

Thanks for the reply -- I'll take a look and see what I can use. I really like the looks of yours for sure...

-Don

Thanks.

[Muscle Car Lover]

Checked can this morning. It's been ~800 miles since install (1350 total miles on car). There was about 1/8 an ounce of oil in the can! This baby gets it done!

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by Muscle Car Lover

Checked can this morning. It's been ~800 miles since install (1350 total miles on car). There was about 1/8 an ounce of oil in the can! This baby gets it done!

Right where it needs to be. In the can and not the intake manifold.

[TehWingman]

Sorry if I appear ignorant, but on the catch cans with the dual check valves and 3rd port, where does the 3rd port (breather) hook up to? I see in the pictures the line on the top of the intake manifold (LFX) that is the "dirty side" that needs ran through the can, just not sure of the breather.
I'm looking at Elite and the RX cans.

[TehWingman]

Something else I've been thinking about...
Has anyone ever experienced a leaking rear main seal from excess crank case pressure due to a catch can? Seems to me there is no possible way that the air could flow through the catch can media as freely as before.

[pickwithaustin]

Originally Posted by TehWingman

Something else I've been thinking about...
Has anyone ever experienced a leaking rear main seal from excess crank case pressure due to a catch can? Seems to me there is no possible way that the air could flow through the catch can media as freely as before.

Good question.
Also, I have had mine on for about a hundred miles now (I do not drive my Camaro very often). Should I start seeing something in the catch can by now?

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by TehWingman

Sorry if I appear ignorant, but on the catch cans with the dual check valves and 3rd port, where does the 3rd port (breather) hook up to? I see in the pictures the line on the top of the intake manifold (LFX) that is the "dirty side" that needs ran through the can, just not sure of the breather.
I'm looking at Elite and the RX cans.

Dual valve cans are only needed for certain forced induction applications to ensure proper flow when the engine is on and off boost.

Originally Posted by TehWingman

Something else I've been thinking about...
Has anyone ever experienced a leaking rear main seal from excess crank case pressure due to a catch can? Seems to me there is no possible way that the air could flow through the catch can media as freely as before.

When properly installed it should not be creating anywhere close to that kind of pressure.

Originally Posted by pickwithaustin

Good question.
Also, I have had mine on for about a hundred miles now (I do not drive my Camaro very often). Should I start seeing something in the catch can by now?

I usually recommend to our customers to wait until more like 300-500 miles. The filtration media is going to hold on to a certain amount of what it catches before it starts letting drop to the bottom.

[pickwithaustin]

Originally Posted by Apex Motorsports

I usually recommend to our customers to wait until more like 300-500 miles. The filtration media is going to hold on to a certain amount of what it catches before it starts letting drop to the bottom.

That is what I figured, but I put so few miles on my Camaro that I'm eager to "see it work," so to speak.

I installed mine properly, but here's a hypothetical question. If someone installed it backward (I was careful not to, but can see that someone could), would it potentially create issue? I.e., the input where the output should be.

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by pickwithaustin

That is what I figured, but I put so few miles on my Camaro that I'm eager to "see it work," so to speak.

I installed mine properly, but here's a hypothetical question. If someone installed it backward (I was careful not to, but can see that someone could), would it potentially create issue? I.e., the input where the output should be.

Not with our catch can but it could with some of the other cans out there.

[anticamaro]

So I purchased a 2LT RS Camaro, White. ( been told over and over that if it is not black, v8, manual, it is not a camaro but whatever).

I was looking into means and methods to preserve the life of my Camaro, and other then oil changes, brands of oils, staying on top of routine maintenance, I see this stuff about an oil catch can.

I am completely skeptical. I remember my first car in 2003 and trying the old "Hydrogen MPG Booster" to get insane gas mileage by burning hydrogen and oxygen after electrolysis. I made one, put it on, tested with it, found it lowered my MPG by putting more strain on the battery and not increasing results as promised. There is still a big market for this and other scams. I think I ended up turning the whole thing into a small little hydrogen bomb, but I digress.

So after reading and looking at all this idiotic pictures of people posting what looks like used motor oil inside of the catch cans I decided to research and test.

First test - If oil is REALLY traveling down the PCV line and into the top of the motor, then after a paltry 1000 miles there should be plenty of oil in the line. So I took the line off, grabbed some paper towels, and this was my result:





Ok Ok, so a little oil is coming through, and I guess if I go to any V6 camaro that has more than 8 miles on it, pop the hood, take 3 seconds to take the hose off, I will find oil.

Kinda surprised I have not seen more pictures detailing the exact or whole process of how the oil travels through the PCV line. I understand the principles after doing to much research, but seeing the effects is different.

Next up, I needed to know how much oil. Well, this part is stupid since if I want to measure the amount of oil I guess I need a catch can.

Well, I did not drink at the bar for a day, went online, purchased an Elite 2 oil catch can.

And yea, no need to post more pictures but I will later, it fills with oil and looks just like what everyone else posted.

So I guess this really isn't a scam, the proof is in the bottom of the can...

Good work to everyone in finding, manufacturing, and promoting the catch can, I hope it adds 500,000 miles to your car.

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by anticamaro

....So I guess this really isn't a scam, the proof is in the bottom of the can...

Good work to everyone in finding, manufacturing, and promoting the catch can, I hope it adds 500,000 miles to your car.

Nothing wrong with running your own tests. Additionally here is a TON of independent data out there on the topic and some higher end cars actually do come with a catch can/separator system.

[191185]

My not going to do any of this crap, then at 250,000 miles I'll pull the cover, and show regardless of what's in their, the engine will outlast the car .. .. the car will be a rust bucket beater by then ..

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by 191185

My not going to do any of this crap, then at 250,000 miles I'll pull the cover, and show regardless of what's in their, the engine will outlast the car .. .. the car will be a rust bucket beater by then ..

That will be an interesting experiment with the DI V6. Many are already having to to top end rebuilds before 100,000 miles due to carbon build up in those engines.

[BigRed585Lbs]

My first oil change at 1708 miles and this is what my home-made catch can had caught:



I'm convinced that you MUST have one installed if you value your engine.