oil catch can

[aurionthesleeper]

If you can help me, ill really appreciate it how to hook up a oil catch can because its a v6 not a straight 6 I'm a little confused

[trentmeyer23]

This video may help you. Same engine, just a different car.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmJSkSPCou8

[aurionthesleeper]

thanks!!

 

[Full-Throttle]

I installed an oil catch tank in my Aurion recently. This might be helpful:

[GruAncH]

Can you explain to a noob, is their already one installed you're upgrading or what value other than making the engine bay look awesome does it add?

[Hiro]

1 hour ago, GruAncH said:

Can you explain to a noob, is their already one installed you're upgrading or what value other than making the engine bay look awesome does it add?

Most cars have what is known as a "Positive Crankcase Ventilation" or PCV system.  This draws fresh air in from the intake via the breather and circulates it through the crankcase and sump to collect oil vapour and engine blow-by gases (that escape the combustion chamber past the piston rings), carrying it up to the head to stop pressure building up in the sump.  This is then sucked in to the intake under vacuum conditions (ie light/no throttle) by the PCV valve (a one-way valve).

Some people don't like this vapour being burnt in the engine (it can lead to carbon buildup in the intake etc), so instead they install a catch-can in the PCV line to filter out the oil vapour from the air, which can then be emptied manually or drained back to the sump (depending on the style of the can).

[GruAncH]

How often would you have to empty it? It looks sweet but I'm so mechanically illiterate I'm still considering if I could do a POD filter

[trentmeyer23]

It's wise to do it at each service.

[campbeam]

Finished tweaking the installation of an oil catch can on my Aurion. Prior to this, I was using a combination of an in-line filter, an oil separator and 3/8 hose in a direct line to the intake. The oil catch can is now located near the ECU on the firewall, the horn and the front passenger strut tower. I used a battery hold down clamp as the main bracket which is bolted to an existing nut on the strut tower. The supplied bracket on the catch can is then bolted to the other end of the battery hold down clamp. Previous original vacuum hose going from the PCV valve to the intake is now connected from the engine intake to the oil catch can. Previous combination of the inline filter and the oil separator is now going from the PCV valve to the oil catch can. 

Initial installation was the previous weekend. Immediate difference was the lack of vapour out of the exhaust while the engine was still warming up. After a week, I have now noticed some vapour now coming out of the exhaust but it is quite minor. Also no oil in the catch can yet after only a week and about 100 kms. Planning upon posting some pictures very soon. 

[KAA]

Hi Ash, sounds like a great job you did, when you have time look forward to some Pic's

Keep Safe Mate

KAA

[campbeam]

Following pictures show the position of the oil can and the hoses to and from the oil can. Started the engine this morning and there was no vapour coming out of the exhaust. I am thinking that the extra length of the connecting hoses between the PCV valve and the intake is enabling more of the oil vapour to condense back to oil. I reckon that this is going to help the engine to run better and reduce the amount of oil sludge. Sort of kicking myself for not doing a few years earlier. 

 

[Tony Prodigy]

Nice work Ash. I didn't think the Aurion would need a catch can but I do look forward to the results. Might be something for me to consider in the future. I have no plans to sell my Aurion so every little bit helps I guess.

Cheers mate. 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Tony Prodigy

[campbeam]

Last oil change, I used full synthetic 5W-40. After 800 kms, it is already dirty being a golden colour. One Sunday, we did a highway trip to visit a relative of the girlfriend; women's secret gossip business and I had an afternoon nap. Upon leaving a few hours later, lots of white smoke out of the exhaust. So annoyed, I tried to remove the valve cover next weekend but missed removing one bolt. Subsequently located this Youtube video which I should have looked at before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEbfFiJbK2o   After a bit of thinking, I decided to buy and fit an oil catch can rather than have to replace the valve cover gaskets. This Youtube video showing the 2GR-FE intake explains why you should have an oil catch can. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2BYkrf-388 

It has got to help having less oil vapour being sucked up into the intake. 

 

I have used a large zip tie as a probe via the PCV bolthole in the valve cover to remove some of the accumulated oil sludge in the baffle area [lot more than what I was expecting] and also cleaned the PCV valve.

I do have a few benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of fitting the oil catch can. It will be a matter of time to get some meaningful experiences/results as feedback.

 

[SA22C-RX]

Nice. It's alot smaller then I was picturing when you told me on my post. I thought I better come have a read 😉. I always wondered why Aurions have so much steam coming out on cold starts and cold weather, interesting 👍

[Tony Prodigy]

I think the Steam you're referring to is just condensation that occurs when the hot exhaust gases exit through the cold exhaust pipe. That's normal.

White smoke is different to this in that there is oil vapor burning off in the combustion chamber hence the use of the catch can to divert the oil vapor away from the combustion process.

[campbeam]

8 hours ago, SA22C-RX said:

It's alot smaller then I was picturing

Following YouTube video compares the Mishimoto compact baffled catch can [300 ml capacity] and its generic universal knock off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvlujvwNOE8

For my engine [codenamed “Sludgy”] I wanted a larger capacity, taller baffled catch can to maximise the conversion of any oil vapours back to oil thus ending up with a 700 ml capacity can. It was advertised on eBay as being baffled but not so when I opened the can. Ended up fitting a plastic tube so that incoming oil vapour was directed to the bottom of the can. My thinking is that the air oil separator placed before the intake to the oil can will also act as a baffle.

There are lots of other YouTube videos about oil catch cans but I do rather like this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aSfoPGBrXk

Now that is a catch can.

Main factor is finding a suitable place to mount the oil catch can in an accessible position given the space limitations under the bonnet.

[Tony Prodigy]

On 7/24/2020 at 5:12 PM, campbeam said:

There are lots of other YouTube videos about oil catch cans but I do rather like this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aSfoPGBrXk

Very nice job he did there. Anyone else dig the Euro thrash metal ??

By the way, his fillet welds were sublime 

Edited August 11, 2020 by Tony Prodigy

[campbeam]

On 7/19/2020 at 3:08 PM, campbeam said:

I do have a few benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of fitting the oil catch can. It will be a matter of time to get some meaningful experiences/results as feedback.

I did a quick check up of the installation last Saturday. Oil separator bowl was given a wipe out with a few tissues and there was very little oil residue. What I did notice [again] is that the top of the oil catch can was quite warm. I assume that it is getting the heat from the airflow out of the valve cover. Anyway, I have bought another [cheap] catch can on eBay and will wait the few months for delivery from China. This one has a pressure gauge and no mention about being baffled. Expect that I will be inserting a tube to direct the incoming airflow to the bottom of the can.

[campbeam]

Change of mind about what car maintenance to do this weekend so did another quick check up before going back inside and keeping warm. Same as before, there was some oil residue in the bowl of the oil seperator. However, a check of the in-line filter showed that a few drops of oil had accumulated so gave this filter a good clean. At this stage, I am leaving the check of the oil can for a few months until the next oil change. 

I also checked the exhaust pipe tips earlier this morning and quite pleased with the colour becoming more of a light tan and dry rather than black and oily.   

[Tony Prodigy]

19 hours ago, campbeam said:

I also checked the exhaust pipe tips earlier this morning and quite pleased with the colour becoming more of a light tan and dry rather than black and oily.

+1 for the benefits of a catch can Ash. I will have to consider this some day.

[campbeam]

5 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

+1 for the benefits of a catch can Ash. I will have to consider this some day.

Tony, I have just had a look at the photos of the PCV valve when you did the 120,000 km service. Sort of shocked how bad it looked then I remembered that I ended up replacing mine and have since been regularly cleaning it. 

Nothing unusual about me being an alarmist and a pessimist. I was thinking that if the PCV valve looked like that then how much oil vapour has been going through to the intake. 

I previously posted: This Youtube video showing the 2GR-FE intake explains why you should have an oil catch can. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2BYkrf-388 

With the benefit of hindsight, I should have fitted an oil can 5 years ago when I first bought my Aurion. Now going to also fit an oil can to my standby Aurion Prodigy project car.   

 

[Tony Prodigy]

Here's one of youtube's finest talking about catch cans.

 

[Tony Prodigy]

On 7/19/2020 at 3:08 PM, campbeam said:

So annoyed, I tried to remove the valve cover next weekend but missed removing one bolt. Subsequently located this Youtube video which I should have looked at before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEbfFiJbK2o 

Man, remember how much work a simple valve cover gasket used to be compared to these modern era cars. I'd have the rocker cover off a falcon 6 or my old 351 Cleveland in around 20 seconds lol. The job here on the 2GR is like day surgery. Try not to forget where stuff goes and not lose any bolts. Sheesh. I don't envy that job one bit.

[KAA]

so True Tony, it now takes a degree in engineering and computer science to just do a basic job job on these modern day engines, hence i don't touch a damn thing except tyre pressures,putting in fuel,checking dipstick,adding washer fluid and visually checking the engine..my mechanic is the man to do the swearing and fixing saves my blood pressure.

I now days just keep it clean shiny and smelling nice inside

Keep Safe

KAA

[campbeam]

31 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Here's one of youtube's finest talking about catch cans.

 

This has to be one of the better YouTube videos on oil catch cans currently available. Definitely worth watching. It confirmed my thinking that a bigger, taller catch can should be more effective. I did speculate that the catch can could be a heat collector and potentially cool the airflow so the air finally going to the intake could be slightly cooler. It makes sense that oil droplets are going to form when the airflow becomes cooler. Something that I had overlooked. I was more focused upon the baffling and separation between the inlet and outlet. It also explains that the airflow must be cooling with a longer PCV hose length and why I am noticing that the previous existing in-line filter and oil separator combination to be more effective.

There is another YouTube video that compared the effectiveness of 2 brands of catch cans by connecting them in sequence then swapping the order.