Do I really need an oil catch can?

[Paul McWhiskey]

At a .0000000012% PPM level per combustion stroke. NOTHING.

There are other additives in gasoline that are quite minute, and they have definite effects on the performance of the fuel.

Please show your math on how you arrived at ".0000000012% PPM level per combustion stroke." And explain "percent PPM".

I look forward to your reply

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[ice445]

If you're willing to spend 50k on a car you love, I'd hardly call spending $160 on a catch can to prevent dirty oil going into your intake a waste of money...

I catch enough oil in mine that I'd buy it again if I traded in my car for a new one.

It's not some silly race themed add on that gives people percieved horsepower gains. It's done with the cars health in mind. I don't see how that could be perceived as a foolish purchase...

Its not a "hot air intake" either. Its not pulling hot air from the engine bay into your intake. What you have in there right now is a stock tube. The catch can is basically the same tube, but with a filter in the middle to catch the oil that gets caught up in the suction and prevents it from going into the intake , while allowing the tube to do the same job it already does. Its not pulling in any more hot air than your stock tube is pulling in presently.

Even if the benefits are minimal, it's not a thousand bucks... its two fill-ups at the gas station...

(If you decide to do it, just get the passenger side)

You've just described the only real benefit of the catch can though, and that's the psychology of it doing something. It's impossible to actually quantify how much oil as a percentage that it's catching versus the total blow by. If it only catches 20%, is that still worth the hassle of monitoring and emptying it? On top of that, what oil is making it to the valves is going to be cleaned off by the port injectors, so that just leaves having a slightly cleaner intake and throttle body blade, which sure, that sounds like an absolutely worthwhile benefit. BUT, as I said, it's impossible to quantify how much oil the catch can is actually separating as a whole. If you're only catching 20%, then you really aren't getting any long term benefit. Stuff will still get oily, just maybe slightly slower than it would stock.

To add to that, some of what comprises blowby from the PCV includes fuel and water vapor, something that doesn't really cause any problems when recirculated through the engine. However, it certainly can and does cause problems in freezing temperatures when the can filter freezes over and blocks the flow.

All in all that's why I removed mine, yeah it did "something", but my car didn't really benefit in a meaningful way, at least to me. Plus I'm lazy.

 

[Cory S]

There are other additives in gasoline that are quite minute, and they have definite effects on the performance of the fuel.

Please show your math on how you arrived at ".0000000012% PPM level per combustion stroke." And explain "percent PPM".

I look forward to your reply

It as an exaggeration, and yes, PPM isn’t on a percentage scale . Seriously though, unless you’re drawing in 10+ ounces per 3000 miles, it’s not changing anything in the combustion mixture.

 

[67go]

Ford engineer said don't need it. I don't track. Soooooooo. I need it in the gas tank so I can drive around and have fun changing the exhaust sounds. LOL

 

[Mspider]

If you're willing to spend 50k on a car you love, I'd hardly call spending $160 on a catch can to prevent dirty oil going into your intake a waste of money...

I catch enough oil in mine that I'd buy it again if I traded in my car for a new one.

It's not some silly race themed add on that gives people percieved horsepower gains. It's done with the cars health in mind. I don't see how that could be perceived as a foolish purchase...

Its not a "hot air intake" either. Its not pulling hot air from the engine bay into your intake. What you have in there right now is a stock tube. The catch can is basically the same tube, but with a filter in the middle to catch the oil that gets caught up in the suction and prevents it from going into the intake , while allowing the tube to do the same job it already does. Its not pulling in any more hot air than your stock tube is pulling in presently.

Even if the benefits are minimal, it's not a thousand bucks... its two fill-ups at the gas station...

(If you decide to do it, just get the passenger side)

I have seen a engine repair be denied over a catch can.

On a stock car or near stock car with full powertrain warranty. In my own personal opinion its foolish to installed a catch can. Specially when the car has port injection.

 

[tom_sprecher]

I didn't have anything else to do, or to spend my money on, so I installed one, even thought I think they don't do a damn thing for a street car. My race car a couple of puke tanks that were required to keep crap off the track.

 

[KingKona]

I am quite surprised at how much the motor would ingest without one! You don't even have to run it that hard and I have prolly a tablespoon every 1000-1500 miles.

A tablespoon in 1500 miles. A tablespoon of oil.

There you have it. No, you do not need a catch can.

 

[junits15]

I've always seen people use the proof that because it catches oil that its useful or necessary.

There's two discussions that get blurred:
do catch cans function?
get blurred with
do I need a catch can?

the answers to those questions are yes and then no respectively, the car is designed to work for countless miles without a catch can, its not needed, but if you like it it doesn't hurt anything. They aren't that much money really.

 

[Qcman17]

The catch can catches oil. The oil pan catches oil. You can't drive without an oil pan heretofore you can't drive without a catch can.

 

[gadgtfreek]

On some engines I agree in needing one, on this one, no.

 

[GregO]

To add to that, some of what comprises blowby from the PCV includes fuel and water vapor, something that doesn't really cause any problems when recirculated through the engine. However, it certainly can and does cause problems in freezing temperatures when the can filter freezes over and blocks the flow.

ice445 has the best reply so far.

Forget to empty it or it becomes blocked say good bye to your engine seals.
Poof, in an instant !!!
The OEM's don't install serviceable catch cans for a reason.

 

[Kleiss1]

So i Just emptied 1/2 cup out of mine. Should I just pour it in the intake? Mine was only about $100.

 

[NightmareMoon]

So i Just emptied 1/2 cup out of mine. Should I just pour it in the intake? Mine was only about $100.

That stuff is black gold. Best is to pour it on some ice creme and voila, desert.

Car can ingest small amounts of oil a little at a time just fine, and long term engine health isn’t impacted.

Plus the newer valve covers do a pretty good job of keeping oil out of the PCV lines unless you’re tracking the car very very hard, so not needed on an NA street car.

 

[LetItRide1978]

Thoughts on a supercharged street car? UPR makes a driver/passenger side combo kit for cars with the Roush supercharger.

 

[NeedForGreen]

I have seen a engine repair be denied over a catch can.

I'd love to see that hold up in court. They'd literately have to prove that the catch can caused a failure. Any dealer can deny work for whatever reason and most people just go oh ok. If anyones dealership is like that simply remove the darn thing before going in.

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