Oil Separator / Catch Cans

[HEP#15]

I installed the FP passenger and driver's side oil separators when I bought my GT350 and checked them today @ 2400 miles. There was a little over 2 ounces of oil in the passenger side separator and nothing in the driver's side. I searched the forums and found a post saying that another member removed the driver's side as it never had anything in it. Is this what everyone else that has separators / catch cans installed is experiencing? If so, why does FP sell a driver's side separator?

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[Postal Bob]

Having not bought one yet, but plan to get a passenger side one. Everything I've read says if you heavily track the car, or drive constantly at the high rpm range, get both. But if your just doing normal driving, the passenger side one is enough.
Btw, on one site I saw them described as "intended for off road use", meaning track. So, unless you're tracking your car, the passenger only one is sufficient.

 

[N17]

Even if you track your car you are probably ok with only the passenger side catch can.
I have both sides, and after full track days there is never any oil in the drivers side can.

 

[THX 138]

Even if you track your car you are probably ok with only the passenger side catch can.
I have both sides, and after full track days there is never any oil in the drivers side can.

That was true for me until I added Hoosier R7’s to the mix. Now I get oil in both sides.

 

[N17]

That was true for me until I added Hoosier R7’s to the mix. Now I get oil in both sides.

Mmmm. I wonder how the tires make a difference...
I get that the Hoosiers probably have more grip, but how does that turn into oil getting to the drivers side catch can?

 

[THX 138]

Mmmm. I wonder how the tires make a difference...
I get that the Hoosiers probably have more grip, but how does that turn into oil getting to the drivers side catch can?

Slicks have SIGNIFICANTLY more grip. My understanding is that it's the additional g-forces that result in more oil in the catch cans on both sides. (When I'm driving on the street, I get very little oil in the passenger side, and none in the driver's side.)

Just a theory, of course... It could also just be that I'm driving at much higher RPMs on track. I didn't see much oil in the driver's side catch can until I switched to slicks, though. YMMV.

 

[Madstork97]

I installed the FP passenger and driver's side oil separators when I bought my GT350 and checked them today @ 2400 miles. There was a little over 2 ounces of oil in the passenger side separator and nothing in the driver's side. I searched the forums and found a post saying that another member removed the driver's side as it never had anything in it. Is this what everyone else that has separators / catch cans installed is experiencing? If so, why does FP sell a driver's side separator?

I check my last weekend and found only 1/8" oil on passenger side and nothing on driver side, 1225 miles on the car

 

[460Fred]

Btw, on one site I saw them described as "intended for off road use", meaning track. So, unless you're tracking your car, the passenger only one is sufficient.

Intended for off road use just means it’s not compatible with certain air resources boards like CARB, California Air Resources Board regulations. It’s an emissions thing.
Living in California, I had to have my passenger side catch can shipped to a relative in Wyoming who in return shipped it to me.
Funny thing is the GT500 comes standard with the passenger side catch can, even in California.
Stupid politicians.

 

[ZX3ST]

^^^ They are compliant as long as they don't vent to atmosphere. But without that fancy CARB EO number it's a no-go based on a technicality.

Ford doesn't generally put them on stock cars because of the maintenance aspect. They catch not only oil, but also fuel and water. I empty my daily-driver can frequently in the winter to be sure it doesn't freeze up.

 

[RPDBlueMoon]

^^^ They are compliant as long as they don't vent to atmosphere. But without that fancy CARB EO number it's a no-go based on a technicality.

Ford doesn't generally put them on stock cars because of the maintenance aspect. They catch not only oil, but also fuel and water. I empty my daily-driver can frequently in the winter to be sure it doesn't freeze up.

Its really interesting how Ford was able to come up with a no-maintenance one for the GT500.

 

[Angrey]

The valve covers on the passenger side have less "baffling" near the outlet for the CPV outlet. on the driver's side it has material/baffling that catches the suspended oil (or blocks the windage that's flung by the timing train). Speaking with Tyler at MPR, (he's the one that showed me) he has no idea why they two valve covers are so different as it doesn't look like it was to avoid any moving components. But if you flip your valve covers and take a look, you'll see at the front ends, the material/shape are quite different.

 

[Angrey]

It also might have to do with the direction of rotation with the timing chains (both primary and secondary) and how near one side or the other of the sprockets the outlet to the CPV is. (i.e. if it's rotating clockwise, the primary chain is pulling running down on the outside and up on the inside and the secondary is running outward at the top and inward on the bottom. Vs the passenger side with is running down on the inboard side and up on the outboard side and conversely the secondary chain is running inboard on top and outboard on bottom.)

It could very well be that the driver side was never a problem but due to the rotation and flinging oil Ford tried to limit the issue with baffling on the passenger side (which helps but doesn't totally remove it).

 

[luc]

If you have no oil in the driver side when tracking the car is simply because you’re not going fast enough
As a matter of fact I ( and some other friends) had to use the gt500 aluminum valve covers, that have a much better baffling system with quite a few one-way drain valves, to stop the pucking
High sustained rpms and lateral loading is the root causes for the pucking

 

[luc]

Its really interesting how Ford was able to come up with a no-maintenance one for the GT500.

Only on the passenger side which drain back to the valve cover

 

[luc]

Intended for off road use just means it’s not compatible with certain air resources boards like CARB, California Air Resources Board regulations. It’s an emissions thing.
Living in California, I had to have my passenger side catch can shipped to a relative in Wyoming who in return shipped it to me.
Funny thing is the GT500 comes standard with the passenger side catch can, even in California.
Stupid politicians.

The gt500 separator is only on the passenger and drain back to the valve cover

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