Positive crankcase ventilation - Commercial catch

[392HEMI]

Beside keeping a motor nice and toasty to rid CC of water vapor and etc. I would like to add a catch can that works and is reasonably priced? Do any of you guys know of a commercial add on version of these annodized aftermarket cans? I'm not out to impress anyone with a over priced aluminum bling.. I may just modidy my OEM BMW CCV to just drain back into a drainable drool bucket instead of the [censored] going back to the oil pan..

 

[Olas]

Plastic pop bottle with a 'baffle' (some wire wool) in the middle.

The engine side goes into the bottle and terminates below the wire wool.
The side that goes back to the intake goes into the bottle and terminates above the wire wool.

The wool acts as a coalescing medium, but you're still feeding hot, oxygen deprived gas into the intake.

Much better to vent to exhaust or atmosphere

 

[392HEMI]

That does not build vacuum in crank case
Originally Posted By: Olas
Plastic pop bottle with a 'baffle' (some wire wool) in the middle.

The engine side goes into the bottle and terminates below the wire wool.
The side that goes back to the intake goes into the bottle and terminates above the wire wool.

The wool acts as a coalescing medium, but you're still feeding hot, oxygen deprived gas into the intake.

Much better to vent to exhaust or atmosphere

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Just buy the kit if you can't source the parts cheaper.

Btw...unless you're a chronic short tripper your naturally aspirated engine (M54) doesn't have a problem with buildup.

Also BMW has released an updated part and Google "M54 oil consumption solved (better than catch can)".

 

[2004tdigls]

venting the CCV to the atmosphere is not only illegal it is hideously polluting

Blowby gasses are toxic and CCV was one of the first pollution control devices mandated by the EPA

a catch can is OK as long as the residual gasses are sent into the intake to be burned

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crankcase_ventilation_system

 

[gonefishing]

I came across a few message boards where users were installing a Mann-Hummel brand PCV separator. These don't appear to be 'catch can' style as they return oil back to the crank case. If you Google 'mann hummel provent' you will find lots of topics.

I have an RX catch can on my Sierra which has been working very good. RX cans aren't cheap but they appear to be one of the better brand of aftermarket catch cans out there. Due to the cold weather I need to drain mine about every 2k miles as it fills up fast with moisture.

 

[camrydriver111]

BMW released updated parts to try to fix the potential E46 CCV problem. Get the cold weather dipstick tube, and the insulated cold weather CCV from BMW instead of trying to re-engineer your car. People have also drilled holes in their dipstick tubes to recreate the cold-weather dipstick.

I think you are overly worried. You don't even live in a very cold climate.

 

[SHOZ]

I just use a cheap $20 ebay can. Comes in different colors but does the job well. Best to have it somewhere cool.

I do make modifications to it though. Use different hose and plug the sight tube on the side.

 

[badtlc]

If you don't race or tune to the extreme, don't waste $ on a catch can.

 

[demarpaint]

I think a can might offer more value for late model diesel equipped vehicles like the Ram 1500, or Jeep GC diesel, than gas vehicles.

 

[Olas]

392Hemi - venting to exhaust pulls a depression in the case, but on a standard PCV system the fresh air inlet is a huge vacuum leak and the spring loaded valve can close facing blowby to vent through the fresh air inlet tube so a PCV system doesn't actually pull much (or any) vacuum depending on driving conditions.

 

[Olas]

2004tdigls - it's going to the at,osphere anyway, wether it gets there through your exhaust or road draft tube is kinda moot.
The water will evaporate, the oil will burn or coalesce somewhere, the gaseous portion contains no oxygen so retards burn and displaces combustible AF mix and reduces power/torque/effective swept volume..

And what about the muscle cars and hot rods with a small k&n style filter on each rocker cover? Why aren't they illegal?

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Originally Posted By: Olas
And what about the muscle cars and hot rods with a small k&n style filter on each rocker cover? Why aren't they illegal?
Because that's the air intake. The fumes go through the PCV valve to the intake manifold.

 

[JaseD]

Try Mighty Mouse solutions, he has a website you can look up.

I'm not sure if they're what you would call reasonably priced, that's up to your individual finances but he has a good name from what I can see and makes quality products.

He has a few standard set ups and can custom make catch cans to suit if required and is very helpful, I'm currently organising to get one for my LS engine build.

Best wishes,
Jason.

 

[zray]

I use this one. It's very well made, and works perfectly.

http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/High Efficiency Air.htm

http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/HE_2.0_Aluminum_.50_fitting.html

Z.

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: Olas
2004tdigls - it's going to the at,osphere anyway, wether it gets there through your exhaust or road draft tube is kinda moot.
The water will evaporate, the oil will burn or coalesce somewhere, the gaseous portion contains no oxygen so retards burn and displaces combustible AF mix and reduces power/torque/effective swept volume..

And what about the muscle cars and hot rods with a small k&n style filter on each rocker cover? Why aren't they illegal?


Those are illegal.

Here's some pics of what I get out of mine after about 5k miles in the summer in Illinois. The more humid the air the more volume of gunk. This is what carbonizes on the valve stems.

The layer on top comes from my can on the pre turbo air intake side, the normal supply air port on the valve cover. Where those small K&N filters go.

I have two cans as should any turbo engine.

 

[wemay]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
If you don't race or tune to the extreme, don't waste $ on a catch can.


Agree.

 

[SHOZ]

It's cheap insurance on a turbo car to use one on the turbo side air supply. Otherwise the turbo blades get coated in oil and the intercooler will fill with oil.

 

[bblackmon19]

Tons of cars have oil catch cans as stock. Here is a pic of one on a 1996 infiniti g20. You could get this in a junkyard or ebay for next to nothing. Of course top side is input, bottom is output.

 

[Claud]

Recycled blowby or pcv has the useful function of reduce combustion chamber temperature spikes, which helps to stop oxides of nitrogen forming.

As for adversely affecting power that only matters for wot use, there is no fuel consumption penalty either as long as an engine is properly designed to work with a pcv valve.

Roger.