Ecoboost catch can - paging bcardinal

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I've got 46k on my 2011 ecoboost and am planning on keeping it for a very long time. It seems the pcv system on these is a poor design and have been thinking of getting the upr dual valve catch can system since its plug n play. I checked the pcv lines tonight and they're completely coated with yellow slimy oil and smell of gas. I'm going to drop my CAC tomorrow and clean it out. Does anyone have a catch can system on theirs? The RX system looks great but don't like the drilling and that's why I like the plug and play.

Bcardinal - what have you seen and your thoughts on the pcv and adding a catch can system?

Thanks all.
 
I have the JLT on mine. I have a '15 Flex, it has the new PCV design on it. I have used the JLT on my Lightnings too. It works well for me on my applications.
 
I have a JLT on my 14. They make bolt in ones for most EcoBoost engines. I actually might get the Focus ST one to put on my mom's EcoBoost Fusion.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I have a JLT on my 14. They make bolt in ones for most EcoBoost engines. I actually might get the Focus ST one to put on my mom's EcoBoost Fusion.


How much a of benefit do you believe there is on an ecoboost that sees all climate temps? Will it help with the fuel
Dilution issues? Would you recommend getting one?
 
I am a believer in them. As far as the EcoBoost issues, I also believe in doing oil changes at the 5K interval instead of 10K. Oil is cheaper than a replacement engine.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I am a believer in them. As far as the EcoBoost issues, I also believe in doing oil changes at the 5K interval instead of 10K. Oil is cheaper than a replacement engine.


I usually change right at 4-5, however due to winter I'm slacking and have 6500 in this change of M1 0w-40. edge or PP 5w-30 will be going in this week.
 
Originally Posted By: volk06
I've got 46k on my 2011 ecoboost and am planning on keeping it for a very long time. It seems the pcv system on these is a poor design and have been thinking of getting the upr dual valve catch can system since its plug n play. I checked the pcv lines tonight and they're completely coated with yellow slimy oil and smell of gas. I'm going to drop my CAC tomorrow and clean it out. Does anyone have a catch can system on theirs? The RX system looks great but don't like the drilling and that's why I like the plug and play.


Good to see Tracy's junk science is still making the rounds and scaring people. If it was a bad PCV system we'd see sludge @ Ford's 10k intervals. We don't. We'd see a lot of the other hallmarks of a bum PCV system. We don't.

99k on my 2010 SHO and no can and no issues. Runs like a scalded cat (or _aped Ape) same as it did day one. According to him I'd have no power or fuel economy. Can't comment on the power as I have no dyno runs (butt dyno says it's fine) but do have 99k of fuel economy data that's consistent.

63k on the F150 Ecoboost - no can, no issues. Max Tow with the 3.73's and it's dead on at around 18 without the camper and 7-10 with the camper in tow. Power seems fine - even with 9000 lbs in tow.

Save your $$! It doesn't even prevent valve deposits. Ask the VW folks how it worked out for them (It didn't).
 
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Originally Posted By: volk06
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I am a believer in them. As far as the EcoBoost issues, I also believe in doing oil changes at the 5K interval instead of 10K. Oil is cheaper than a replacement engine.


I usually change right at 4-5, however due to winter I'm slacking and have 6500 in this change of M1 0w-40. edge or PP 5w-30 will be going in this week.


We see a lot of the EB F150s start to have misfire codes around the 30K range. Normally under warranty we just change the plug and coil on the cylinder with the code, however the techs have been changing all the plugs since they seem to be pretty trashed by that time.

My last car, a 2004 Volvo S60R, would destroy a set of spark plugs right at the 30K mark.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: volk06
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I am a believer in them. As far as the EcoBoost issues, I also believe in doing oil changes at the 5K interval instead of 10K. Oil is cheaper than a replacement engine.


I usually change right at 4-5, however due to winter I'm slacking and have 6500 in this change of M1 0w-40. edge or PP 5w-30 will be going in this week.


We see a lot of the EB F150s start to have misfire codes around the 30K range. Normally under warranty we just change the plug and coil on the cylinder with the code, however the techs have been changing all the plugs since they seem to be pretty trashed by that time.

My last car, a 2004 Volvo S60R, would destroy a set of spark plugs right at the 30K mark.


What is the recommended interval for plugs in that engine?
 
I have spent a lot of time on F150 forums...and the EB guys pretty much all say it's a necessity that should be factory installed, so yeah a great investment.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I have spent a lot of time on F150 forums...and the EB guys pretty much all say it's a necessity that should be factory installed, so yeah a great investment.


And yet in those same forums they provide ZERO evidence that they make any difference what so ever. Nor are there any long term tests under identical conditions showing the difference with and without catch cans. It's only a great investment if they can be proven to actually work.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: volk06
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I am a believer in them. As far as the EcoBoost issues, I also believe in doing oil changes at the 5K interval instead of 10K. Oil is cheaper than a replacement engine.


I usually change right at 4-5, however due to winter I'm slacking and have 6500 in this change of M1 0w-40. edge or PP 5w-30 will be going in this week.


We see a lot of the EB F150s start to have misfire codes around the 30K range. Normally under warranty we just change the plug and coil on the cylinder with the code, however the techs have been changing all the plugs since they seem to be pretty trashed by that time.

My last car, a 2004 Volvo S60R, would destroy a set of spark plugs right at the 30K mark.


This is a byproduct of direct injection. Nothing to do with PCV.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I have spent a lot of time on F150 forums...and the EB guys pretty much all say it's a necessity that should be factory installed, so yeah a great investment.


Your avg car owner can't even explain what the PCV functions are. Their experiences are meaningless without some actual testing.

You're talking about people that think their car is faster after an oil change, lol.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I have spent a lot of time on F150 forums...and the EB guys pretty much all say it's a necessity that should be factory installed, so yeah a great investment.


Which ones are those? I also do and while many believe in the supposed benefits of the can most do not put a can on. Ford has millions (probably close to 6 million now) of these engines on the road coming up on 7 years now and the those that put a can on are in the vast minority of owners.

Many of us had a heated debate a few years ago with one particular vendor who stated the rumor that the EB had a "defective PCV system" and he made many wild claims about his can. The usual "more power", "less deposits" , "more MPG" and other nonsense. He was challenged for dyno runs before/after the can. We got nothing.

One claim was that over time the MPG would go down I even posted my 80k or so MPG data from my EB vehicle and when graphing it, it's remarkably steady over that time. Up in summer, down in winter.

The VW guys even debunked that they prevent deposits. They installed all sorts of cans and still got the nasty deposits.

They may have limited use in heavily modified/boosted vehicles but for your stock vehicle they do nothing.

The fact of the matter is that the "junk" being pulled out is present in every vehicle with a closed PCV system (basically any car made since the 50's). It's there, gets burned and causes no issues.

However the plugs should be changed about 30-40k on the F150's. When I bought mine at 43k it had a slight miss on hard acceleration when cold and an occasional slight rough idle. Replaced the plugs and back to 100%. IIRC the F150 EB runs at slightly higher boost than the car version. Got 75k out of the plugs in the SHO and didn't notice much when I changed them.
 
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Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
What is the recommended interval for plugs in that engine?


The EcoBoost engines are 100K IIRC.


Thanks. I thought it would be 100K. 30K is sure a far cry from 100K to be having problems with them so soon. Smart move changing them out early.
 
Originally Posted By: BikeWhisperer
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I have spent a lot of time on F150 forums...and the EB guys pretty much all say it's a necessity that should be factory installed, so yeah a great investment.


And yet in those same forums they provide ZERO evidence that they make any difference what so ever. Nor are there any long term tests under identical conditions showing the difference with and without catch cans. It's only a great investment if they can be proven to actually work.




You're right, there's no science involved.

BUT there are numerous pictures of catch cans with oily residue in them. That residue would normally go back into the intake, and people have had gummed up sensors and such in the intake. Some of the sam poeple have reported that after catch can install they had no more issue with gummed up sensors.

The report of numerous people with the same experience tells me that it is a worthwhile investment if you plan to keep your EB a long time.
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I have spent a lot of time on F150 forums...and the EB guys pretty much all say it's a necessity that should be factory installed, so yeah a great investment.


Which ones are those? I also do and while many believe in the supposed benefits of the can most do not put a can on. Ford has millions (probably close to 6 million now) of these engines on the road coming up on 7 years now and the those that put a can on are in the vast minority of owners.

Many of us had a heated debate a few years ago with one particular vendor who stated the rumor that the EB had a "defective PCV system" and he made many wild claims about his can. The usual "more power", "less deposits" , "more MPG" and other nonsense. He was challenged for dyno runs before/after the can. We got nothing.

One claim was that over time the MPG would go down I even posted my 80k or so MPG data from my EB vehicle and when graphing it, it's remarkably steady over that time. Up in summer, down in winter.

The VW guys even debunked that they prevent deposits. They installed all sorts of cans and still got the nasty deposits.

They may have limited use in heavily modified/boosted vehicles but for your stock vehicle they do nothing.

The fact of the matter is that the "junk" being pulled out is present in every vehicle with a closed PCV system (basically any car made since the 50's). It's there, gets burned and causes no issues.

However the plugs should be changed about 30-40k on the F150's. When I bought mine at 43k it had a slight miss on hard acceleration when cold and an occasional slight rough idle. Replaced the plugs and back to 100%. IIRC the F150 EB runs at slightly higher boost than the car version. Got 75k out of the plugs in the SHO and didn't notice much when I changed them.


F150forum.com is where I've spent the most time. Your post is spot on, some people have zero issue with intake deposits over 100k miles. But some do, and in the cases where they do, the catch can has helped.

That's all I'm saying, is that it can help. Maybe not for everyone though. And one thing I didn't take notice of is which owners had modified their EB, which might make a difference also.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Kuato

F150forum.com is where I've spent the most time. Your post is spot on, some people have zero issue with intake deposits over 100k miles. But some do, and in the cases where they do, the catch can has helped.

That's all I'm saying, is that it can help. Maybe not for everyone though. And one thing I didn't take notice of is which owners had modified their EB, which might make a difference also.


I hang out there too. I've not seen many issues with deposits over 100k? The only ones I've seen have been the ones with CAC issues and the can was the "miracle fix" for them too. Not too many with genuine deposit issues from either the Flex/SHO/etc or the F150 guys on them. You may be right about those with modded engines though. That's a different animal than a stock vehicle.

There is a distinction in deposits and junk in the intake. All vehicles will have junk in the intake - it's the nature of the closed PCV system. The cans have been proven to do nearly nothing for the deposits. Ask the VW/Audi/BMW guys. They have engines notorious for deposit issues. They put cans on them and still get the deposits at the same rate....

If you want to use one because it makes you sleep better that's fine. But most of the claims by the can manufacturers seem to be bunk. When pressed for hard data they usually have none.
 
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