[white-lightning]

I have searched other forums on this subject to see why one would use one. The consensus was that it is used to separate the oil out of the pcv system on boosted engines. In the end it will keep the intake tract cleaner. Now my car isn't turbo yet, but by using a catch can/oil separator it would keep my intake manifold cleaner correct? Is the any particular design better than another? I know that a baffled on is the best.

 

[foundnemo25]

Well you just answered your own question and havent even realized it yet. Yes the baffle one is better and yes if you put it on your car without a turbo it will serve as the same function. It isnt just for turbo'ed cars, but you just see more of them with them on it.

 

[white-lightning]

Ok. I guess I was looking more for someone to confirm what I had found than anything else. Thanks.

 

[Escort92Man]

I'm running a totally made by me PCV filter/catch can and it eliminates all the oil making the intake all dirty! it's a 1/2 gallon PICKLE JAR with some 1/4 inch air compressor barbs on it, run your PCV into that and back out into the intake, bata bing bata BOOM works great! just use heavy duty vacuum line since the weaker stuff collapses. I did this mod on my 92 1.9, quit driving it so I made it fit on my 92 1.8 EGT, the whole bottom of the jar is covered in oil in just 700 or so miles.

I'll post pics if anyone is interested! I've also noticed no carbon build up on the pistons they stayed clean after I took the head off and cleaned em up! and I am not SURE but I think I maybe gained 1 mpg but that could also be other things.

I've done this with great success so I recommend doing it turbo or non turbo keeps your engine cleaner!

 

[ciento44]

Doesn't this mildly screw up cars with afm/maf/vaf/flappers? Unmetered air and all that?

 

[Escort92Man]

I have noticed exactly zip zero nada changes in engine performance, idle is the same, driveability is the same no lag or dropping in power, in both the 1.9 and the 1.8 the only side effect is just a cleaner engine, it doesn't hurt valves, nothing, my 1.9 has bad rings because I screwed up and reseated my valves after I did the rings, woopsies live and learn! besides 2K miles on a fresh ring job then redoing valves the rings aren't even really seated yet lol.

but yeah I'm very well pleased with the catch can it doesn't mess up anything there's no unmetered air it just goes in line with the PCV valve to the intake that's it, and if you put it INSIDE the car it sounds like a BOV when you let off the gas and it makes a huge cloud in the jar ha ha! *don't ask* ok fine I tell, I put some gas in the jar to try and "vaporize" some gas and all it did was make the car run like poop, don't do that, just put the jar in there and take the oil out and you're golden guys! I recommend doing it to every car too, even if it's new, when you take it in for work just take the catch can out and put the stock hose and get work done then put it back to catch can!

doooooo ittttt!

 

[therieldeal]

there is no unmetered air problem because its still hooked up like stock.. youre just putting the can inline to trap oil

 

[Onegimp]

I just don't get running it off the PCV. It is a check ball that only lets air travel one way. I can see running it off the crank case breather tube that runs back into the intake tube, but I think they are waist of time to me.
Never used one never will.

 

[Escort92Man]

right there is a check ball that lets air go one way, it flows from the PCV valve to the intake manifold mainly when you're cruising I think and accelerating. anywho my catch can has a good amount of oil in it so the air goes through it for sure. I cleaned my intake up before doing this and it's still clean, no oil. I also have my crank case breather not running down the intake tube anymore, I put a breather filter on that.

It's all owners preference, I prefer my intake be clean it's pretty much a free mod to do and I like the results of it. install it and just empty the jar when it gets a good amount of oil in it which if your engine is good will be 10k miles or more, mine's got higher mileage on it about 180 so I got a little more oil that gets in mine. on the 1.8 the PCV sludge mostly goes in the #2 cylinder if I remember looking at the intake correctly and it had a LOT of carbon on it compared to the others.

not saying you gotta do one just saying I did it and it works great for me!

 

[therieldeal]

its definitely a good idea, i need to get around to installing one on my car. the issue is i need one that can handle 25psi without popping LOL

 

[white-lightning]

I made on a month ago and so far have 117 miles on it. I has collected an 1/8" so far. I used a mini inline air filter from Harbor Freight and some other misc. items. I looks similar to this: http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/52205/10002/-1
I made mine for less than have the price.

 

[vabreaker20011]

got pics of urs white-lightning?

 

[ciento44]

there is no unmetered air problem because its still hooked up like stock.. youre just putting the can inline to trap oil

My bad... missed the inline part.

I'm running into a bit of a design issue with the MX6.... i have no place to route it back into the intake tract between the VAF and the turbo. So right now it's just vented to atmosphere and making a mess.

 

[Escort92Man]

its definitely a good idea, i need to get around to installing one on my car. the issue is i need one that can handle 25psi without popping LOL

lol yes that would be a good thing if it doesn't pop on you! just use a mini air compressor filter they can hold like 160 PSI! I have a mini air filter from my compressor and then I also feed it into a 1/2 gallon pickle jar to take ALL of it out and it works great, get a good glass jar and it might hold up to your turbo pressures man! zip tie the metal lid on ha ha! since I aint got much money *typical of most escort owners* I make my own stuff and it works!

btw sweeeeeeeet scort you got!

 

[silverton]

there is no unmetered air problem because its still hooked up like stock.. youre just putting the can inline to trap oil

My bad... missed the inline part.

I'm running into a bit of a design issue with the MX6.... i have no place to route it back into the intake tract between the VAF and the turbo. So right now it's just vented to atmosphere and making a mess.

Route hose to hang near ground. Done.

 

[MTN_RCR]

as far as i understand the whole point is so you can vent crank case fumes and you dont want it to be inline on the intake system if your boosted becasue its supposed to stop the boost pressure from back feeding into the valve cover and pcv vale system so your not pressurizing your crankcase. the lines go from the valve cover and pcv hose into the catch can and then you just put a small breather filter on the top of the catcth can so its totally seperated from the intake system.

 

[ciento44]

there is no unmetered air problem because its still hooked up like stock.. youre just putting the can inline to trap oil

My bad... missed the inline part.

I'm running into a bit of a design issue with the MX6.... i have no place to route it back into the intake tract between the VAF and the turbo. So right now it's just vented to atmosphere and making a mess.

Route hose to hang near ground. Done.

True, but then there's air leaving the motor that should have gone into the combustion chamber.... i guess it's not enough to make a big difference. I need to spend more time looking at it. I want to make it look nice.

 

[ciento44]

as far as i understand the whole point is so you can vent crank case fumes and you dont want it to be inline on the intake system if your boosted becasue its supposed to stop the boost pressure from back feeding into the valve cover and pcv vale system so your not pressurizing your crankcase. the lines go from the valve cover and pcv hose into the catch can and then you just put a small breather filter on the top of the catcth can so its totally seperated from the intake system.

It won't back feed if the PCV valve is working correctly. It's supposed to route back into the intake past the VAF.

 

[FordMan59]

I have a catch can on my '88 Pony, '97 LX wagon and '02 SE and will have one on the '88 GL as soon as I get time to rig it up. I just routed heater hose from the PCV valve to the catch can and from the catch can to the intake. I just use a small jar with a couple of fittings that I cut out of a piece of lamp rod, (available at Home Depot electrical department) drill a couple holes in the lid of the jar and put a nut on the inside of the lid and one on the outside of the lid to hold the threaded rod in place and attach the hoses with hose clamps.

 

[white-lightning]

Here are pics of today of the first emptying of my air/oil separator system.

And here is the oil in a measuring cup.

The cup is marked in increments on 5mL so the best I can tell is that the amount in the container is somewhere between 8-9mL. This was from 476 miles of mixed driving.