Catch can

[ScottD]

Anybody running one of these and finding it makes a difference? Good mod or waste of money?

[Clay]

lots of guys running them to keep the oil from going where you dont want it to be (ie into the turbos, engine, etc).

It wont hurt anything.

[overlordsshadow]

I didnt have much luck with mine but the engine was totally screwed. Will try again once I don't have a blown turbo or dead cylinders.

[ScottD]

I was asking more as it related to my SRT-4. Lots of recommendations on srtforums to run one, but hard to tell there what is truth and what is fiction :-)

[88_pacifica]

I was asking more as it related to my SRT-4. Lots of recommendations on srtforums to run one, but hard to tell there what is truth and what is fiction :-)

Lots of TurboBuick guys use them...

Personally, I want to use one, but I want to put a hole in the bottom of the can to allow the oil to return back to the pan(tap pan possibly or splice into oil return line from turbo.) As long as it is still vented to the atmosphere, there shouldn't be a "pressure" issue(crank side or intake side).... in theory...

[Turbo_Rampage]

Lots of TurboBuick guys use them...

Personally, I want to use one, but I want to put a hole in the bottom of the can to allow the oil to return back to the pan(tap pan possibly or splice into oil return line from turbo.) As long as it is still vented to the atmosphere, there shouldn't be a "pressure" issue(crank side or intake side).... in theory...


The blow-by the CC catches is nasty after a few thousand K, and i wouldn't recommend having it drain back into the oil pan. I got one in my Rampage and after about 4000Km's it's full, and it's a mixture of water, oil and it stinks like a bit of gas... it makes you want to puke when you smell it. I'm sure the other people on this forum with a CC know what i'm talking about, :nod: I think you would be better off just draining in and tossing it, instead of letting it get back into the motor...

ScottD If you live where it gets well below freezing, then i don't recommend getting a catch can, because they freeze up and then your crankcase pressurizes and oil comes out everywhere, :o Ask me how i know...
last winter i started my Rampage up to move it out of the way (-20 out) and after about 5 minutes of idling it turned into a crop duster. It was burning oil very bad! So i popped the hood and saw oil coming out of my oil cap, so i opened the cap and it let out a huge gush of air. then i realised that the blow-by inside the CC was a giant ice cube, and it wasn't letting any air past. Needless to say it took a few hours to stop smoking and i had to clean out my intercooler and lower pipe, because oil got pushed past the turbo seal. I learned the hard way, :D Now i just park my car before if gets below freezing and leave it until spring. Other then that, a CC works great and keeps your intake and intercooler piping free from blow-by.

EDIT: I would ask some SRT-4 guys how they installed the CC, because if they leave the PCV valve close to the valve cover (almost defeats the purpose of the CC doing this) then when the CC freezes, it would have a place to breathe. also adding a crankcase vent to the valve cover would work for the winter...

[contraption22]

I have one on my SRT-4 Scott. Just a basic compressed air filter I got from Home Depot.

It does a nice job of keeping the oil from collecting in the intercooler.

There is really no worry of it freezing up and causing crankcase breathing issues. If it did happen, crankcase gasses would still be able to escape thru the airbox. 2.2/2.5 8V engines have only one place for gasses to go in or out, so it could be a problem as stated above.

[ScottD]

I saw the compressed air filter option. I was also looking at the BWoody can which is $50 but seems pretty compact and won't be too noticeable.

[A.J.]

I'm running a 2.2 turbo in a caravan and I built one out of pvc and some brass ends. I'm going to do a write up in the fabrication section because I don't want to hijack a srt-4 thread but.........I would not recommend running the can back to the oil pan to drain. I've had mine on for three months and drained it twice and all I've gotten out is yellow water. My air box still has a hint of oil but nothing like it use to be. My intercooler and pipes are now oil free. My intake is clean also.

A.J.

[slasky]

My SRT is stock and I do not run a catch can. After 26K my air box is still clean.

[A.J.]

I don't think the srt's are apt to get as much oil in the air boxes as the 2.2/2.5 motors. The 2.4 has two vents in the valve cover and the oil drains in the head/block in the back of the motor. The 2.2/2.5 have one vent in the valve cover and the oil drains in the head/block in the front of the motor. The oil pools up in the back of the head on acceleration and the blowby pushes the oil into the airbox, and we 2.2/2.5 owners have had trouble with oil in the air box since these were first built. But I bet your srt has more oil in your intake, intercooler, and i.c. plumbing than someone with the catch can.

A.J.

[contraption22]

My SRT is stock and I do not run a catch can. After 26K my air box is still clean.

Airbox will likely stay clean forever... have you pulled off your cold-side intercooler hose lately?

[slasky]

Airbox will likely stay clean forever... have you pulled off your cold-side intercooler hose lately?

That would require me to actually do some work on the car. I rarely ever even look under the hood. That is what car dealers are for. :)
I just consider my srt4 a daily driver. The last thing I want is another car to work on. The dealer does everything for me except tires; even oil changes.

[contraption22]

That would require me to actually do some work on the car. I rarely ever even look under the hood. That is what car dealers are for. :)
I just consider my srt4 a daily driver. The last thing I want is another car to work on. The dealer does everything for me except tires; even oil changes.

Did you actually buy this car, lease it, or rent it?

[slasky]

Did you actually buy this car, lease it, or rent it?
I bought it. The oil is changed every 3K with mobil 1 and all required maintenance is done on it. What else would you suggest?

[contraption22]

I bought it. The oil is changed every 3K with mobil 1 and all required maintenance is done on it. What else would you suggest?

I would check your intercooler hose to make sure there isn't a large deposit of oil in there. I looked thru the maintanance schedule, and that wasn't on it, however it is an issue.

[slasky]

I would check your intercooler hose to make sure there isn't a large deposit of oil in there. I looked thru the maintanance schedule, and that wasn't on it, however it is an issue.
Thanks. I have the tech check it out next week when it goes in for an oil change.

[Turbozcs2003]

Dont have one on my PT and never noticed any oil in the IC pumbing but the intake is different in the PT GT's.

[contraption22]

Dont have one on my PT and never noticed any oil in the IC pumbing but the intake is different in the PT GT's.

You most likely will not have the same problem with your PT. The SRT-4 system is designed in such a way that it sucks oil in right behind the throttle body. Oil then runs downhill and collects in the intercooler plumbing.

[ScottD]

Thanks for all the feedback on this. I think I am going to go ahead and get one of these.

[Turbozcs2003]

You most likely will not have the same problem with your PT. The SRT-4 system is designed in such a way that it sucks oil in right behind the throttle body. Oil then runs downhill and collects in the intercooler plumbing.

Exactly. The manifold is different and the TB is above the hose, so the oil doesnt get sucked in. I have had the TB off to clean and it wasnt too bad.

[stimpy23]

Ummm... don't tell no one, but, I plugged my pcv line, can't see it, and ran an extension tube from the end of the breather tube to way below the engine. It can blow by all it wants. No oil in the intake and no inert gasses recirculated into the intake. For the most part looks stock too. :eyebrows:

[WVRampage]

If you have welder and some 2.25 inch exhaust pipe and a few fittings from ace hardware you can make one fairly easy heres a pic of it on the rampage,it then runs into a evac port in the down pipe.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e75/wvrampage/DSCN4081.jpg

[overlordsshadow]

What do you use for those evac ports? I want to do this on both my baron and shadow.

[88_pacifica]

...on both my baron...

did you buy a lebaron??

[overlordsshadow]

yes, gtc

[WVRampage]

That are 1/4 NPT with street 90s and a a hose barb on the other end into 3/8 inch hose,I used an adapter on the back of the valve cover that our cars would normaly have with a small peice on line to conect them,then down the other side to a MR gasket evac system.