Making my own catch can / oil water seperator (couple Q's)

[nelson8708]

I am going to make my own catch can and i am trying to decide weather to use stainless steel SOS pad or a plastic SOS pad for the filter inside to catch the oil vapors. After searching for a little bit is seems that most are using the plastic sos pads instead of the SS ones. Is there any reason for this? I would think you want the SS pads......will the plastic ones take the heat (if there is any in the oil vapor/air passing through them)? I plan on putting some screen mesh on the inside so if the pad were to break down i wouldn't have to worry about it getting through the hose and into the turbo.

Thanks-Nelson

[240RB1]

i did something like this but on my convertibles dual cam oil was getting into the manifold so i replaced the pcv valve and stuffed a sos pad in the breather seperator box and guess what? The intake is still getting oil pooled in the lower protion

If you do get these get the stainless steel ones go to wal-mart and get the ones that are made by chore boy they come in packs of two and say that they will not rust and will not break into pieces. little blue box with a dude on the front

[480sx]

Not really a good idea with the SOS pad. The fact that theres a chance for that to come through the pipe, even with the mesh that you plan on putting makes it dangerous.

Anyway, you can get a separator from Napa for like 20-30 bucks and they work fine.

Another way of doing it is just simply creating a maze that the air has to travel around. A plate in between the vac source and the crank case. I cant think of the exact word for it right now..

This plate will be the first thing the air hits, and the oil/gas will stick to it and drop down.

[nelson8708]

The plate thing gives me a idea....I plan on doing the same thing this guy did....

http://www.y8s.com/celica_gone/air-oil/

I will take a piece of sheet metal and drill small holes in it instead of using the mesh screen. If stuff the screen was that likely to come apart i would be worried about the screen in my z32 mafs also.

I was also wondering if i should run my vc breather and my crank case to the catch can then to the turbo intake or just the vc breather and leave the crank case setup stock to the intake manifold?

EDIT:wow....nico was quick to put up the christmas decorations

[Chris28]

What is a baffle. I'll take Countries for 500 please.

Since we are on the topic of catch cans, do some people have a hose on the bottom of the catch can that runs back to the oil pan? Just so you didn't have to empty it ever, it would just recirculate the oil back to the pan.

[nelson8708]

What is a baffle. I'll take Countries for 500 please.

Since we are on the topic of catch cans, do some people have a hose on the bottom of the catch can that runs back to the oil pan? Just so you didn't have to empty it ever, it would just recirculate the oil back to the pan.

I dont know if thats a good idea because its not just oil vapors that get captured....all the gases from combustion get through there too. That would get mixed in with your oil. I dont have that bad of blow by to worry about it....this is a ka not a ca

Buddies catch can is filled after every event he goes to.....

[240RB1]

i made one right after i read this i went to lowes and spent about 20bucks and i now have my very own catch can.i am gonna install it in between the stock pcv system and the intake since i have bad blowby

[480sx]

Nelson, a PCV setup when functioning properly shouldnt see any oil at all. I know mine didnt, but it saw its fair share of black gas when i had blown injector drivers(which is what you want). Doesnt mater that some oil would mix with gas, they would still drain right out.

Your buddy has other issues that were causing excessive blowby to create that situation.

Honestly the best mix is to have your valve cover breather hooked up to a catch can, then to your turbo intake. Then have your PCV valve set up like this. PCV valve ---> Catch Can --->McMaster check valve ---> Stock goofy 1-4 rail --> Intake manifold. This gives you the best of both worlds with a PCV setup.

Another good way is to take your PCV valve and rout it directly to your exhaust using the venturi vacuum effect. Still have your catch can connected to the valve cover and pre turbo.

What is a baffle. I'll take Countries for 500 please.

Lol

This country's residents drive on the left side of the road, and houseD one of the most dangerous and violent terrorlst organizations in the world.

[nelson8708]

I have a sohc so no goofy 1-4 rail. I plan on doing that first setup you said though. Thanks for the info.

[240sxvaj]

The plate thing gives me a idea....I plan on doing the same thing this guy did....

http://www.y8s.com/celica_gone/air-oil/

I will take a piece of sheet metal and drill small holes in it instead of using the mesh screen. If stuff the screen was that likely to come apart i would be worried about the screen in my z32 mafs also.

I was also wondering if i should run my vc breather and my crank case to the catch can then to the turbo intake or just the vc breather and leave the crank case setup stock to the intake manifold?

zer...et-up

save yourself some time and go to Homedepot. these are proven to work fine, the air/water separator is for air compressor but can handle the heat and blowby gas. plus at HD they only cost max of 20 bucks, better than trying to make one yourself and risking some of the sos getting into your engine.

[nelson8708]

Looks good but, the hose would have to be pretty small to fit those barbed fittings. I used some SS scubber sponge things instead of the plastic ones. Couple coats of paint and it should be good. The fittings on mine are 1/2 ID.



I am going to run them like so:
Modified by nelson8708 at 8:41 PM 11/30/2008

[kouki_hmongster]

Looks good but, the hose would have to be pretty small to fit those barbed fittings. I used some SS scubber sponge things instead of the plastic ones. Couple coats of paint and it should be good. The fittings on mine are 1/2 ID.

Modified by nelson8708 at 8:41 PM 11/30/2008

The hose is perfect for the set-up that i came up with. the barb fitting was made to fit 3/8" hose which is the standard size for the ka24de blowby line. plus i wouldnt know how you're suppose to put the 1/2" hose on the pcv vavle? maybe the vavle cover to turbo intake pipe but i doubt it will fit the stock pcv valve to intake manifold side.

plus if you get the one that i have you can tell whenever your catching blowby and you can empty it by just turning the little release nipple. let us know how it works.

[nelson8708]

I have a bolt in the bottom of the cans for the drain. Would be nice to see when it starts collecting oil though. I will probably pop the drain or the top cap off after a few tanks of gas and see whats going on. Just measured the fittings and turns out they a 1/2" O.D....i took the fitting off my valve cover and they match up. So it should be fine. Hose clamp FTW