PCV Oil Catch Can install M37x

[mikedamageinc]

Hopefully everyone knows why already and I know a few have already done this but since I just recently purchased this 2012 M37x, I thought this is a good place to start since this is a must for me on any car. There really isn't a good place to mount these anywhere especially if you don't want to take a lot of time whenever you drain them. I mounted the one on my previous G35 in front of the power steering reservoir but the dual intakes on the newer ones makes things difficult. I ended up mounting them in front of the engine down low so it would be easy to drain. I wanted to install brass fittings and a valve like I did on my other car that I used a Mike Norris can (very high quality, uses standard pipe fittings but expensive), but the ebay cans use a bolt thread or something.

--I started with a pair of the cheapest catch cans on ebay, $15 each with free shipping, lots of colors, I chose black.



--Picked up a 3 pack of copper scouring pads from the big box dept store and unrolled them to use as a filter. Carefully pushed one in each can with a torx screwdriver. I cut the third one in half, got all the loose pieces off and then shoved each in one can.








--Took the fittings off and cleaned with alcohol, then applied some RTV sealant and tightened everything back (throw away the crap gaskets that come with the cans).

--Found a scrap stamped steel bar in my garage, drilled holes in the ends and in the frame right in front of the sway mounts, tapped for some m10 screws. Drilled holes in the bar for the brackets that come with the cans and screwed the min with some loctite, used the included clamps for mounting.

--Removed the factory PVC tubes and picked up about 13' of 3/8" transmission line, half the cost of oil cooler line and lasts a long time. I've tried fuel line and others in the past but they break down over time.




--Driver side/Passenger side where the hose curves to go into the PCV valve. Not very noticeable and I didn't want to notch the engine cover.

[Debonair]

It took me a few minutes to realize that the pictures are taken looking down on the cans. Nice work and write-up!

[Ilya]

Why the need for the filter? All the catch cans I've seen are just an empty container.

Adding this to the FAQ.

[Mjkkb2]

I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.

good article here http://oilcatchcan.com/ for those like me that said (huh?) when they first saw the write up.
also explains why the wire mesh.

[mikedamageinc]

The filters probably aren't necessary, but I think it is better. The nicer ones usually have some sort of screen thing so I think something is better than nothing. I need to change the oil soon so I'll try to remember to get some pics from the bottom!

--Also I'd like to add that its a good idea to test the air seals when it is all dry and closed up. Just put a finger over one fitting and blow through the other and see if it leaks. The plastic sight tube wasn't seated just right and I just had to tweak it. On one of my other vehicles I swapped out the plastic fittings for brass ones from the hardware store. I'll get some pics of my other setups too.

[mikedamageinc]

Here are some pics from my old G sedan and Toyota Land Cruiser along with the wrappers from the better tube elbows and oil resistant thread tape.

[rsilva800]

Great write up!
Thanks for sharing.

Rob

[mikedamageinc]

***UPDATE*** Don't use copper pot scrubber, it flakes apart and potentially could get in you engine and cause damage (doubtful, but could happen). Use stainless pot scrubber instead.

I thought that I had gone back and edited this a long time ago but I guess not!

[mikedamageinc]

********ANOTHER UPDATE!!!!!!!!*********

While experimenting on my Camaro trying to reduce oil consumption since that is my track car, I've been looking at different setups and decided to put a can on the "clean" side (throttle body to valve cover or on the M37 I think it is intake tube to valve cover). Under extended WOT, the system will reverse flow and without a catch can on the clean side, it can get oil in that direction. It may not be necessary for a daily driver but if you stomp on it a lot or do hard highway runs, it could be useful. Definitely wouldn't hurt on an autox or track car.

So the new discovery I made was that the aluminum blocks that the hose fittings screw into neck down to a tiny passage. I didn't take any pics but it is about 3/16". Way smaller than the standard 3/8" hose that is used. Now a lot of the standard fittings aren't 3/8" all the way thru, but at a minimum they are 1/4" and the aluminum passages can be drilled out to that. Also the brass fittings when screwed all the way in will also slightly block the passage allowing even less air to pass thru. So the best best is to tighten the brass fittings down all the way and then drill thru the aluminum passage with !/4" bit, watching to also go thru the brass fitting on one side. Put the block in a vice and keep your drill steady so it doesn't go the wrong angle, or use a drill press if you have one. Watch thru the brass fitting so you can see the bit come thru and then stop! Clean out the shavings really well so they don't end up in your engine.

All this creates a lot of extra work and after all of this I would have rather spent $100 on the Mike Norris can (and still stuff it with stainless pot scrubber). But if you have more time than money and you like tinkering, then listed in this whole thread is everything you need to make the ebay can work well. Also throw away the blue/clear vinyl hose that comes with it, I used it for a drain hose and it sucked for that too. It got stiff and cracked, just use transmission hose.