Ok, so this was mentioned on a previous thread about burning oil and such. Research shows that this mod is a must have for a DI engine. It looks pretty straightforward and easy to install; main thing is finding a suitable location for the can and coming up with a mounting bracket, with easy access to service/drain it without a lot of trouble. RX Speedworks and Elite Engineering sell quality kits, but there are also several good quality cans on Ebay, Amazon, etc. for a lot less money. I am looking for one that actually separates and filters the oil, as opposed to just a can by itself. Since there are two PCV valves, I was wondering if I can "T" both valves into one hose going into the can and "T" back out into two hoses going to each side of the intake...or if I should have one smaller can for each side. As much as these engines seem to use oil, I am thinking two cans but one larger can may be ok.

Thoughts?

Curious about this and how you end up doing your setup.

If you tee both hoses together you will need to use larger fittings to make sure the same air volume is going through it. I used two cans just to keep the separate but not much gets trapped so you're probably good with one can as far as oil accumulation. Also you need to make sure the ebay cans are completely sealed, I had to use a little rtv on mine to prevent vacuum leaks. I also used brillo pads for extra filtering, my writeup is in the faq. Also I since have found stainless brillo pads which don't seem to break off pieces as bad as the copper.

mikedamageinc wrote:If you tee both hoses together you will need to use larger fittings to make sure the same air volume is going through it. I used two cans just to keep the separate but not much gets trapped so you're probably good with one can as far as oil accumulation. Also you need to make sure the ebay cans are completely sealed, I had to use a little rtv on mine to prevent vacuum leaks. I also used brillo pads for extra filtering, my writeup is in the faq. Also I since have found stainless brillo pads which don't seem to break off pieces as bad as the copper.

Hey thanks for the write up, didn't think to check the FAQ's. Looks great! Yeah after thinking about it, I'd rather use two cans so that I maintain the same hose ID...definitely a sealed system I agree. I am watching a few styles on Ebay, they have a diffuser system that allows you to add filter media like you did. I am looking to mount mine near the back firewall; there seems to be plenty of room. I have access to a machine shop/sheet metal shop at work where I can fabricate mounting brackets. Hardest thing is finding one I like.

Ok, so they don't make a specific can for the VK56VD, so after researching several forums and looking at several types of cans, I decided to get this one from ebay, two for $200:



This can is for a Camaro L99/LS3 engine, which is comparable in size and HP to ours. I also decided to run two separate cans instead of teeing the PCV valves into one can, so I bought two of them. The kit I bought came with enough hose, fittings and drain valve. This is a high quality Billet Technologies machined aluminum can that diffuses and filters the air. The hose fittings are heat resistant painted aluminum fittings. It screws apart so that you can dump/clean the oil and also has a drain port to install a drain valve if you want to run a hose and empty the can that way. The hose fittings are 3/8" id, same as the stock ones. The diffuser is reversible so that you can swap the inlet and outlet ports if need be. I ended up having to do this with one can because the passenger side PCV valve is mounted on the inside of the valve cover and the driver's side is on the outside of the valve cover, so they are both angled towards the driver's side. I did have to buy 90 degree street elbows so that I could mount the drain valve horizontal, to save space:


Basically you can start by following the procedure for PCV valve replacement already in the FAQ's section. However, other than the engine cover, I only unhooked this unit from the bracket, to make it easier to get to the passenger side intake hose fitting:


I didn't loosen the intake hoses or anything else. I removed the valves and checked them for proper function. I ran degreaser through them anyway and reinstalled them. I found the perfect location for both cans at the back of the firewall. The Camaro mounting bracket worked great - all I had to do was drill a 1/4" hole to secure it with a 3/4" SS bolt and lock nut...passenger side:


driver's side:


I used a 1/4" wood boring spade bit because the holes had to be drilled at an angle, and that type bit won't try and drift from the hole location:


Then it's just a matter of connecting the hoses. PCV valve to the inlet side of the can, and outlet side to the intake:


For now, I don't have anything after the drain valve. Not sure if I can run hoses back to the sump, or just drain the oil occasionally and add it back to the crankcase that way.

Engine cover fits with no modification:


I kept the original hoses in case I decide to swap back. Only thing to do now is document the miles and see how much oil I will end up collecting. based on what I've read, for normal driving it'll probably be a minimal amount, but if you run WOT or redline a lot, it'll be a noticeable amount. I am at 3000 miles since last oil change (0W40). So far based on my driving habit, which is occasional WOT/redline and mostly a normal/slightly aggressive pattern, I've added 1-3/8 quarts.

Nice! Adding to the FAQ.

looks good

Just to confirm...you ran stock hose > inlet > outlet > PCV valve. Right? That's the only way I can think of this working but I don't know if it's just because I woke up or what but needed to clarify lol. Might do this sooner than later.

Actually I believe the stock hose is metric (9mm), but the 3/8" id hose that came with the kit is within 0.020" which is close enough. Current connection is PCV > intake. You are installing the can between the two. So, the new connection is PCV > inlet side, then outlet side > intake. The oil/air mixture enters the can and gets filtered, then the oil collects in the bottom of the can while the clean air exits to the intake.

That confused me more...lol.

So you're saying that PCV valves are just floating freely with two hoses (in and out) attached to it? The intake has a threaded port for the PCV valve...how did you connect the outlet hose to that?

What I was thinking of doing when I do this is taking the hose off the PCV valve, running it to the inlet and then taking another hose from the outlet and running that to the PCV valve that is still threaded into the intake manifold.

No he's not saying he moved the physical location of the PCV valve. It's still threaded into the valve cover. It's just a tub running from the PCV valve to the intake on catch can, tube from outlet on catch can to original air induction system connection.

ArmedAviator wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:35 am

No he's not saying he moved the physical location of the PCV valve. It's still threaded into the valve cover. It's just a tub running from the PCV valve to the intake on catch can, tube from outlet on catch can to original air induction system connection.

Gotcha...okay, so what I was initially thinking. Might have confused him with my first question and then proceeded to confuse myself and maybe him again later lol.

Update: Ok, so I now have 235 miles since I installed the cans. Mostly normal driving except for today. Just out of curiosity, after racing an Audi S5 today after work for a few miles in traffic, I wanted to see if any oil collected from the few WOT's and redlines during this sprint. Hey I drained about a teaspoon from each can:


So, I can only imagine how much there will be after 5000 miles...

Hmm this just moved up my list. I'm at WOT daily lol.

I really don't know how much of that came from the one sprint with the S5. I'm sure it was most of it though.

So now I'm at 735 miles since I installed the cans...I collected 1-1/2 tablespoons this time from each one:


This is 500 miles since I collected a teaspoon from each last time. No sprints this time; just a few highway WOT's here and there and a few triple digit mph's.

Dang, that's a lot.

Ilya wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2017 12:13 pm

Dang, that's a lot.

Yea I am sure that is where 95% of the oil my car uses goes. 1 qt every 1,500-2,000 miles for me like clock work. My Titan would have a pint of fluid in the catch can every 1,000 miles.

dang lol

Ok I hit 80K miles a little while ago, so I decided to switch back to 5W30 Mobil 1 synthetic. I hit 81K today, so I checked the cans. Looks like I'm collecting about the same amount every 1000 miles (compared to 0W40), about 3 tablespoons from both cans when driving a normal to slightly aggressive pattern, mostly highway and interstate driving back and forth to work.

OK, let me ask this. I understand the need and importance of collecting this oil before it gets any further, but do you add this oil back into the engine? or just add new oil when you've removed about a quart from these tanks? I have the HR 6 cyl engine and my dip stick never shows any significant oil loss between changes, but I might add this to my car just to have an more accurate way to monitor any future oil consumption.

I can't speak for the HR V6, but I don't think excess oil blow by is an issue with that engine...not sure about the 3.7. If you're not showing any major oil consumption then I wouldn't worry about installing catch cans. This is a known issue with the 5.6 in particular, being direct injected. Yes I dump it back in, but remember the cans are catching excess oil blow by, not all of it. Unfortunately the 5.6 is going to burn some oil.

I installed them in my M37 in late July. I've only got a hair over 500 miles since then and I think I only have like half a teaspoon in each of them...

I don't add it back because it is too much of a pain for just a little bit. Plus if it needs it, I'd rather add clean oil.

Nice right up on catch cans for the M56!! I will be doing this mod soon, as I also use between 1-2 quarts every 3,000 miles!! I would rather catch it than burn it!! Which Army brat advised me to do!! Possibly the reason my bank one catalyst is going bad!! Also better for the plugs and the O2 sensors!! Thanks guys!!!

Question: I understand you attached the cans to the PCV line but there is another hose coming off the crankcase running into the intake just before the throttle body. I was looking at it this morning while planning my mod and noticed that it too has oil residue in it. Much less than the PCV valve but enough to have me considering running a can on those lines as well. That would be a total of four cans. Thoughts?

The green dots below are the PCV line that you modded, the blue dot is the one I'm questioning.



This is the passenger side showing where that line enters the intake.

Still have this on my list of mods...curious what comes of that blue hose.

Pimperish1 wrote: ↑

Wed May 02, 2018 6:58 am

Question: I understand you attached the cans to the PCV line but there is another hose coming off the crankcase running into the intake just before the throttle body. I was looking at it this morning while planning my mod and noticed that it too has oil residue in it. Much less than the PCV valve but enough to have me considering running a can on those lines as well. That would be a total of four cans. Thoughts?

The green dots below are the PCV line that you modded, the blue dot is the one I'm questioning.



This is the passenger side showing where that line enters the intake.

Yes that is also a gas blow by hose. (according to the exploded parts list image on the estore website) It's just fed in before the throttle body on each side. Not sure what the extra blow by hose is for. I looked at those too but like you, I really didn't see much oil residue either. It may be worth a try. Space for the extra cans may be an issue though, so I may install "T" fittings on the inlet and outlet sides of the can, and run new hoses to and from the secondary ports. I know how much I collect, so any increase over the same time period will be noticeable. I know some blow by is necessary for proper DI engine valve guide rod lubrication, while the HC and CO gasses are burned and pass through the exhaust as per emission regulations.

Ilya wrote: ↑

Wed May 02, 2018 11:50 am

Still have this on my list of mods...curious what comes of that blue hose.

I took my intake hoses off last week for throttle body inspection. I didn't notice any oil or gunk around the inside of the throttle bodies or around the butterfly area, which would be indicative of excess oil laden blow by. It was actually pretty clean. I'm thinking that those hoses help pull the HC and CO gasses out of the crankcase by using fresh air from the intake hoses, sort of like exhaust scavenging, vs the PCV line which is a closed loop vacuum set up.

Any idea on the efficiency of the catch cans? Without the baffle I know for sure it can't be 100% (oil caught). But with the baffle I'm curious how much will get by to satisfy the lubrication requirements for the valve guides. Given the trace amounts of oil in the "blue" hose my guess is the gases routed through the PCV valve are primarily responsible for this lubrication. I don't want to scrub too much oil and end up harming my engine. Thoughts?