What is a Catch Can used for?

[Weapon_R]

I have been seeing of some people using these quite a bit, but I can't find their purpose. Anyone know what these are used for, and why?

[2000impreza]

to catch blow by oil so it doesn't get into the intake system and burnt up by the engine. .

[Toma]

There are various ones for various things....its kind of a generic term....

You can use it as an overflow for your rad.

You an use it as an oil separator for your PCV or Crank case breathers..... If you have aPCV that is plumbed between your "crankcase" and your intake manifold, you will sometimes get oil into the intake, that can cause smoking and get everything dirty inside. So you plumb an oil separator in between.

The other scenario is when you run a just a K&N filter on your PCV or valve cover. Often (worse when boosted) you blow oil everywhere through it, so instead of the filter, you run a line into a catch can that has a filter on top of it as your breather. Any oil deposits in the container (you just drain it on occasion).

Toma

[General_T]

I had one custom built to prevent oil vapors condensing in my intercooler. I drain it once a month on my neighbor’s driveway.

[2000impreza]

hahaha. thats funny. i made my own too... out of home depo plumbing parts... and a ricer apc breather to vent the vapors out of the can.

[choweyt3t4]

i had one too - some fuel line and a plastic pepsi bottle

[darknight]

Heres a little write up I found of catch cans....

"Oil catch can

Here is something everyone should have. All the blow by from your crank case is normally routed into your intake tract or intake piping. Although K&N offers small filters for the crankcase breather I highly recommend an oil catch can. Although Cusco makes a very nice polished one for about $100, any can will do with a hose leading to the crankcase breather. This will keep your throttle body and intake manifold cleaner and help with emmissions. Many people who fail emmissions should try cleaning their throttle body and intake manifold as far as they can reach before going in for testing again. Often times this is the reason for emmissions failure. "

[CLiVE]

Just buy a $3 fuel filter from Cdn tire. Basically an enclosed breather filter, the oil will gather in the bottom and then you can either replace the filter, or empty it out.

See the attached pic..

This was DSM power's idea. He wrote the vfaq..Hope you don't mind me letting others in on your secret....

[Hollywood]

Mine comes stock.

[Toma]

Originally posted by memystealthandi


This was DSM power's idea. He wrote the vfaq..Hope you don't mind me letting others in on your secret....

LOL....secret??? That's been around for as long they have been making fuel filters .....

[CLiVE]

Originally posted by Toma


LOL....secret??? That's been around for as long they have been making fuel filters .....

Well I guess you had to be there...

long story.

[DSM Power]

Ha ha, the only secret is spending $3 instead of $100!