Catch Cans - Do They Really Do Anything Beneficial?

[Junkyard Dog]

Do catch cans actually help out cars?

Done incorrectly, they can actually increase oil consumption. I know this from the incorrect oil separator being installed by a shop on my Audi.

But is there a real benefit, not theoretical, but a tested and measured benefit against a control?

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[Frogdog1]

Do catch cans actually help out cars?

Done incorrectly, they can actually increase oil consumption. I know this from the incorrect oil separator being installed by a shop on my Audi.

But is there a real benefit, not theoretical, but a tested and measured benefit against a control?

Well, like my other thread said, I emptied mine out today of some gunk and my car uses no oil. It wasn't a lot of gunk but I don't want any gunk in my intake. That was my test. I'll be watching it and the car.

 

[robvas]

It will capture the water/oil vapor in the vacuum lines

How beneficial that is, is debatable

 

[Junkyard Dog]

It will capture the water/oil vapor in the vacuum lines

How beneficial that is, is debatable

Why should it be necessary or desirable to catch water rather than heating it to vapor and sending it out the tailpipe?

Oil vapor - well, is the catch can doing something desirable for the engine that the stock factory system does not already do or do better? If so, what? And how do we know?

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Well, like my other thread said, I emptied mine out today of some gunk and my car uses no oil. It wasn't a lot of gunk but I don't want any gunk in my intake. That was my test. I'll be watching it and the car.

My car does not use oil, either. No catch can.

I thought it was using a lot of oil, as it was a quart low, but since I ran a track day since then and miles and nothing, this was either Ford underfilling the oil at the factory or maybe the car burned oil initially until the rings seated (I tend to think Ford did not put in oil up to the fill line, though).

So is finding "some gunk" mean that this is a desirable add on for your engine? What is the gunk, and what would have happened to the gunk if you had left the system as Ford engineers designed it?

PS - I am not advocating against catch cans. I truly want to understand what benefit, if any, that they offer, and my experience with the oil separator done wrong tells me that there can certainly be a downside. Is there an upside, and, if so, what is it, and how do we know?

The marketing tells us this will prevent big black deposits on the top side of our intake valves.

Will it?

 

[Scrape]

Oil catch cans also has its negatives with water vapors during the cold months where it can blow out seals as well. Many people are not aware of this.

 

[robvas]

The marketing tells us this will prevent big black deposits on the top side of our intake valves.

Will it?

think about all the work trucks etc with Coyotes in them, do they not go 200k without catch cans? And all the crown Vic's etc with 4.6 before then?

also the Coyote has port and direct injection so the port injection keeps the backs of the valves clean just like before the Coyote had DI

it's a "feel better" mod and most of the stuff you collect isn't oil it's other shit so it makes it look like it's doing more than it is

 

[roket]

the idea is that they catch oil that would've gone from your crankcase to your intake, and that oil would've lowered the octane of fuel. the reality is that, unless you're doing something to increase crankcase pressure, like supercharging, this is a non-issue. the amount of oil is minuscule, and it won't contribute to carboned valves because of the port fuel injectors. i used one on my Mach 1 and it was bone dry every time i checked

 

[Zig]

My car does not use oil, either. No catch can.

I thought it was using a lot of oil, as it was a quart low, but since I ran a track day since then and miles and nothing, this was either Ford underfilling the oil at the factory or maybe the car burned oil initially until the rings seated (I tend to think Ford did not put in oil up to the fill line, though).

So is finding "some gunk" mean that this is a desirable add on for your engine? What is the gunk, and what would have happened to the gunk if you had left the system as Ford engineers designed it?

PS - I am not advocating against catch cans. I truly want to understand what benefit, if any, that they offer, and my experience with the oil separator done wrong tells me that there can certainly be a downside. Is there an upside, and, if so, what is it, and how do we know?

The marketing tells us this will prevent big black deposits on the top side of our intake valves.

Will it?

The gunk is most likely from condensation. Easy to verify if actually does anything by pulling the intake, no not that one the one that actually gets coated.

why is a pcv system used? What is better than a vacuum valve, baffling in the cover and even the block have also been used to slow the smog. But a proper catch can helps ensure you don’t start collecting in the intake but rather in an easily (relative) maintained can.

 

[Zig]

the idea is that they catch oil that would've gone from your crankcase to your intake, and that oil would've lowered the octane of fuel. the reality is that, unless you're doing something to increase crankcase pressure, like supercharging, this is a non-issue. the amount of oil is minuscule, and it won't contribute to carboned valves because of the port fuel injectors. i used one on my Mach 1 and it was bone dry every time i checked

Although some may argue heavy frequent engine braking might be different

 

[msquad]

FWIW, the "Track Use" section of my owner's manual does mention Catch Can. I've used catch can concepts on all my Harley motorcycles.

 

[roket]

FWIW, the "Track Use" section of my owner's manual does mention Catch Can. I've used catch can concepts on all my Harley motorcycles.

that is reused from the GT500, it was the only Mustang with an oil catch can that drained back into the valve cover

 

[Zig]

that is reused from the GT500, it was the only Mustang with an oil catch can that drained back into the valve cover

The page or the recommendation or the description?

 

[roket]

The page or the recommendation or the description?

both, but kinda neither too. Ford reused a lot of stuff, but added some new wording too. here is the section on catch cans from the 2021 GT500 owner's manual

 

[msquad]

..."self drain feature" - the current Ford catch can videos I have seen for the current Mustangs don't seem to self drain. In the vids I have watched, they open the top of the catch can and use a paper towel to remove the contents.

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