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Catch Can/ Oil Separator.. anyone using one..?

17K views 113 replies 28 participants last post by  KonaGT12 
#1 ·
Anyone using an oil catch can in there Mustang....?

A small amount of the combustion gases pass the pistons into the crankcase, (blow-by). Using a "catch can" can help prevent carbon deposits, gunk, and reduce the likelihood of knock and pre-ignition by removing oil contaminants introduced in the intake. Or so they say. I have also heard you get more "blow-by" when you run your engine hard, verses a person who drives there car in a moderate manner...
 
#2 ·
Simple answer, yes. I mostly run my car on the street, nothing crazy. Occasional visits to the track and I get a good 2-3 ounces of oil in my catch can every oil change.

The one I have is from Bob's auto sports, and 100% agree with all of the good reviews. I only run mine on the passenger side though.
 
#15 ·
Nice thing about the JLT, is that you can install in about 2 minutes, its done and looks pretty good. Although a I haven't seen it up close, a person might add some media in the chamber to help condense and capture all the liquids...(?)...!
 
#5 ·
I guess its time to check it out and get it installed..

I'm going to be driving it hard this summer, so I better do what I can to keep the motor clean.. and make it run longer

thanks, everyone...
 
#6 ·
No reason to spend big bucks on one, unless you like shiny ones. You can make your own by heading to any hardware store, and buying a small water collector used with air compressors. Tee it into the existing crankcase line that's there now.
 
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#7 ·
Right..!

I was thinking about putting the JLT on the passenger side and a smaller catch can made with your suggestion on the drivers side. I kind of feel like, spending $280.00 doing both sides with the JLT, is a bit high... And the drivers side, produces much less blow-by. At least from what I understand..I'm still contemplating my design/install. This should be an economical modification. ( I think..) :popcorn:

Everyone seems to be getting varying results, because of driving styles, humidity, high/low milage, brand of oils, motor design, etc, etc.... Some people are getting more thru daily driving, others are getting more when there car is under heavier acceleration. :blink:
 
#9 ·
I've used JLT oil separators on multiple vehicles with no issues...maybe the data logs you've seen are from improper installation? Don't know...just realize that most oil separators are very close in their performance. Pick what you like and what you think looks good on your car...any oil separator is better than nothing.
 
#18 ·
Just for the sake of discussion, how do you know you have no issues? Have the vehicles been datalogged? Dont take that as a personal attack, we're just clarifying what "without issue" means.

On a separate note, the irony is that it's almost impossible to prove the "effectiveness" of a catch can. Just because there is some oil in the can, we really have no way of knowing how much oil has passed through the system :shrug::shrug:
 
#13 ·
If you have a vapor, and you want to remove the liquid in it, you must condense it somehow...
I think a longer hose might help, but whats in the can "itself" is important too.. some of the cheaper deigns have a clear hose. At first I thought this was bad, but you can see thru the hose and see if any oil was being brought down the line past the can, after the separation occurred... A clear hose might be good for proving a design. then you could change it back to a OEM style hose later..:cool:
 
#64 · (Edited)
:thumb:

With a S/C while drag racing or road course racing (especially road course racing) you will collect A LOT of oil in the catch can in a relatively short period of time. The engineers expected the oil, so I'm not sure it really "damages" the engine if everything else if functioning properly (computer is metering fuel/air ratio properly and ignition is functioning properly and spark plugs are in good shape), but I'm sure it's not helping to have that oil run through the cylinders.

Driver's side and passenger's side (passenger for GT350's)

Ford Racing units....factory install results. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2mAnvTOw_s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb_MR5pyayQ
 
#19 · (Edited)
I used a UPR plug-n-play system on my old 14 TrakPak, had it data logged more than once without any sign of vacuum leak.
I'm using a UPR Plug-n-play for my 16 Silverado, a modified RX Speed Works on my Mini Cooper S and hopefully a modified RX for my ATS-V. The last two cars are single and double turbos so the catch cans are a little different because of boost vs. non boost.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Good video, in the end its JUST a catch can.

This subject of upr vs jlt vs blah blah blah has been covered before to death. Do they all remove amounts of oil, yes, do they all work in the same way, yes, does one brand remove more oil than the other brand, the amounts look identical.
Any catch can is better then no can at all, hell some people just make their own!

LG G4
 
#27 ·
Fwiw, is just had my car datalogged since a new tune went in and I have a JLT catch can on pass side. I was told (VMP) that the data log looks good. I will point out however that when I installed the high flow elbow on the SC there was a small amount of oil on the floor of SC inlet so oil does get in. Maybe from drivers side? I occasionally floor it but it's a DD so mostly fun on on-ramps to highways.
 
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#32 ·
Just pulled the fitting at the SC from the catch can and looked in the end, there's trace oil in there. Swabbed it with a q tip and the inlet into the SC and there's a very small amount there too. I've never had more than a couple TBSP of oil in the catch can b/c I check it fairly regularly. It definitely catches oil! Had it on the car shortly after purchase and it was constantly 1-2 TBSP oil in it. After 5k miles +\- it became less.
 

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#33 ·
Have you ever tried putting some media in the catch-can..?

Checking it after a test run of XXX miles. Of course, you would have to start with a clean hose, to make your testing accurate..
 
#34 · (Edited)
I am running the Moroso oil separator on the passenger side only. I do like shiny things. :grin: it collects about 2 tbsp every 1000 miles without a Supercharger. Easy to empty. Works very well could not be happier.
 

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#38 ·
I am running the Moroso oil separator on the passenger side only. I do like shiny things.
it collects about 2 tbsp every 1000 miles without a Supercharger. Easy to empty. Works very well could not be happier.
I like the way you have it installed, looks functional.
 
#37 ·
Quite a few Mini guys swear by the RX system and I'll get a chance to see how well it works for myself.
On my 2016 Silverado the clean side OE system was pretty much bone dry although the dirty side was wet with oil. Again the RX system can use one can to do both sides although on mine since the clean side showed almost no signs of oil I used the single valve system. On the ATS-V it's a little different with the twin turbos...these guys seem to very up on the GM and Ford boosted cars/trucks...IMHO
 
#40 ·
You do NOT need two catch cans. The drivers side (side that connects to the air cleaner tube/box) is where the crankcase system draws in the air. The passenger side is where the oil mist is drawn from the engine and routed to the intake to be burned. it is this passenger side that needs the catch can.

Some folks have plugged the drivers side, and simply install a small filter and insert it onto the cover over the valve assembly (I refrain from using the term "valve cover" on these engines).
 
#42 ·
Very clean. Now, this is being nit picky, but ideally the slope of the system would be towards the valve cover, that way any oil that condenses in the lines is promoted to flow back into the valve cover. The slope of your system is towards your supercharger (unless it's the angle of the picture), so any oil vapors that happen to make it past the can are promoted to flow that way.

Again, being nit picky, but something to look into.
 
#45 ·
Thanks Voltwings!
 
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