Makeshift Oil Catch Can

[Bobalude]

Originally Posted by andy2434

I drove a total of 24.1 miles, today. This was half/half mileage to and from work. As soon as I got home, I checked the catch bowl. There was a good 2 to 3 drops of oil sitting at the bottom of the bowl. Now, I am wondering how much oil vapor got passed through this set-up.

not the most efficient way, but if you are really curious you can try extending the hose length of the system and use two filter things, one higher up the line and one a bit spaced away and compare the difference collected from the first and the second to get a gauge of how much passes by the first.

[Andy2434]

Originally Posted by Bobalude

not the most efficient way, but if you are really curious you can try extending the hose length of the system and use two filter things, one higher up the line and one a bit spaced away and compare the difference collected from the first and the second to get a gauge of how much passes by the first.

Hey, it may not be the most efficient way, but it works. I mean it could extend beyond 2 catch bowls, but this would work for the fun and curiosity sake of it. Thank you for you productive comments.

[g35rcr]

Ok so I made the same setup as Andy...after 2 days of driving there was oil in the filter...it was not even a 10th of an ounce...it was like 5 drops from an eye dropper...

[Glex25]

I have complained to the dealer before about always needing a Quart of oil in between oil changes and they have always said it was normal.
So Andy i followed your instructions to a T to see if this is where my oil is going.
I drove the car for a few pushing it here and there to see how much oil the oil catcher would catch using the different driving methods.
Here are my results I installed it as soon as i got out of work which was 5:30PM and now its 9:10PM and i have driven about 25 Miles or so.
The pictures say it all.


One question though Andy does yours make a kind of sucking sound on the end that is not connected to the lower plenum(Manifold maybe).
I might take out that white part if it might be too restrictive.

[SFG356MT]

Looks simple enough of a mod. Thanks for the posting Andy.

[G35_TX]

That looks like a bit too much for just 25 miles. I drive like 100 miles a day so I will see on mine. This will be interesting.

Originally Posted by Glex25

I have complained to the dealer before about always needing a Quart of oil in between oil changes and they have always said it was normal.
So Andy i followed your instructions to a T to see if this is where my oil is going.
I drove the car for a few pushing it here and there to see how much oil the oil catcher would catch using the different driving methods.
Here are my results I installed it as soon as i got out of work which was 5:30PM and now its 9:10PM and i have driven about 25 Miles or so.
The pictures say it all.


One question though Andy does yours make a kind of sucking sound on the end that is not connected to the lower plenum(Manifold maybe).
I might take out that white part if it might be too restrictive.

[Andy2434]

Okay . . . I drove some 24.1 miles yesterday and the catch bowl had a few drops of oil at the bottom. This afternoon I went shopping for a few goodies to enhance this mod a bit more. I will post pics tomorrow evening. In any event, I pushed the G this afternoon. When entering the freeway on ramps, I floored it. No, no, no, . . . I never went over 70 mph. I just got there really fast. It was a spirited 37.8 miles and this is what I found at the bottom of the bowl.



Then I poured the oil out into a plastic spoon to give everyone a better idea. Sorry about the picture quality.



This amount of oil accumulated at the bottom of the bowl after a total of 61.9 miles. The inside diameter of the bowl is 1".

[Glex25]

Yeah thats how much mine has accumulated.

now about the white filter did you remove it?

Are you hearing sucking noise when the car is running and you open the hood?

I'm thinking of throwing that oil back into the engine if its going to be like that what you think?

Andy can you get in contact with me thru AIM?

[Andy2434]

Originally Posted by Glex25

I have complained to the dealer before about always needing a Quart of oil in between oil changes and they have always said it was normal.
So Andy i followed your instructions to a T to see if this is where my oil is going.
I drove the car for a few pushing it here and there to see how much oil the oil catcher would catch using the different driving methods.
Here are my results I installed it as soon as i got out of work which was 5:30PM and now its 9:10PM and i have driven about 25 Miles or so.
The pictures say it all.


One question though Andy does yours make a kind of sucking sound on the end that is not connected to the lower plenum(Manifold maybe).
I might take out that white part if it might be too restrictive.

Alan,

No, I have not notice a sucking sound. However, as you mentioned, I have removed the white filtering element. Man, a few drops of oil yesterday . . . I was driving very conservative. I mean, how fast can one drive in the S.F. Financial area. However, I remember GEE PASTA saying that the oil deposits would get worst if the car is driven harder. Sooooo, I drove it much harder and . . . Well, you see the results.

Tomorrow, I will remove this current set-up and fabricate a stainless steel bracket of sorts to hold the oil catch bowl assembly . . . Along with a few other changes. I want to dress up the installation a bit.

[Andy2434]

Originally Posted by Glex25

Yeah thats how much mine has accumulated.

now about the white filter did you remove it?

Are you hearing sucking noise when the car is running and you open the hood?

I'm thinking of throwing that oil back into the engine if its going to be like that what you think?

Andy can you get in contact with me thru AIM?

Glex25,

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of instant message platforms . . . And as such, my rig is not set up for it. PM me, if you like.

I think you and Alan may be experiencing the same so called "Sucking" sound. Try removing the white filter element, as DaveO had suggested. This may remedy the sound and definitely free up the flow of things.

Hmmm . . . Recycling the oil? I would rather just pour it out. That stuff is not really good any more. Example . . . I just recently change my engine oil some 500 miles ago. The oil on the dip stick is very clean and clear and that stuff at the bottom of the catch bowl is fowl looking. I would not want to mix that sludge with my clean oil. Chances are that sludge is not very good for your engine or your existing oil.

[Msedanman]

Great mod, guys. Kudos to Dennis, Dave, and Andy for doing much of the leg work on this.

Colin.

[Andy2434]

Alan & Glex25,

With regard to the "Sucking" noise, please check the 2 hoses on either side of the catch bowl . . . And see if either hose has collapsed inwardly, if you will. Perhaps, there might be enough "negative pressure acting on one the hoses and thus craeting the sound which you are hearing. I'm thinkign if this is the case, it might be the hose connected to the PCV. Hmmm . . . If that is the case . . . Perhaps, a fuel injection hose of sorts might be better suited.

[DaveO]

Originally Posted by andy2434

Alan & Glex25,

With regard to the "Sucking" noise, please check the 2 hoses on either side of the catch bowl . . . And see if either hose has collapsed inwardly, if you will. Perhaps, there might be enough "negative pressure acting on one the hoses and thus craeting the sound which you are hearing. I'm thinkign if this is the case, it might be the hose connected to the PCV. Hmmm . . . If that is the case . . . Perhaps, a fuel injection hose of sorts might be better suited.

A sucking noise could be from a vacuum leak. In addition to the hoses/clamps, there's an O-ring between the top of the bowl and the housing that may not be seated properly.


DaveO

[drsifu1]

FYI...

we use these "coalescing filters" at work. the purpose is to catch water before it enters sensitive equipment.

not sure how much of a vacuum is created, but it may be enough to push oil into and out of the catch can. so what you see may be only some of the oil that is caught in the bowl.

an ideal design and one that i think is implemented in quality oil catch cans, are internal baffles. this allows oil to go inside the can, but makes it that much harder for it to go outside the catch can.

in either case, the rig you have there does do its intended job, but I'm sure not 100% of the oil is being caught.

[Andy2434]

I just switched a few things around to clean up the catch bowl install. The 2 following pics are with the engine shut "OFF."





Now, I have a question . . . Look at the following 2 pics with the engine idling . . .





For a lack of a better description, the 2 hoses are sucked in. I don't know if you can tell from the pics, but they closed up, if you will. The cars seems to be idling just find. When my wife gets home, I'll have her rev it a bit while I watch. I didn't notice this before. I was trying to figure out what the sucking sound might be as per Alan and Glex25 and decided to look under the hood while the car was idling . . . And to my surprise . . . LOOK!

Everything is working fine. I took the car around the block and eveything seems normal.

Edit: When I shut the engine off, the hoses gp back to round. The angle of the pic is poor for the hose coming from the PCV valve. That particular hose is almost flat in the horizontal position with the car idling.