Oil Catch Can. Yes or No?

[HenryMac]

Yes. We took delivery in early July and I had the first catch can installed on the PCV side by sometime in August, so this is the first time I've drained them in colder weather.

Also, I agree with @RCMUSTANG that the condensation does not contain very much fuel. I didn't pick it apart in detail, but I did take a quick look and the vast majority of the stuff that isn't oil seems to be water. Again, this is in N. CA where our temps are mostly between the mid 20's to mid 60's where we do the most driving. It may be that in much colder climates you can also get significant fuel condensing, probably also depending on where you've mounted the catch can. I think there might be a fair amount of regional variation to this.

I agree with people who say that it's probably a net positive to have the fuel and water vapor returned to the intake, and in the summer that seems to be what is happening, at least here, but it's not possible to have that happen all of the time in most areas.

I also agree that with no catch can, the stock PCV system probably doesn't return actual liquid water or fuel to the intake manifold. Without the loop through the catch can, the return gasses probably never get cool enough to have those things condense out even in winter.

Thanks, much appreciated. How often do you need to "dump" the cans... and which side seems to collect the most liquids?

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[RCMUSTANG]

Thanks, much appreciated. How often do you need to "dump" the cans... and which side seems to collect the most liquids?

Before colder weather several thousand miles. Colder weather every few hundred.

 

[DavidR]

Thanks, much appreciated. How often do you need to "dump" the cans... and which side seems to collect the most liquids?

It seems like I will definitely need to empty them more in the winter, LOL. I'd say the amount of oil+condensation is similar in both, but for any individual it might depend on how much of the time the turbine is spun up enough to pull crankcase gasses. We do a lot of driving over mountain passes and sometimes have the pop-up camper on so for us it's probably running a fair amount.

The can on the turbo inlet side is smaller, and it was a bit over half full after about ~2000 mi. when I emptied it a few days ago, the bulk of it being water condensation. It was higher than I would like to see it, so I'll probably stick to a 1000-1500 mi. schedule in the winter. Once it warms up in the spring, unless we're doing a cross-country trip or something, I can probably wait until late summer or fall to check it since it accumulates almost exclusively oil during the summer.

 

[Peterzo]

Again, where is everyone getting that the liquid aside from the oil is fuel? Mine does not smell like fuel and only started accumulating when it got colder (IE condensation).

Have not been driving the Ranger much lately, but the last post of mine was as I posted, a bit of oil and a lot of fuel. Doing the paper towel test as stated (if you all don't know that one, can fill ya in) poured it through three heavy shop towels (paper) and it soaked right in fast (typically water will run off the towel, eventually soaking in) for shits and giggles put a match to the towel, it lit and burned up in seconds, Hmm, don't remember condensate being flammable?

Let me get a few hundred miles on her and hopefully get a get 6 or so ounces to send to the lab, will publish results....

As for fuel washing the valves, (from other posts), un-burned fuel vapors and oil vapors (remember gasoline is oil based), being introduced back into the intake manifold through the CCV system, building up carbon deposits on the top side of the intake valves, "it does not wash anything". The deposits restrict airflow, performance and can cause drive-ability problems (hesitation, stumbling, misfire ie: detonation).

Not trying to upset anyone's apple cart here, just stating facts. Maybe a few of us do have some issues to address with Ford?

 

[DavidR]

Definitely post the results if you have it analyzed I'm not sure I'll go to that much trouble myself, but maybe next time I drain them I'll at least make sure I get all of it out into a sealed container (so the fuel portion doesn't evaporate away) and let it settle out into layers to see what it looks like.

Have not been driving the Ranger much lately, but the last post of mine was as I posted, a bit of oil and a lot of fuel. Doing the paper towel test as stated (if you all don't know that one, can fill ya in) poured it through three heavy shop towels (paper) and it soaked right in fast (typically water will run off the towel, eventually soaking in) for shits and giggles put a match to the towel, it lit and burned up in seconds, Hmm, don't remember condensate being flammable?

Let me get a few hundred miles on her and hopefully get a get 6 or so ounces to send to the lab, will publish results....

As for fuel washing the valves, (from other posts), un-burned fuel vapors and oil vapors (remember gasoline is oil based), being introduced back into the intake manifold through the CCV system, building up carbon deposits on the top side of the intake valves, "it does not wash anything". The deposits restrict airflow, performance and can cause drive-ability problems (hesitation, stumbling, misfire ie: detonation).

Not trying to upset anyone's apple cart here, just stating facts. Maybe a few of us do have some issues to address with Ford?

 

[RCMUSTANG]

Definitely post the results if you have it analyzed I'm not sure I'll go to that much trouble myself, but maybe next time I drain them I'll at least make sure I get all of it out into a sealed container (so the fuel portion doesn't evaporate away) and let it settle out into layers to see what it looks like.

I have to say that none of the stuff I've collected has evaporated like fuel would sitting with no cap on it.

 

[gnx7]

Can you guys share what brand of oil catch cans you are buying and approximate cost? Another thing to mention is that oil vapor/mist does lower overall octane content the engine sees..... in addition to coating the intake manifold and then eventually the intake valves!

 

[DavidR]

Can you guys share what brand of oil catch cans you are buying and approximate cost? Another thing to mention is that oil vapor/mist does lower overall octane content the engine sees..... in addition to coating the intake manifold and then eventually the intake valves!

Hi Mark,
Our truck only has 8,000 miles, but since that includes the break-in period and I already tend to change oil on an somewhat accelerated schedule in our vehicles, I have changed it once already using Valvoline "Modern Engine" oil.

https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/motor-oil/modern-engine-full-synthetic-motor-oil

You wouldn't necessarily think so, but just changing oil ahead of schedule is also a surprisingly controversial topic in some other threads.

Yes, some other folks have also noted the issue of oil vapor reducing octane content. I don't now how much reduction it causes, but it certainly can't hurt to reduce it.

 

[Sashimi_Moto]

My intent is to do the Ford CCV side catch can and the Mishimoto for the PCV side. Without port side injectors I'm highly motivated to avoid the need for a walnut blasting anytime soon nor do I want the intake of the turbo/intercooler to get buggered up by crankcase gasses either. Emptying a catch can while I do the oil change is no big deal to me and clean turbo is a happy turbo.

 

[gnx7]

I haven't looked at all 18 pages on this thread; however is there a page showing what line(s) to run to the catch can and then back to the intake?

 

[viperwolf]

I haven't looked at all 18 pages on this thread; however is there a page showing what line(s) to run to the catch can and then back to the intake?

Im pretty sure this is a US model install

 

[HenryMac]

I have changed it once already using Valvoline "Modern Engine" oil.

https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/motor-oil/modern-engine-full-synthetic-motor-oil

Interesting, thanks for posting this. Sure would be nice if these oil manufacturers would supply testing data to back up their claims of "exceeds industry standards by 40% against carbon build-up based on average of industry standard". Curious what the Noack test data reveals for this oil and how it compares to Mobil 1 Annual Protection? I searched, but couldn't find numbers for the Valvoline?

 

[DavidR]

Interesting, thanks for posting this. Sure would be nice if these oil manufacturers would supply testing data to back up their claims of "exceeds industry standards by 40% against carbon build-up based on average of industry standard". Curious what the Noack test data reveals for this oil and how it compares to Mobil 1 Annual Protection? I searched, but couldn't find numbers for the Valvoline?

I agree. I'm sure there is a lot of marketing hype in these claims. Maybe not 100%, but still a lot. I think I did see the Noack result for the Valvoline somewhere, probably on a spec sheet that someone linked to, and I seem to remember it was good but not head-and-shoulders above (or below, LOL) many other good oils. To some degree, I'm probably guilty of falling prey to the marketing hype

My guess is that by now, most manufacturers top tier oil has been formulated to handle the needs of turbo GDI engines.

 

[HenryMac]

My guess is that by now, most manufacturers top tier oil has been formulated to handle the needs of turbo GDI engines.

I've done a bit of research. I even called Mobil 1, Castrol and Pennzoil and what I've found is manufacturer's won't share Noack testing data with their customers? I did find a site online, but it doesn't have data for everything and some of the data is pretty old. https://pqia.org/passenger-car-motor-oil/

More data here: What oil will you be running after your 1st oil change?

 

[DavidR]

I've done a bit of research. I even called Mobil 1, Castrol and Pennzoil and what I've found is manufacturer's won't share Noack testing data with their customers?

I found the product information sheet for the Valvoline here (see link). The Noack is 11 for 5W-30. Not the best out there, but okay.

https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...2d889bd1/dd7306bd-0ee0-e711-9c12-ac162d889bd1

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