In the process of getting my FD ready for some more time on the track. I realized last time at VIR that I am in desperate need of an oil catch can since I was really getting some oil in the intake pipes.

My idea was to create a cylinder using 3" SCH40 ABS plastic piping as the main catch tank. The main reason for doing this is:

a. I could mount it directly behind my stock IC (only place I have w/ cruise)
b. it would hold roughly 2x the oil as the JAZ pint can while having the same height
c. I can add a sight glass to monitor oil level
d. I can add compact drain

So, that's a little under a quart with sightglass and drain under 12" height.

My question before going ahead and making this thing is how worried should I be about heat? ABS piping is rated for pressure up to 160-180 deg F. Without pressure, who knows...

Anyone know for sure what kind of temperature the air going thru the IC would be getting to during a track session?

Thanks in advance for input.

 

How are you going to vent it? I used a bicycle water bottle for a while, plumbed to primary turbo inlet (no oil ever got there, just to suck pressure).

 

Temperature wise, that will be fine. I've seen guys use soda cans, water bottles and all kinds of stuff for catch cans over the years. Don't over-engineer it.

 

Venting it using third 90 deg nipple connected to a mini crank breather via hose. Gain an inch or so that way. Inlet and outlet in the usual config. I'll try and post a pic when complete.

Thanks, I'll just go ahead and build the damn thing and get out there.

 

The bicycle water bottle works well, is easy to empty, and they already make mounts for them :-)

Only problem is, the heat warps the plastic over time and the top doesn't stay tightly threaded anymore (almost like the threads are stripped), and you just need to replace with a fresh one from time to time.

I finally switch to a 1 qt. (yes, that's right, a quart) vented Jaz can with -10 AN fittings.

 

The water bottle method works great. Use a CamelBak bottle with this cap


cut the ears off, drill and thread the cap. Handles heat, nothing warps, works great.

 

I had a BMW E39 M5, with the S62 V8 once.

I used that Sched 40 ABS pipe you're talking about, to make some quick alterations to the intake pipe resonator box (remove it and cap it off).

The Sched.40 pipe actually softened in the heat, and the pipe clamp around it fell loose and into the fans. I was not so quick to trust the advice of the BMW owners forums after that one lol.....

 

Nice. I looked at the JAZ quart can as well, but I only saw 1 inlet and no outlet. The drain outlet is straight too, so that kills my 12" height requirement when a hose is clamped there.

The pint can appears to have an inlet/outlet but is pretty small.

Hm... I might do a little oven test just to see how much if it softens. I google imaged it and didn't find that mod, but it looks like it was located at the front of the engine before the elbow to the plenum box (which looks absolutely batshit crazy inside... Germans)?

 

Yeah, the ABS pipe started to get wacky around 200+ F. I was able to deform it permanently with some moderate pressure. I'll be going with a different material or just buying pre-fabbed and modding.

 

Perrin makes a catch can out of silicone IC tubing. Is this along the lines of what you were thinking?

 

That is weird... Yeah kinda like that, except mine melts. So many options! I just went ahead and ordered one of the Chinese Mishimoto ebay knock offs.

I'll be drilling and tapping for NPT drain valve in the bottom.

For the breather I'm thinking just tee into the line going out to turbo inlet as it should have the same effect as a breather directly on the can.

 

First,
I would NEVER use silicon when oil is concerned. Ever seen old IC couplers weeping oil?

On the Jaz quart can, you don't need an outlet fitting because there's a gigundous filter on top of it... vents to atmosphere.

 

I've read all the guides but I'm confused all over again.

I thought you should have some vacuum on the catch can? And the breather was just so it doesn't pull a hard vacuum and pull oil up the filler neck.

If not, why don't people just hook a breather filter up to the oil filler neck? Do you actually get oil in that thing?

 

One reason to use a closed system (pulling a vacuum) is to give the oil someplace to go if you forget to empty the can between sessions and overflow it. On the track more cornering g's mean more oil. So if you start driving better, the catch can can fill more quickly then expected. And it is better to dump oil into the intercooler (which is where it will pool) than it is to dump it into the engine bay and leave it on the track. That said, I've never overflowed the quart bottle I have now. I have filled the pint JAZ bottle I used to have.

 

You don't strictly NEED vaccum, what you need is a way for pressure in the crankcase to vent (which the filter provides). I think technically, for emissions sake, the OE system is closed... to the vaccuum source on the UIM, and the primary turbo.

If you don't track the car, you theoretically COULD just put a filter on the filler neck nipple. But if you do track, it will shoot oil, as when the oil sloshes on right hand turns, it gets pulled up the neck with the pressure, and puked into your catch can (or your UIM/Primary Turbo in the OE system).

I used to have my smaller can also going to the primary turbo for the reason PrimerGrey lists, but now it's so large I don't really worry about it.

The train petcock (or other mechanism) is KEY: I've never understood designs like the Greddy or similar catch cans. You have to remove and disassemble the whole thing just to drain it.

ALSO: May track guys (self included) run the oil about half way down the dipstick—and this prevents most of the oil pukage. If you run it topped off, all you're going to do is puke it out in a couple laps.

 

So I got a $35 China special catch can from Ebay. Quite poor quality fittings and threads, but all I really wanted it for was the base can.

Modifications:
-re tapped holes for pipe thread and replaced fittings
-replaced drain plug with ball valve petcock
-filled with fuel cell foam
-fabricated bracket from 316sst angle for mounting to stock IC
-replaced crappy push fittings for oil level view

I am going to run one side to filler neck, the other to a remote breather filter. I will just have to see how fast I fill it up, but I am only running Z1's on stock wheels...

Pics to follow

 

 

Best remedy is don't fill the oil more than 1/2 way up the oil stick reading. Keeping it at 1/4 is ideal but you literally have to add oil after every session.

I've had a catch can in place on my current car for 7 years and have yet to empty it.