# Oil Catch Can installed



## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

I epoxied the hole in the intake manifold where the junk orange "check valve" is supposed to be, and figured an oil catch can couldn't hurt, just to make sure nothing was getting fed to my turbo. Here are the pics of the install.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

Mounted where one hole already existed in strut tower. Drilled second hole and used backer plate, and 2 bolts, washers, nuts. Jacking the car up makes access easy through wheel well.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

This package comes with 2 different sized connectors. Use the 5/8" to 1/2" connector. The 5/8" end goes into your corrugated PCV line, and the 1/2" goes to the 1/2" heater hose you should run to the 1/2" fittings on your catch can. You have to buy TWO of these packages because the other connector is a 3/4" to 3/4" that it comes with. $3.99 per package at Advance AutoParts.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

I also used RTV Ultra Black on the fitting ends that went in to the corrugated PCV hose. I bought the catch can on Fleabay for $24 shipped. Other than that, about 6 feet or so of 1/2" heater hose, and 6 good hose clamps will get you there.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

Oh, and I wrapped the outside of the corrugated PCV hose with self vulcanizing (A4) tape. Then hose clamped it. Wanted to make sure it was sealed really good.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

Here is a pic of the PCV hole that I epoxied closed. Cleaned the holes where the orange flapper used to be with Professional Goof Off. You can get down in there with acid brushes and Q-Tips.


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## Steelmesh (Jan 16, 2016)

This is an obsolete design (not the intent design, this is concept stuff, no worries):









http://i.imgur.com/WIgywDv.png

The new design has better clip geometry, wrench hex, double o-ring grooves, etc. By February, we should expect to see a custom AL fitting prototypes to adapt to the Intake Manifold pcv nipple and the Turbo pcv nipple, likely -8AN thread. The Turbo side adapter fitting will have a built in check valve. A kit with hoses and catch can will come soon after. My motivation here is finding oil in the whole intake track from the turbo to the TB (I did a ZZP FMIC install) AND I purchased a Junkyard engine and the intake tubes were dripping with oil, that was a stock car too mine is boosted 19-20 psi.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Welcome, seems you're new here. 

On a properly working engine, the catch can is useless. Absolutely pointless. All you're doing is catching condensation, which you'll find yourself emptying regularly without any notable oil loss on the dipstick. 

In a 15,622 mile drain interval using AMSOIL Signature Series, I did not have to top off once, even after swapping the filter. If my oil consumption, while tuned and while datalogging for two tuning companies during that time, did not show any consequential amount of oil consumption, the catch can is nothing more than a waste of money. Furthermore, the valve cover already has an oil separator built in, which, when the whole system is working correctly, is more than adequate. It is assumed you are using a synthetic oil of some kind. 

All that being said, yours obviously wasn't functioning correctly if the check valve in the intake manifold had failed, which was the primary cause of your oil consumption. My intake runners as well were soaked in oil when mine failed and was replaced by warranty, and I was losing a solid quart per 500 miles. This will cause all sorts of problems, but since my dealer replaced the valve cover and intake manifold, I'm back to not burning any oil and currently have ~7,000 miles on this change. Side note: the corrugated hose currently does have a check valve at the turbo inlet. 

I've designed a solution that would involve plugging up the PCV check valve port on the intake manifold and routing an external one, which would permanently and reliably solve the problem of GM's **** design. You can find my updates on that toward the end of the thread linked below. I'm waiting on two more parts to arrive in the mail and I'll have it all installed. 

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/34-gen1-1-4l-turbo/175793-cruze-1-4l-gen1-pcv-system-explained.html

Another side note, cheap catch cans are not 100% efficient (no catch cans are in fact, but a good baffled catch can will come much closer).


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Welcome, seems you're new here.
> 
> On a properly working engine, the catch can is useless. Absolutely pointless. All you're doing is catching condensation, which you'll find yourself emptying regularly without any notable oil loss on the dipstick.
> 
> ...


Good info. I saw the post where you mentioned all that, and look forward to seeing someone come up with an external check valve to remedy the poor design.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

Steelmesh said:


> This is an obsolete design (not the intent design, this is concept stuff, no worries):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My car is bone stock, aside from CAI. Max boost I have ever seen on my digital boost gauge is 17 psi. I found oil in my stock corrugated line when I replaced it and the valve cover, hence the reason I went ahead and installed the catch can. I dont "need" a catch can on my 824hp Z06, but I have one on it too. Doesn't hurt anything. I like having a "sump" prior to my power adder that can easily visually indicate some sort of failure, or catch oil before it is eaten by an impeller and sent to the intercooler. It's an experience thing.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I find that on daily driven vehicles, it becomes an annoyance and a chore.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

Here is the red catch can I installed on my Z06.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I find that on daily driven vehicles, it becomes an annoyance and a chore.


I hear that. I am maintaining 3 FI vehicles by myself. Chores galore.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

SPARTANZ06 said:


> I hear that. I am maintaining 3 FI vehicles by myself. Chores galore.


Shameless plug: that's why I run AMSOIL in my vehicles. Once a year oil changes. Actually, once a year for the Odyssey, 18 months for the Cruze and 2 years for the Sierra.


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## Steelmesh (Jan 16, 2016)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I find that on daily driven vehicles, it becomes an annoyance and a chore.


I installed a FMIC on my car at 38k miles, I could see a trail of buildup in the turbo inlet for from the PCV and fresh oil residue in all stock pipes and intercooler.

The next week or so, I bought a junk yard engine, pulled from a car with 60k miles. While I was inspecting the engine, I moved one of the intake pipes they included out of the way. A couple minutes later, there was a puddle about 8" in diameter of oil, originating from the tube. 

The only possible sources I envision are that PCV tube and maybe the turbo compressor leaking oil. It's totally possible I misunderstand the PCV system, I have not completely analyzed all failure modes that would cause excessive oil in the intake track. Right now I see the catch can implementation as a "brute force" aid that may cover up an actual deficient PCV system, regardless it should help prevent excessive buildup in the intake track assuming you're using a functional air/oil separator.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Steelmesh said:


> I installed a FMIC on my car at 38k miles, I could see a trail of buildup in the turbo inlet for from the PCV and fresh oil residue in all stock pipes and intercooler.
> 
> The next week or so, I bought a junk yard engine, pulled from a car with 60k miles. While I was inspecting the engine, I moved one of the intake pipes they included out of the way. A couple minutes later, there was a puddle about 8" in diameter of oil, originating from the tube.
> 
> The only possible sources I envision are that PCV tube and maybe the turbo compressor leaking oil. It's totally possible I misunderstand the PCV system, I have not completely analyzed all failure modes that would cause excessive oil in the intake track. Right now I see the catch can implementation as a "brute force" aid that may cover up an actual deficient PCV system, regardless it should help prevent excessive buildup in the intake track assuming you're using a functional air/oil separator.


The valve cover has a built in oil separator. Refer to the link I provided earlier on the explanation of the PCV system. 

PCV gas first goes through the oil separator valve cover, then splits off into one of two directions that are connected to the same source, like a "Y" of sorts. The first is the check valve in the intake manifold, which frequently fails and cannot be replaced (the whole intake manifold must be replaced). It occasionally also gets clogged with build-up of oxidized oil. The second is the check valve at the turbo inlet. Inline with that same flow stream is the burst disk (valve cover). 

If any of these components fails, you will start having problems. The intake manifold check valve is open under vacuum, closes under boost. If that check valve disappears, a whole myriad of problems can result. It seems that either the check valve at the turbo inlet can get stuck, or the flow is not great enough, or that the check valve on the intake manifold also serves to limit flow, and removing that check valve causes excess vacuum on the crank case. Either way, this whole system needs to be working properly or you will have some kind of problem. 

The reason I explained all this here is to point out one very important fact: the flow of air through the check valve in the intake manifold will not be filtered by a catch can, and it is functionally impossible to make it so without using a catch can with two inlets and using the solution I've designed to replace that check valve, but at that point it makes the catch can pointless anyway. 

As I noted earlier, a properly functioning 1.4T, using a GOOD synthetic oil, will not consume any measurable amount of oil in a 15,000 mile period. The only way a catch can would be of any value to you is if you plug up the check valve port in the intake manifold and route all PCV gas through the second check valve at the turbo inlet, with a catch can along the way. However, if you're going to go through that work, and want to spend money anyway, you may as well spend the $110 or so it will take to buy all the parts to fit in the check valve system I designed for the car and just keep it running properly in the first place.


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## AutumnCruzeRS (Sep 10, 2012)

What I could use is some more detailed info on plugging the intake with epoxy.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

AutumnCruzeRS said:


> What I could use is some more detailed info on plugging the intake with epoxy.


The basic concept is that you find a self-drilling screw and washer (plastic washer might be appropriate), and put a nice blot of epoxy on the thread underneath the washer, then with a long screwdriver, screw the washer into the hole where the check valve used to be. Of course, you need to hose that entire area down with brake clean first and scrub it nice and good to make sure the JB weld adheres, but the washer should press JB weld through the holes and expand out the other side as you're tightening it down. Being careful not to over-tighten and strip the hole, tighten that screw until it comes to a stop, and the washer should effectively seal against the all of the holes where the check valve used to be and will block it off permanently. If using a plastic washer, there's a plastic bonder epoxy that loctite makes that is rated resistant to gasoline, diesel fuel, and motor oil. This specific epoxy is also rated for aluminum and stainless steel, and you can find it at your local hardware store. 

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/epxy_plstc_s/overview/Loctite-Epoxy-Plastic-Bonder.htm


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## AutumnCruzeRS (Sep 10, 2012)

This seems hard to do due to access being so tight and at an angle. We need an aftermarket intake manifold with a serviceable bypass valve.
Im thinking more like using a rubber expansion plug would maybe work.


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## SPARTANZ06 (Jan 5, 2017)

First I cleaned the area to be epoxied with Pro Strength Goof Off. I used JB weld water weld (the stick type you cut and knead), and after i pressed a disc shaped piece of that into the holes I let that dry for a few hours. Then i came back with regular JB Weld Epoxy and put a coat of that down in there. I used a resin spatula to put both epoxies down into the hole.


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