Best Catch Can, prevent dirty intake

[roundle1979]

Hey All,

Apologies if this has been covered recently.

I have a 2018 GTI 6MT (purchased in Sept '18) with 5K miles. So far, enjoying the car and want to keep it for a few years.

I'm concerned about intake (valves) getting dirty due to the DI system.

I keep hearing stories about carbon build up. I want to avoid having a $12 per hour VW mechanic from poking at my intake with screw drivers and chemicals. So, I am thinking about a catch can.

Anyone have any opinions on the best catch can application for a MK7.5 GTI? I'm not looking for bling--I am looking for function. That said, cost is not really a concern.

Anyone know how a 3rd party catch can is going to impact warranty?

Also, anyone have any evidence that these things actually work???

Thanks!

 

[Navi]

vwr

 

[Crackness1]

Hey All,

Apologies if this has been covered recently.

I have a 2018 GTI 6MT (purchased in Sept '18) with 5K miles. So far, enjoying the car and want to keep it for a few years.

I'm concerned about intake (valves) getting dirty due to the DI system.

I keep hearing stories about carbon build up. I want to avoid having a $12 per hour VW mechanic from poking at my intake with screw drivers and chemicals. So, I am thinking about a catch can.

Anyone have any opinions on the best catch can application for a MK7.5 GTI? I'm not looking for bling--I am looking for function. That said, cost is not really a concern.

Anyone know how a 3rd party catch can is going to impact warranty?

Also, anyone have any evidence that these things actually work???

Thanks!

It's been covered many times. The concurrence has been that unless you're tracking the car, you won't see anything in your catch can. It's a waste of money and won't affect your valves getting dirty anyway.

You can take your car to a VW shop instead of the dealership for your carbon cleaning when you need it eventually.

Save the money you would spend on a catch can for the carbon cleaning and call it a day.

 

[CaptainRatty]

From what I understand, it's inevitable catch can or not. Save up for that eventual walnut blasting.

 

[Hoon]

Send it, save your money, the factory system is great unless you're road racing.

 

[roundle1979]

Like I said, not so much about the money--just want to avoid the cleaning process.

Guess I need to do more research about the EA888. A lot of the horror stories are regarding the MK6.

 

[JerseyDrew77]

Like I said, not so much about the money--just want to avoid the cleaning process.

Guess I need to do more research about the EA888. A lot of the horror stories are regarding the MK6.

As others have said, a catch can is a waste of money unless you're a serious track enthusiast. As far as the carbon build up, that's debatable. Some needed the cleaning done early on while others are over 60K miles and don't need it.

 

[MyGolfMk7]

As others have said, a catch can is a waste of money unless you're a serious track enthusiast.

What's the operating condition delta between street and track that makes it a waste of money on one and purposeful on the other?

 

[JerseyDrew77]

What's the operating condition delta between street and track that makes it a waste of money on one and purposeful on the other?

Because our PCV system works great for DD and an occasional spirited drive. If you're autox a lot, the high temps and compression ratios are too much for our PCV system to work effectively which is where a catch can helps.

 

[Hoon]

What's the operating condition delta between street and track that makes it a waste of money on one and purposeful on the other?

G force and sustained high rpm operation.

 

[Hoon]

Like I said, not so much about the money--just want to avoid the cleaning process.

Guess I need to do more research about the EA888. A lot of the horror stories are regarding the MK6.

A catch can doesn't do anything to prevent buildup.

The buildup is mostly burped back from the cylinder, not a tiny bit of oil in the intake stream.

 

[Mrc5z]

Does any one have specs on our cams, particularly the amount of overlap?

 

[Hoon]

Does any one have specs on our cams, particularly the amount of overlap?

It's VVT so there's no fixed overlap.

Most VVT systems deliberately overlap as a means of EGR (which is why EGR systems have been phased out).

 

[roundle1979]

A catch can doesn't do anything to prevent buildup.

The buildup is mostly burped back from the cylinder, not a tiny bit of oil in the intake stream.

This is an interesting theory.

Would a catch can help prevent the intake manifold from getting nasty? Most of the carbon cleaning videos that I am seeing on youtube also show the intake manifolds which are absolutely disgusting and coated in gunk / oil (presumably from blow-by which, I assume, ends up baked onto the back of the valves).

I should mention, this is the first DI car (that I've owned). I'm coming from years of BMW (bullet-proof N52, M5X, M30) and Honda (super bullet-proof B18Cs).

 

[jimlloyd40]

As others have said, a catch can is a waste of money unless you're a serious track enthusiast. As far as the carbon build up, that's debatable. Some needed the cleaning done early on while others are over 60K miles and don't need it.

If you saw the junk that an OCC keeps from going back into your oil where the factory PCV system puts it you wouldn't say that you don't need it.