Mk7 GTI Catch Can Options

[greatoz]

Mk7 GTI Catch Can Options - edit: Bought one! Brutally honest review unfolding...

I'm seriously considering a catch can for my GTI. Seems intelligent as I drive the ever living hell out of my GTI - I see the following available options:

IE: http://www.performancebyie.com/ie-mk7-recirculating-catch-can-kit

Pros: Appears you can reuse your engine cover, appears to not delete the PCV valve.

Cons: Draining? Dipstick? Specious valving? OMFG price.

APR: https://www.goapr.com/products/catch_can_mqb_ea888.html

Pros: Integrates nicely, appears easy to drain.

Cons: No dipstick, cheap connections, requires the APR intake to work (!?!?!?!), placement in bay is suspect. Does it REALLY require that intake?

CTS: http://www.ctsturbo.com/cart/products/CTS_Turbo_MK7_TSI_Catch_Can_Kit-4753-0.html

Pros: Good hose routing, quality components, has a dipstick.

Cons: Can you re-use the engine cover? removal for draining appears to be a PITA.

BFI: http://blackforestindustries.com/blog/2014/10/27/mqb-mk7-2-0t-gen-3-catch-can/

Pros: Cheap.

Cons: Bad experience with quality from this vendor (who offered to make it right, but by then too late), really piss poor hose routing, specious baffling

other potential contenders:

42 Draft Designs: Don't see a Mk7 option as a kit.

Current ranking (if the engine cover is usable post install):

CTS - engine cover man!
IE - wow expensive
BFI - if I -have- to
APR - NOT getting that intake

Wildcard: 42 Draft Designs -if- there's a kit???

Maybe running: Forge?

What else is out there? What would you spend your $$$ on? CTS is the STRONGEST contender IF I can put the engine cover back on...

 

[Metaprose]

The APR kit doesn't "require" the intake, however the supplied long threaded screws of the APR kit does, meaning the kit is designed to attach to the intake, but you can get crafty and find another way to attach it.

 

[Djdirect21]

For APR, you list "cheap connections". I would like to say, as someone that installed the kit, Those connectors are o.e.m. grade.

 

[greatoz]

For APR, you list "cheap connections". I would like to say, as someone that installed the kit, Those connectors are o.e.m. grade.

Fair comment. I had a bit of experience with (apparently) similar OEM connectors when mucking around with the VWR R600 I so ill-advisedly bought - the pics of the connectors on the APR site (no install doc I can find on their site or via google) look to be the same cheese-dick plastic retainer garbage on the OEM SAI hose.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about them being of similar design.

AN type fittings are, IMO, much better quality than the OEM design.

 

[greatoz]

The APR kit doesn't "require" the intake, however the supplied long threaded screws of the APR kit does, meaning the kit is designed to attach to the intake, but you can get crafty and find another way to attach it.

thanks for this - prefer drop-in but crafty is doable...

 

[ModdedEuros]

We are fans of the CTS ones ourselves. Installing another one on one of our cars actually this week.

http://www.moddedeuros.com/products/cts-turbo-tsi-catch-can-cts-cc-mk7tsi

 

[TastersChoice]

A few thoughts

Glad I saw this post. I've been doing the exact same research since I placed my order last week.
I initially narrowed it down to the IE and CTS options, mainly, I must say, for the quality of materials used and AN fittings. The BFI also caught my eye because of the different design. But of course as I continued to research and ask for opinions from friends, and started to doubt myself. Price came into account, even though I'm more than willing to spend more money for a superior product. What I really got hung up on was that none of my options were in my mind 'perfect'.
Ideally, I'd like a true recirculating catch can that dumps the caught oil back into the oil pan like they do on the STI (IAG). I'm not worried about the other 'stuff' that's caught, that's what oil filters are for. Since this isn't currently an option for the GTI, ease of draining/removal is a plus, as well as the ability to view the level inside the can via a sight tube/window or dip stick.
My second (third?) issue was the fact that no one really knows if completely replacing the stock PCV system (IE and CTS) is any more effective than piggy backing the stock unit like the BFI. Unless the CNC'd plates offered by IE and CTS incorporate some sort of pre-PCV baffling, it would appear that you're now relying solely on the catch can to do the oil vapor separation. Wouldn't it make more sense to piggy back the stock unit as a second line of defense? Has BFI figured out a way to make a more efficient catch can AND somehow sell it for less? It has AN fittings on the can, stock-like connections on the other end. I'm not so sure that's a bad thing. PLUS, it has a dip stick!
So with that said, let's look at the options again.


IE:
I think this is a better plate design than the CTS (has a baffle in place), with one big exception; NO DAMN DIP STICK! Seriously, not only am I paying a premium for quality materials, but you're going to make me remove the entire can from the car to check the level? I guess you could just hook up some sort of hose to the t-valve on the bottom and try to drain that way. If it had a dip stick, it would be at the top of my list.


CTS:
Large drain plug on the bottom is nice. Has a dip stick. Only catch is I question the design of the CNC'd plate. Seems like without a baffle under there you'd be sucking up more oil than oil vapor. I could be wrong. Also doesn't look like you can use the engine cover without modification (boooo).


BFI:
Piggy backs the stock PCV system, acting as a second line of defense, catching what the stock PCV missed. Has a dip stick and AN fittings at the can. Also seems easy to remove if you wanted to empty by removing the entire top instead of using the large drain plug on the bottom. I was also initially worried about the location of the lines over the turbo, but the STI PCV lines are literally laying on top of the turbo heat shield with no issues. Let's not forget the price!


Anyways, please excuse my rambling. I'm obv still on the fence, but since I've never had any experience with any of these companies, I can only go off of what others have told me.


Chris

 

[coleylikesbacon]

Sub'd. I'm leaning towards the BFI myself. Trying to make up my mind.

 

[RjRacing]

For APR, you list "cheap connections". I would like to say, as someone that installed the kit, Those connectors are o.e.m. grade.

I agree, I actually found the hoses and connectors to be better quality than the OEM units. The best part is that they blend in, they look and fit like a factory unit. Sucks you have t buy the intake though for those that are running different units.

 

[greatoz]

what really sucks is there's no decent SAI option with the APR intake - zip it to something in the bay or under the intake seems a half-assed way to do business.

that said, i got the VWR SAI bung for my VWR R600 and OMFG what piece of sh*t. utter crap.

 

[ModdedEuros]

what really sucks is there's no decent SAI option with the APR intake - zip it to something in the bay or under the intake seems a half-assed way to do business.

that said, i got the VWR SAI bung for my VWR R600 and OMFG what piece of sh*t. utter crap.

Lot of the other intakes mount it to the heat shield which is nice

 

[zimmie2652]

I went with the BFI kit and have zero complaints. The fit and finish are excellent on the can itself. The connectors I did scratch up while tightening them with a wrench but I plan on getting everything powdered red at some point as soon as I have the time. The routing of the lines scared me at first too but there is plenty of heat wrap on the lines and after a few laps and harder driving, the lines never really seem to be at a dangerous heat level. The wrap really helps and does its job.

 

[2015WhiteGTI]

Subscribed!

Did anyone else see this at the bottom of the IE website? Is this true? I didn't want to have to remove this thing during winter months.

Note about cold weather climates:
Catch can kits are designed for warm weather climates only. If you live in an area with sub-freezing temperatures in winter months, extra precaution must be taken as condensation in catch can and lines can freeze and cause pressure to build up in the crankcase. We recommend checking catch can contents frequently or removing the system entirely during cold winter months. Integrated Engineering is not responsible for any damage caused from improper servicing of catch can.

 

[greatoz]

Lot of the other intakes mount it to the heat shield which is nice

take a look at my VWR R600 review posts - the entire thing is a POS except for the filter. that rocks.

Nothing I've seen that isolates engine bay air from outside air has a decent SAI mounting option, happy to entertain suggestions...

 

[spoderman]

https://deutscheautoparts.com/catch-can-mk7-gti.html

Good price. Dip stick and easy drain. Hose quality looks good enough. This is the one I'm ordering.