Track Approved Catch Cans

[Handguns4heaRTs]

Hello All. I've finally gotten to the point where I need a catch can (graduated?). Doing my research on here, found different users with different catch cans. Wondering what the current preferred brands are for those tracking their car. I get the difference between those that replace the PCV plate or not. If I only need it for when I track my car, can I get away with on of the (less expensive) ones that don't include a new plate?

 

[krs]

I don’t track, but autocross. The class I run prevents full replacement of the PCV, so I went with a catchcan that works with the OEM PCV.

Are there limitations like that through whatever group people track under?

 

[victorofhavoc]

I don’t track, but autocross. The class I run prevents full replacement of the PCV, so I went with a catchcan that works with the OEM PCV.

Are there limitations like that through whatever group people track under?

Usually not for track conditions as it's seen as a safety item.

Op, there are pros and cons to each method. It's much better for smells and for the environment to keep a valve, whether factory or aftermarket and have a can for backup. Fully open systems you're relying on the system keeping pressure, to prevent it messing with tuning, but they do also work and then you don't have a valve as a wear item (yes the pcv is a wear item). You just dump more frequently. If you're getting oil in your system from heavy braking on right turns, a catch can can help bandaid the issue, but a baffled oil pan will prevent the oil surging in the first place. If you ever go to high grip tires and pull 1.2G+, baffled oil pan is a must.

 

[Deanjet]

 

[victorofhavoc]

Also, I use the bfi inline can. Cheap, quality product, but dumping it is annoying. It would be better to use the dump on it as a return to oil pan (if you have a baffled pan or a steel pan to tap into). It has certainly stopped the smoking, but the pcv continues to wear prematurely as oil still blows through it to land in the can.

 

[Handguns4heaRTs]

Also, I use the bfi inline can. Cheap, quality product, but dumping it is annoying. It would be better to use the dump on it as a return to oil pan (if you have a baffled pan or a steel pan to tap into). It has certainly stopped the smoking, but the pcv continues to wear prematurely as oil still blows through it to land in the can.

Thanks. I haven't had the smoking, but I am getting oil seeping in the spark plug tubes, and misfires in cylinder 4 (plug had oil on threads, and some oil sitting on the piston head). The BFI only fills up at the track? or in everyday driving, too?

 

[victorofhavoc]

Thanks. I haven't had the smoking, but I am getting oil seeping in the spark plug tubes, and misfires in cylinder 4 (plug had oil on threads, and some oil sitting on the piston head). The BFI only fills up at the track? or in everyday driving, too?

It only fills up at the track. Street driving it stays dry.

If you have oil in the spark wells, it's not blow by. Oil on the plugs can be from pcv, though a lot burns off. Oil in the wells is the spark tube seals going.

 

[Will_]

Oil in the wells is likely due to the cam girdle sealant failing. Unfortunately common issue on this car. I have the same problem, though mostly in Cyl 1

 

[SonicBloom]

Also, I use the bfi inline can. Cheap, quality product, but dumping it is annoying. It would be better to use the dump on it as a return to oil pan (if you have a baffled pan or a steel pan to tap into). It has certainly stopped the smoking, but the pcv continues to wear prematurely as oil still blows through it to land in the can.

Would a syringe make it easier to remove the oil from the CC? Or an oil extractor?

 

[victorofhavoc]

Oil in the wells is likely due to the cam girdle sealant failing. Unfortunately common issue on this car. I have the same problem, though mostly in Cyl 1

Yeah this. I think we're saying the same thing in different terms. Looks like on this engine it's an rtv type seal with the cam cover.

 

[victorofhavoc]

Would a syringe make it easier to remove the oil from the CC? Or an oil extractor?

There's a really nice dipstick on it, so I use a metal syringe (from target racing of course) to suck out whatever is in there via the dipstick hole. It just narrowly misses the very bottom.

 

[Handguns4heaRTs]

Oil in the wells is likely due to the cam girdle sealant failing. Unfortunately common issue on this car. I have the same problem, though mostly in Cyl 1

Yeah this. I think we're saying the same thing in different terms. Looks like on this engine it's an rtv type seal with the cam cover.

Well, shit. What’s the fix or band aid?

 

[victorofhavoc]

Well, shit. What’s the fix or band aid?

Fix is to reseal with oem or other quality sealant.

This isn't uncommon on cars that see track time. Heat just gets to seals and they become wear items. Often, this is known as a "top end rebuild" because on most cars it's a valve cover that comes off and everything else above it has to come off. I actually have to do this rebuild on my track car right now and my valve covers will cost 600$ :/...

 

[Handguns4heaRTs]

Fix is to reseal with oem or other quality sealant.

This isn't uncommon on cars that see track time. Heat just gets to seals and they become wear items. Often, this is known as a "top end rebuild" because on most cars it's a valve cover that comes off and everything else above it has to come off. I actually have to do this rebuild on my track car right now and my valve covers will cost 600$ :/...

which type of catch can relieves crankcase pressure better- the inline (BFI type) or ones that replace with new plate?

 

[victorofhavoc]

which type of catch can relieves crankcase pressure better- the inline (BFI type) or ones that replace with new plate?

I don't know all the plate designs, but the ones I've seen don't include a valve at all. This would mean it's open all the time, doing gas/liquid separation. This also means you're relying on the can and plate to form a closed system when on throttle. When off throttle and the crank case is under pressure I assume some part of the valve less system has to vent via a gasket, port, or something. You have to vent, but I'm not sure how each of those systems accomplish it specifically.

The goal of pcv is to open the valve when crank pressure exceeds manifold pressure and dump the unburned "blow-by" gas from the crank case into the manifold where the gasses have a second shot to burn. It also closes the valve when you're generating power and the manifold pressure is greater than the crank case pressure.

The problem with this design on track is that under heavy braking the return feed from the pcv to the oil pan gets oil pushed into it from the heavy braking gforce while off throttle. Off throttle means the valve is open since the crank pressure exceeds manifold pressure and the oil from the pan can freely travel up the return to gas/liquid separator diaphragm in the pcv. Once there, and you put your foot back on it, the oil is sucked into the intake and into the combustion chambers. Hello smokescreen!!

The catch can is simply a gas/liquid separator with more storage for when the built in return/valve system fails. Replacing the pcv plate opens the system so the can does all of the separation and return (if it does a return at all), as well as sealing when manifold pressure is higher. This is why those designs catch more fluids all the time (if they're not returning the gasses).