Oil catch can

[Stangshcky12]

Hey guys I'm looking for some better pictures of catch cans
Would love to see some mounted/installed but really looking for some pictures of them apart
I'm thinking of trying to machine one for my dad for Christmas so rough ID, OD and depth dimensions would really help me out too!

 

[Stangshcky12]

Thanks man!
There isn't any kind of baffle or anything inside is there?

 

[Hemi450hp]

Yes there is. Let me see if I can find a pic for you.

 

[Hemi450hp]

Here you go...

 

[Stangshcky12]

Thanks Matt that's exactly what I was looking for!

 

[PostalTwo]

please excuse my ignorance but what is a catch can and what purpose does it serve?

 

[BlackedOutHemi]

please excuse my ignorance but what is a catch can and what purpose does it serve?

Dont quote me on this unless someone confirms it, but I believe it catches the blow back oil and keeps it out of the intake or off of the throttle body.

Found a quote:

An oil catch can is used in standard gas piston engines, turbo applications, or high-performance race applications where excessive blow-by (leakage past the piston rings) of air and fuel vapor occurs. This creates a positive pressure in the crankcase. Engine manufactures have placed a valve on the engine block which releases this pressure. This valve is known as a PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve. During engine operation, blow-by gases, as well as oil mist from the rotating components of the engine, pass through the PCV valve and are routed back into the intake for the engine to burn off. However, some of the oil mist and other products settle along the engine intake and over time form a "gunk." The oil catch can collects the oil mist and condenses the fuel vapors while allowing "cleaner" gases to be passed back into the intake. Typically the blow-by gasses are passed through a wire mesh, which give the vapor droplets something to adhere to. Since the oil catch cans condense the vapor portion of the gasses, they will need to be drained periodically of all the oil, fuel and other contaminants.

 

[Stangshcky12]

Some combustion gases end up in the bottom end of a motor (blow-by)
To help relieve this pressure (and reduce emmisions) this pressure in the block is relieved with a PCV valve that recycles this air back into the intake
The problem is that the increase in pressure along with raising operating temperatures some of the engines oil is vaporized (maybe even "splashed" by the rotating assembly) in that air
Catch cans are an air-oil separator so your intake manifold, throttle and intake valves dot end up gunked up with that oil

It's debatable whether it really helps or not

 

[2012 R/T Joe]

Do you have to give up the engine cover to install this using the Z bar?

 

[paulycoppola5]

catch cans are well worth it over time...

wish someone made an affordable kit the whole billet setup AN fittings and braided line deal..totalllllly expensive and unnecesary. and i am far too lazy to go out and chase down parts and put a kit together for myself.

 

[jlb]

So they are basically just a bottle with a perforated baffle in the middle. The "large" air space allows the oil to collect on the baffle, and pool in the bottom of the can, correct?

I would recommend machining it on a lathe out of hollow rod stock (solid billet rod stock aluminum will cost you an arm, and a leg), and welding on a top/bottom cap. Then you can do all your threading for the bottom can part, and everything in one operation, minus the drilling for the inlet, and outlet ports which could be done on a drill press since they don't require dimensional accuracy, but for shiggles could be done on a mill.

 

[Stangshcky12]

That is pretty much my plan
I'm hoping I can find some round stock at the shop on campus for a large enough capacity
Idk how pretty it'll turn out since it'll all be turned by hand by I might have something by tonight haha

 

[jlb]

Why wouldn't it turn out well...? Just use the auto-feed to set the thread pitch, and make sure you do the same for both pieces lol.

High speed to give it a nice surface finish. I was thinking the hardest thing to make well would be the baffle.

 

[Stangshcky12]

The machines in the shop I'll be doing it in are well abused lol
It can be tough to hold tolerances on some of the lathe

I have high standards too haha
Most of the stuff I machine is done on CNC but I can't with this since it's a personal project
It won't look terrible but we'll see what happens
I'm just hoping I can find a decenet diameter round stock laying around!

 

[TylerB]

There's a stainless mesh under the screen to help slow the air and collect the oil mist as well.

 

[09SMOKINHEMI]

please excuse my ignorance but what is a catch can and what purpose does it serve?

just learned this myself, but it helps prevent this

 

[09SMOKINHEMI]

Do you have to give up the engine cover to install this using the Z bar?

don't believe so..... after looking through a few threads of catch can installs, there's a few members with the cover still on