crazyeddie

There is a current thread from a vendor selling these catch can things. O.K., why do I need one? Seems like a simple enough install and not a very expensive item, why wouldn't GM just put one on at the factory?
I don't know!!!eddie

turbod

I'm with you eddie. I'm not convinced.

I know the theory I've read on other posts (prevents oiling of the MAF?) but you gotta' wonder why Chevy wouldn't put one on if it's really a problem.....

I'll let other more knowledgeable folks respond directly to your question on the theory of operation.

CWHPARTS

here is some decent info.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-p...s-on-sale.html

FrankTank

ask forum member Racer what he thinks. I am sure he'll be along shortly here to liven up the discussion

IMO, for a stock car mainly driven on the street, GM didn't put one on because it's not needed.

For a tracked car, or heavily modded car, it maybe more useful and needed , otherwise save your money.

R&L's C6

You don't. There are millions of engines out there without one, with no ill effects. I agree, if the engineers that design these engines would think it beneficial, they would come that way from the factory.

crazyeddie

Thanks, I hope you sell a 1000 of these things. Apparently I'm not burning much oil as I never have to add any between changes. I started my own thread as to not step on yours, that didn't workeddie

R&L's C6

I know all the advertising in the general section really bothers some people. I don't mind it, and accept it as the way it is, but also think a line is crossed when advertisements get posted in someones thread. JMO

okie08vette

I just put one on my 08, it looks good and fills up the space when I removed the factory intake and installed a Varram. I put it on because it looks good is not expensive and can't hurt, if it removes some oil then even the better.

mikeCsix

If you don't track the car, I wouldn't worry about it. I certainly would not do it for 'looks'. If you do track the car, you will be pushing the engine harder and on hpde events, it is pushed hard for longer periods of time. The harder the stress on the engine, the more positive crankcase pressure, relieved by the PCV system. The catch can just filters the oil out that would normally be ingested by the motor. I have noticed a drop off in those tar like spots on the exhaust tips. I believe those come from the engine oil. They may burn off inside the motor leaving deposits inside the engine. Track-rats don't like that.

okie08vette

Sounds like all that would be good for any engine and besides they do look good, I would rather catch some oil that have it deposited in my intake, or my exhaust tips. Thanks

Glen220

A friend of mine is one of the Corvette engineer and I asked him this questions about whether or not a catch can was worth it. His response was that in 24 hour endurance testing the amount of oil collected was negligible and did not effect performance.

Keep in mind that in endurance testing the Corvettes are literally abused for 24 hours or longer. We are talking redlining for many miles, rapid starts, etc. etc.

So, based on his response, I abandonded any thoughts of a catch can on mine.

Glen

MisterMidlifeCrisis

Every 5000 miles, my catch can has a couple of ounces of really dirty looking oil and water. The purpose of a catch can is to precipitate out the oil and moisture that would otherwise end up back into your intake tract, and would then likely precipitate out probably against the walls of your intake that are cool, or get into your cylinders to be incompletely burned.

The greatest benefit will be when you have low throttle, high RPM conditions, like when driving on a road course. For normal driving, the benefits are going to be less significant.




You decide if you want that going into your intake.

davidtcpa

I changed my intake manifold to a Fast 102. When we pulled the stock unit off, it was oily on the inside. Now I have a catch can in place and got in it. (It has only been about 5000 miles since the install).
I would love to pull of the Fast and see what it looks like inside, but I have been told by others that have that thiers were dry after the catch can!

FortMorganAl

Look at the pictures above and imagine pouring that into your intake. Probably won't hurt anything but I don't want to do that to my car.

BTW, plug into Google and you will find over 55,000 posts on this subject in Corvette Forum. I believe Racer has made about half of them.

RaleighTL

I have never seen a posting that spoke to the installation of a catch can causing any problems. So, it's down to the wheather or not:
1) $100 bucks or so out of pocket is an issue.
2) You do not like the looks of it installed (easy do it yourself install)
3) You belive you are better off not ingesting "some amount" oil into the intake.

EG; (You really think replacing the air intake "system" is better than stock? Why didn't GM put the "better system" on in the 1st place?)

Wayne O

IMO a catch-can is not needed for 'normal' street driving (nor for occasional track use). From personal experience, however, I believe a catch-can is beneficial for dedicated track cars which are driven mostly at WOT at high RPM's. Suffice it to say a catch-can helped to alleviate an 'excess' oil issue I had.

Nightstalker Medic

This is why I use catch can.

I use the Elite Engineering one, a very nice catch can.

vetsvett

with the catch cans..

I think you are wrong about the intake comment above. Anytime you can improve the engines ability to breath better, than you will increase performance.

MisterMidlifeCrisis

I've got about 9000 miles on mines, and I just swapped out to a Z06 intake so I had a chance to peek inside. Mines is dry, but there's a little bit of oily residue on the interior surfaces that I could get at with a long cotton swab. It's so slight and I don't know how much of it came in the thousand or so miles I put on before the catch can that it doesn't appear to ever be able to get the point where it drips or puddles, even after a hundred thousand hard miles or more.

Random84

So... if increasing airflow is better, and makes more performance... WHY didn't the factory do it from the get-go?


Answer: the factory cares about more variables than simply what's the "best" or makes the most power. They have mass-production, acquisition, costs, benefit analysis, etc that happens for almost every part.

Oil ingestion from the PVC system has been a problem since the PVC system was mandated. I had oil contamination of the intake and cylinders on my Gen I SBC back in the day. Just because it doesn't kill your vehicle in 100,000 miles does NOT preclude it from coating the cylinders and piston tops with gunk, inducing knock (and thus timing retardation) and ultimately costing you a few HP loooong after your warranty runs out.

Is it a problem for the immediate future? no. Will it ultimately decrease performance? Yes. How much? depends on the car, the driving style and how long you own it.

Personally, I think it's cheap insurance for a subculture that quickly justifies $200 on 3-step waxes that take two hours to apply...