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I finally got around to installing the AllStar catch can that was recommended earlier in the thread. I put it in the space that the washer bottle used to occupy.
Parts list:
- AllStar breather tank, 2 bungs (JEGS 049-ALL36109)
- 3/8" well-nuts
- 1/2" hose (cold side vent) and 3/8" hose (hot side vent)
- 1/2" hose adapter, Ace hardware. Barb on both ends; one goes in the cold side grommet, other goes into the 1/2" hose
- straight 3/8 NPT --> 3/8" hose barb (Ace hardware)
- right angle 3/8 NPT --> 1/2" hose barb (unobtainium- finally found it at Grainger)
The tank is big; it doesn't fit into this spot on the firewall straight up. I started drilling a big hole in the shelf to make clearance, then decided it was more trouble than it's worth, so I just mounted it on an angle. I don't think it will matter.
Well-nuts installed:
Can mounted. 1/2" cold side hose zip-tied to one of the IM runners, to keep it away from throttle cable. 3/8" hot-side hose running through the motor lift eyelet and under the plug wires.
Final install shot:
I'll have to remove the two well-nut screws to empty it, which should take all of 20 seconds.
You raise a good point. I'm going to check it periodically for a while to see how fast it fills up. My hope is that it's slow enough that I only have to empty it every oil change.
If I were to do it again, I would have went with a smaller can that could be more easily drained, maybe one with the little clear indicator tube.
I think the manner in which you might have trouble will be the hot side hose pooling oil on its way to the can. It needs not have a belly in it.
You may attach it to the firewall in the same location if you build a bracket and let the two inlets on the can be level with each other and lean the bottom outward toward the front of the car above the frame rail. Or something. But the inlets should be level enough that there's no pooling in the hose.
All good points. Now that I'm back to working on this car, I'll probably try to fab up a mounting bracket that angles it in the way that sixshooter describes.
FWIW, I've just been running breather filters for the last two months. Neither of them are oily at all.
You raise a good point. I'm going to check it periodically for a while to see how fast it fills up. My hope is that it's slow enough that I only have to empty it every oil change.
If I were to do it again, I would have went with a smaller can that could be more easily drained, maybe one with the little clear indicator tube.
connect the drain to the drain fitting on the block under the alternator. never have to drain it ever.
It seems like a bad idea to me to just dump the catch can stuff back into the oil pan? If it was just oil, sure. But it's also unburned gasoline and nasty combustion byproducts... why contaminate the oil with that junk? I'm happier just dumping the catch can every month or two.
I'm struggling with a head breather setup on a friend's Rotrex VVT engine.
To try to prevent oil coming out on the hot side vent, removed the cold side breather from the inlet manifold (taped on the inlet side of course) , and vented directly to a can to help remove pressure from the hot side breather.
Strangely, no oil sign on cold side can, but keeps just puking oil on the hot side. Like almost a QT per 20 minute session. What am I missing here? I know that possibly the engine was assembled with incorrect ring gap, but I don't understand how does a side keeps puking oil and another is completely dry even though our tracks run clockwise.
BtW, head had venting ports opened up as per many tutorials on here.
Reporting back since this post:
Changed catch can from drivers side to passanger side. Driver's side vent kept closed. From 1Lt + of oil in a 20 min track session to residual fumes. This on the same CW track. Next week we'll have a Trackday in a CCW ( Ascari Race Resort) track and report back.
Everything went smoothly. nearly 15/20ml of oil in the catch can, now on the passenger side. Big improvement, as this was a 6hr open pitlane event, so plenty of test hours. Leave you with a movie of me chasing this beast: