I had a small puddle of oil in my intercooler. It built up alot by the rubber joint sections of the intercooler.

For some people looking at the catch can's It looks like it is made by this company
www.perrinperformance.com/products/catchcan/catchcan.html

this one is larger, but has the same pces exactly as th Alta and cost the same ammount.

Thanks
Dan
Pilo Racing

 

That product does look similar Dan and the oil was present on my car in the same location as yours , in the grooves of the rubber joints. After 20k miles there was also quite a film within the intercooler itself which was easy to remove . All and all this is not a big deal but I feel that taking the oil out of the loop via a catch can will help to some degree. Randy

 

Well, I decided to kick it up a notch. After finding fitment issues with a couple cans, and finding some mfg. prices too high, I have designed a really cool "MINI-specific" (read: perfect fit) oil catch can. My fabricator is welding up the prototype now. I should have a final product in a few days or so. It is aluminum, baffled, sight tubed, drain cocked, super easy mount, might be anodized, and will look awesome. I will also design one for a couple friends of mine with WRX's and an EVO. When complete, I'll post it for opinions.

 

Bisch, sounds like your oil catch can will be exactly what I, as well as many Mini owners, are looing for. Any idea as to availability & price?

 

I have used (but not on my MINI - yet) an industrial-type compressed air filter as a very effective 'catch can'. Fits the bill perfectly - has baffling to isolate and precipitate the oil mist from the air, a sintered bronze 'stone' type filter to catch any airborne nasties, and a drain valve as well as an easily removeable 'cup' to allow for inspection, drainage and cleaning. I used an all-metal version instead of the common plastic-cup version to withstand the heat, though I think the plastic will handle it in this application with no problem seeing there is very little actual pressure involved. Cost is less than 40 dollars in most cases. A bracket would need to be fabbed to hold it, and all you need is hose and a couple of barbed-to-threaded fittings.

Just an idea for y'all.

 

>>Bisch, sounds like your oil catch can will be exactly what I, as well as many Mini owners, are looing for. Any idea as to availability & price?


Okay, before we go any further, I am not a "vendor" on this forum and at this point don't want to represent myself as one. I took my personal quest for an oil catch can full circle, and realized I would have to fabricate my own. I know my production cost of the unit, which would allow a vendor to retail it below competitive products, but production for the general market has not been my goal. I didn't realize there is/would be enough demand for such an item. If there indeed is a demand, maybe a "vendor" set-up could be arranged...let me finish "my" catch can, and see what ya'll think.

 

DEFINATELY count me in.......soundslike you have exactly what we are looking for...Keep us posted and let us know if you are going to sell them.

 

Well, if it turns out to be as good as you have stated and, price can be kept near or under $100.00, I doubt you'll have any problem finding a vendor to stock the product. Webb Motorsports and OutMotoring just to name a couple are very progressive minded vendors. Make a few, send out a couple for vendors to evaluate. It won't take long!!!!!

 

I have been using an Alta oil catch can for the last 3 months. It collects oil and some water vapor. My 2003 MCS had a fit issue due to the more aft location of the grounding bolt as mentioned above. I replaced the grounding cable with a longer one and bolted the frame end at one of the top shock bolts, drilled and tapped a hole in the frame where the cans mount on earlier cars, and put washers under the can for spacing before bolting it in with some thread lock. The installation works well and I feel this is a better space than stuffing it under or near the cowl.

 

>>
>>>>
>>>>The catch can does in fact catch, More that I though.
>>
>>I saw one at the Boston pulley party. I was very surprised to see it more than 1/2 full of sludge! :smile:

Hey, that was me. And damn right that was good beer, even at 9:30 AM.

 

Could you please tell us where the alta taps into the system? Is it the hose coming from the left hand side of the valve cover heading towards the intercooler? Inquiring minds want to know :smile: Randy

 

Here is a brief replica of how it connects..

 

My design is not placed under the cowl, or near the cowl area...

 

Way to go Bisch, another DIYer address's an issue and dosen't wait on the aftermarket. Congratulations Bisch thats real old school ( hotrodding ) ingenuity.

 

I saw Bisch in Hyannis today. He had just come out of K-Mart with a bunch of Maxwell House coffee cans, a roll of plastic tubing from the garden dept. and a bunch of cheap compression fittings. He said something about marketing oil catch cans..........



Well, at least the part of seeing him in Hyanus is true.
Seriously, let's hope he comes up with something good. I'll keep my eye on him for you all.

 

Steve,

You sure that was for the catch can? Sounds like maybe he is making some tips for an exhaust, or is Folgers usually best? Hope you are keeping those Cape Cod ricers at bay. You have been missed.

--Jared

 

Helix has a nice tip option...


With the caption...

 

I'm not really sue what your wanting to catch!! Every engine I've evet taken apart has some oil residue in the intake. This is normal. Catch tanks are something I've installed on cars that are building, excess crankcase pressure that then blows the oil splash into the valve cover breather tube, which then works it's way into the intake crankcase vent tube. Or maybe an engine with lots of boost. I'd have to see more than a drop of oil before I'd install a catch tank.

 

>>I saw Bisch in Hyannis today. He had just come out of K-Mart with a bunch of Maxwell House coffee cans, a roll of plastic tubing from the garden dept. and a bunch of cheap compression fittings. He said something about marketing oil catch cans..........


Steve,
Those parts were for my white lightnin' still...just a little project Jed, Granny and I are working on.

 

Having removed my IC yesterday (boost gauge install), the bottom grooves of the black rubber boots had a enough oil in them to make the better part of paper towel become soiled cleaning them up. The inlets and outlets of the IC had a light film as well...

 

>>Here is a brief replica of how it connects..
>>
>>

MiniPilo, the gray tube with plug in your diagram. Is that a crankcase vent, venting crankcase pressure into the valve cover? Or is it a drain, draining condensed oil from the valve cover back into the crankcase? Anyone know for sure.

 

I saw Randy install quite a few Alta oil catch cans the other day and they look sweet... He was saying there are now 2 places you can put it, the new one is on the passenger side near the tubes that take water to the rear sprayers...fits really well and I think I'll get one.

For those of you that installed the boost gauge...does it rattle? Mine became so anoying I disconnected it from the SC (but capped it) it was driving me crazy...always between 1-3psi D'Oh!

Louay

 

>>>>Here is a brief replica of how it connects..
>>>>
>>>>

 

Just to let you know, Perrin and Alta are the same company. I work 1 block from them and they all drive WRX's or Evolutions. not a MINI in sight.

 

>>>>>>Here is a brief replica of how it connects..
>>>>>>
>>>>
bump
72 views since last post and nada, by the way I don't care about the ALTA can it's only a marginal solution anyway. If you have one did the instructions indicate to plug the tube. If you look at the diagram or check your MCS it is the gray tube that enters about center of the engine block, you have to look between the intercooler and valve cover.