The water in the oil catch can doesn't come from the air. It is water vapor that is generated by the engine. Water vapor is a major component of internal combustion engine exhaust, no piston rings seal perfectly, so water vapor and other products of combustion, get into the crankcase in the form of blow by, past the rings. That blow by is the reason for the Positive Crankcase Ventilation system. When the oil catch can's temperature is below that of the dew point of the water in the crankcase vapors, that water condenses out of the crankcase vapors and stays in the oil catch can.

As the engine compartment warms up, so does the oil catch can. Water vapor stops condensing in the can, when it's temperature rises above the dew point of the water in the crankcase vapors. In the summer, the oil catch can temperature may not get as low as the water vapor's dew point. I've noticed that my oil catch can collects little or no water in the summer, but it still collects oil, and that is what you want to keep out of the engine, to prevent carbon build up in the intake valves, the fact that the oil catch can doesn't stop all the water vapor from getting in the engine is not important, as the water vapor will just stay vapor and go out the exhaust and maybe a little will again go past the rings and go around again.

That water that condenses out on your beer bottle, is water that is already in the air. The cold beer bottle is cooler than the dew point of the water vapor in the air, it condenses on the surface of the bottle. When the humidity is very low, as in a desert, the beer bottle will not get wet as there is no water vapor in the air to condense out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dew_point

Dave

 

If you take a hot shower in the winter and don't have an exhaust fan, the window fogs up and then water droplets form. It's as simple as a difference in temperature. Hot crankcase vapor meets rapidly cooling aluminum catch can (winter) Water forms and mixes with the oil particulates. The water component comes from temperature delta. In the summer, I hardly have to empty the can...in the winter, I empty every 2-4 weeks depending on how cold it is.

 

This discussion definitely has the gears in my head turning.

I'm thinking that during track days I would run the normal N14 PCV tubes to their factory locations to get as much crankcase vapor out as possible since there will be tons of blow-by. I'm wondering if it would make sense to send the passenger side PCV tube and driver side breather tube together in a T-fitting, the T-fitting to a catch can, and the output of the catch can to the turbo compressor inlet tube? My biggest concern is if a catch can will handle the output of all the crankcase vapors from a single breather line if the passenger side port is blocked off totally.

 

There is more blow by at low piston speeds, low RPM, (idle) than there is at high piston speed, high (RPM) this is to do with pressure loadings acting on the piston rings sealing efficiency, and the pistons expansion efficiency, under the increased pressure loadings (heat) differential between the varying load differential conditions.

So under track conditions, although there will be less blow by, there is more windage within the crankcase, and this is created from the rotating assembly, and it is this windage which requires fast efficient evacuation, and not because of increased blow by!

Providing you do the necessary flow and volume calculations for your particular engines PCV's correctly, then you should have no problems, with feeding 2 PCV lines into 1 OCC of the correct flow/volume capability, whilst using the turbo compressor inlet tube as your vacuum source, again with the correct flow/volume diameter.

 

I'm going to install one of these....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINI-COOPER-...item3a5a238d21

 

Very good, but, what size are the hose barbs (hose connectors) ?

 

The price is definately right on the ebay setup, but you need to be prepared to make some adapters to fit the ports on the engine. It looks like the kit includes a couple of NPT to hose barb adapters, and the engine has o-ring fittings.
I know that some people have had quality issues with BSH, but I thought they did a nice job with their adapters and the hardware. Is it worth another $100 over the ebay setup? IMO, yes. Let us know how it works out.

Mike

 

Ah yes you have a very good point! I don't have the resources to do a calculation like you mentioned, but thanks for the input.

 

Yeahhhh....I bet u drive a Razor scooter....no pictures...no car....and to be perfectly honest you shouldnt even be posting on these forums if your not going to help others out. Isn't that the whole point? Stop talking about stuff you probably dont even have.

 

Phillip you might want to check that attitude budy, CZAR is very well respected on this and several other forums for his knowledge of motor engineering. He knows more about our motors then most of the vendors on here. I would not blame him for not giving away trade secrets, he does have a business to run. Since he isn't a paying vendor on here I would imagine he is limited as to giving info about the products he as for our cars.

 

I would agree with you but what we are talking about is not a "trade secret." In fact...it has NOTHING to do with HP gains in any way so I don't see how him showing a picture of his PCV/OCC setup is giving away some deep dark secret...

 

eBay parts are definitely the way to go! good advice czar!

 

Who got out of bed the wrong side, this morning ?

 

Atleast i wokeup and rolled into an R56 that actually exists...

 

Good for you, I don't have an R56, I actually drive this on a daily basis, my R55.

 

looks pretty worked

 

Roger is probably one of the most helpful members of this community. Sorry, but you deserved to look like a fool on that one.

 

Are those caps still around? Or at least easier to find?

 

I can get them from Peugot. Military stationed in Germany. They have to order them and it usually takes 2-3 days to come in.

 

Czar already pm'd me about them. thanks for the help though.

 

I'm interested in those caps as well. Any help appreciated.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

I have been swamped at work this week. Havent had a chance to drop by the dealer. I will try to get it done today.

 

No worries brotha. That'd be great of you could do it today but a racoon decided to jump in the way of my car last night so mods are a tad bit delayed for now

 

Czar y no caps yet?