Oil Catch Cans and Intercoolers
 

An odd combination to discuss together I guess, but my experience the last two days suggests a logical dilemma that I haven't seen referred to in either the threads on OCCs or on ICs (and I've read them all--darn it.)
Anyway, I installed the M7 OCC in the suggested location, up on the left in the space near the DSC control in front of the passenger on the firewall. I had to remove the IC to install the lines from the right and left tappet cover breathers and the line back to the throttle body inlet. I noticed that space is pretty tight there, and even though I got both 5/8 OD lines installed, they pretty much took up all the space between the fuel lines and the injector wires. Reinstalling the IC I noticed that the OCC lines greatly reduced the air flow underneath the IC. Now we all spend much time, energy and dollars on bigger scoops and the like to get more air into the IC, but it has to have somewhere to go to be effective! Anyway, I this morning a re-routed the OCC lines around the back of the IC above the spark plugs (not something I access all that often!) I have no data to support the following claim but my brain tells me removing these lines from below the IC must improve the air flow and hence cooling compared to running them under the IC.
Anyone else thought this?
cheers,
phil

Interesting thought...Sounds like a good idea to me. Allow some more air to more around the bottom of the IC.

keep it clean
 

I did not clean my M7 OCC when I should have and it was FULL of Gook, brown chunky stuff :eek2: :eek2: , both of the people that cleaned it for me ended up ordering one. they took the intercooler off and cleaned it out as well as both hoses to the OCC. Clean it at least every 6 - 8 months.

The OCC really works, now it up to me to keep it clean.

Earl

Yes. That's the reason I have, for now, only tapped the PCV side of the cover. That way the OEM hard line is all that runs under the IC.
I wanted to see how effective doing just one side was.
Next I will run a hard line to the other side and T that in to see how well venting both sides works.
Just a little fact finding for fun project.

Your logic is spot on "in" can only = "out"

Here's a photo from my website of the new layout of the OCC lines:

http://gandini.unm.edu/PGpages/Inter...1639EngBay.jpg

The lines sit just behind the IC. I was thinking, like obehave, that two catch cans would work well, keeping the lines on each side of the engine. The left breather would go to the OCC up on the firewall enclosure at left, and the right one would sit at the back near the Alta intake. The right OCC would feed from the right engine breather and return to the intake at the throttle body, but where would the left OCC return to? I can only think it would have to be routed back to the TB and T'd with the other return back into the intake path. Still a bit messy.
Anyway, I'm just trying to keep it cool(er).
phil

I just hooked up my own OCC today - $16 version. Since I'm told that the valve-cover side puts out almost no oil, and apparently there are are issues with running both to the same line, I only hooked up the crankcase vent. Basically the OCC is inline where the right-angle hose ran from PCV to the stiff grey hose.

BTW, I see no reason to run 3/8" hose - the I.D. of 1/4" hose, like the right-angle hose it replaces, is within a mm of the I.D. of the PCV outlet and the grey hose. 1/4" fuel line went on both without much trouble. That will reduce the restriction under the IC a bit.

When I had the IC out and cleaned it with carb cleaner, I put a couple of 1/8" spacers under the aft brackets that support the IC, to open up the IC outflow path a bit and tilt it up into the airstream. Plenty of room under the bonnet with the stock upper diverter gone.

I like the extension you added to the stock diverter - what is it made of, and how did you attach it? I also have the Ram Air intake, and have fabricated a new flexible seal - pix in a day or two once it comes back from re-paint - the first (local) paint job on mine was not a great color match.

Exactly right...
 

IC only works if the air can flow through it.

Matt

Wow!
 

I think this is the best looking catch can install yet. Excellent work!:nod:

Thanks! I tried putting down on the left front (I'd seen it on MSFITOY's car I think) but there's no room on the 05/06 due to the new engine mount and the xenon lights with washers. I've seen others put it in front of where mine is mounted but it interferes with removing the oil filter, so this seemed to be the best place.
The diverter addition is simply Al sheet mounted to the two front bolts and painted black.
Simple and effective, I hope.
phil