Ok, so I am getting a bunch of things done to my car before I even drive it a mile. I am not really touching the engine out of the gate just to make sure everything is running 100%. But the one thing I was thinking about was the catch can. Doesn't seem that it could create any problems, but could take away one right out of the gate.

So should I?... or shouldn't I? is the question

The only other thing I was thinking about for the engine was a DOS CAI http://defendersofspeed.com/store/pr...?id_product=20 Any thoughts welcome.

What are other new JCW owners doing out of the gate to their new 2012's?

 

I'm not doing anything to mine. I doubt that I will do anything during the time I own the car. I just drive it. I think it drives plenty fast enough and I don't intend to track mine. My intention is to get longevity out of this car.

 

I understand, and can appreciate your point of view (sometimes I wish i could stop myself). Given your goal of the car it would seem that a catch can would be a good thing to have..? Just wondering if its worth it to try and help take care of the engine.

 

After having my previously loved '09 Clubman S for about a week Im getting a catch can as soon as I can scratch together some cash. The car only has 17k miles on it and I can tell it was never driven hard. When I get on the throttle hard and really spool the turbo I can smell the "blow by" in the engine. I feel like a catch can is a really good idea on these cars no matter what your use will be.

 

A BSH OCC is on my list of to-do's for my 2012 JCW. Probably early next year. I've only got 1200 km on the car so far. No interest from me really about changing the air intake.

I've done very minor things like shorty antennae, LED city lights, yellow fog lights that are purely cosmetic.

I also intend to install the lumbar retrofit on my leatherette sports seats.

Not so sure about other engine updates - I am really happy so far with the car. Maybe the engine mounts and eventually a short throw shifter. I'm not in a rush for the shifter change - I really need more time getting back into driving a stick shift again to see what my preferences are.

I also plan to ditch the run-flats when I switch to summer tires in the spring.

FESAuto Sport module is going higher on my list - I just can't stand driving the car in non-sport mode. I haven't stalled the car so far but whenever I forget the Sport Mode I almost stall it every time.

 

How much do they really catch on a 2012, (even though the older engine) and is this something that dealers frown on or don't give a hoot about?

 

I obviously don't know how effective they are on the 2012 JCW, but I would have to assume that since there hasn't been any significant change that the build up problem would still exist.

I don't know if the dealers care to much about them. I wouldn't think so, but then again they can make an issue out of anything if they want to.

I guess I look at (again assuming there is still a problem) putting the catch can on as an ounce of prevention to keep my performance up since that is why I bought this model in the first place.

 

???

Compared to what? There might not be a "significant change" since 2011, but the 2011 is a whole 'nother animal than the 2010...not saying that you should not spring for a CC, but it might be an expensive solution searching for a problem...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-2011-mcs.html

 

The 2011/2012 MCS and JCW have different engine versions... n14 vs n18.

Carbon buildup is not a search for a problem. It is a well known issue with direct injection engines - not exclusive to MINIs. I think a $200 option is NOT expensive considering the premium price for a MCS or JCW. Most people won't notice carbon buildup issues until their warranty is up and I am sure MINI will have no issue charging $$ to remove the buildup. That is my suspicion why car companies don't worry much about carbon buildup - it occurs outside of warranty for many?

 

From my reading, not all direct injection engines have a problem with carbon buildup on the backs of the intake valves. The 2010 and older N14 engines have demonstrated a problem with carbon build up, but there was a major redesign of the head for the 2011 and later N18 engines. It could be that the problem has been solved. Time will tell as these newer engine's miles gets into the range of miles in which the N14 engine starts to have carbon build up problems.

Anyway, oil catch cans were originally developed to keep oil and crankcase fumes out of the turbocharger and intercooler. So putting one on your car is still a good idea.

Dave

 

Or not...in the thread I quoted above there isn't much of a consensus in favor of the OCC on 2011 and 2012 engines.

+1 on the carbon buildup issue though...it just might be a thing of the past

 

I don't want to comment further on the N18... but factory JCWs do not have N18 engines (yet).

 

Still, the amount of crap that gets collected is evidence enough for me. What's the worst that happens? Your engine is a little healthier? I'm ok with that. I have a 2012 JCW and a BSH OCC sitting in the garage waiting for me to find the time to install it. I also did a Forge DV (Not sure if I should switch to the higher rated yellow spring and Forge hasn't replied to me...), a noise maker delete, and an aFe filter to replace the OEM paper one. I wouldn't do the intake only because I don't think the JCW sees any benefit from it. I also plan on a nm strut bar, rsb, coilovers, endlinks etc, and eventually an AccessPort. Non-engine related I'm going to pick up the JCW Recaros, steering wheel, and possibly the shift **** at some point before I PCS out of here and see what I can do about swapping over the pressure sensor either from my seat or a junkyard seat. Then wheels and the aero kit the Clubbie got totally screwed out of and that'll probably be it.

 

Any engine which uses DI (direct injection) will always suffer from carbon build up, the only way to really keep carbon build up at bay, is to do anyone of the following:

Introduce a secondary set of fuel injectors into the intake manifold.

Install a water/meth kit, and run this continuously all the time your engine is running, and not just off a boost situation.

Install a oil/air separator, onto each PCV line, and by that I don't mean a cheap nasty empty OCC (oil catch can.)

Even though the N18 engine has a revised PCV system, it will still suffer from carbon build up, remember that when on boost the drivers PCV line on both the N14 and N18 engines is open, and this will still feed contaminated suspended oil particles in the crankcase gas into the air intake system!

 

I assume you mean something like the BSH OCC that has mesh inside would be preferred correct?

 

I know nothing of the internals of the BSH OCC what's the void volume of the "mesh" what's it's particle separation size and filtration % ? how quickly will that "mesh" become clogged ? is the BSH OCC serviceable ? It's all very well having a OCC with "mesh" or a baffle filter inside, but unless you know the answers to the above, how do you or the supplying company, know how effective it will be ?

 

I don't know hence the reasoning behind posting questions on NAM...

I do know it is serviceable as it has a drain on the bottom and can also be drained using a syringe from the top of the dip stick opening.

 

I will say this, I have yet to see a OCC supplied by any so called "performance or tuning" company that will catch and separate the oil from the crankcase gas efficiently, yes they all collect an X amount of oil, and this will most likely be less than 50% weight per volume, and so there will always be that remaining % of oil which will still pass through the OCC and find it's way back into your intake system!

 

Sure... but is a 50% reduction (or less) enough to extend the amount of time between removal of carbon buildup?

It is obviously doing something, but I guess is $200 for an OCC worth while with the monthly maintenance/drain or should people just wait until they have carbon buildup down the road and spend $$ later to clear it out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cnorrick/5879247368/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cnorrick/5879247368/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cnorrick/, on Flickr

 

Yes a 50% separation is far better than nothing, and goes a long way in fighting against the inevitable carbon deposit build up, and the image you have provide is a 60/40 split, water to oil, you have to remember that your OCC is a condensing vessel, and although lots of folks are convinced that all the liquid in their OCC, came out of their engine, it did not, your OCC is subject to heat cycling, this creates it's own water vapour, which is too heavy to be carried out of the OCC by the passing crankcase gasses, and the more water vapour your can collects, the more it produces at a faster rate, it really is a catch 22 situation.

 

I was following you until you said that an oil catch can creates its own water vapor. Anything that is trapped by the oil catch can has to come from the engine, doesn't it? The oil catch can is still part of the closed PCV system, I can't see where else water vapor could be coming from.

Could you please elaborate?

Dave

 

Ok I will try to keep this short and simple, your engine goes through heat cycles, cold to hot (working temperature) and back again to cold, and so does your engines oil, and this heat cycling creates moisture (sweating) water droplets, within the engine, ever removed an oil cap and seen emulsified Cream coloured gunk in there, and thought, "oh no" oil mixing with water, must be the head gasket ? and found that not to be the case, and thought why you have that emulsified gunk there in the first place ? Well that's created by the engine going through it's many heat cycles and sweating creataing moisture!

That said when we get our engines up to working temperature, then the heat generated starts to burn off the water vapour from the heat cycled sweating of your engine and it's oil, now your can goes through the same process, but, because it is neither heated or cooled slowly by the engines coolant system, it heats and cools more rapidly than the engine, and produces more water vapour than the engine, going through the same heat cycles, hence your can produces it's own water vapour!

 

When I asked was it serviceable, I mean are you able to remove the "mesh" from the can, clean or renew it and replace it, I guess not, so therefore it's non serviceable.

 

From what I've read on these forums, the BSH oil catch can has a vertical baffle that forces the path of the crankcase vapors down from the inlet and then up to the can's outlet, giving the vapors a better chance to condense out. Not 100% efficient, but what is?

Regarding water vapor condensed out in the oil catch can. I understand that the water is condensed out of the crankcase gasses, but the water originally came from the engine, heat cycling just explains that it condenses out, not it's origin. It is either coming from a bit of blow by from the rings or from the atmosphere, though atmospheric water vapor is probably a minor component as the engines are pretty air tight.

The oil catch can isn't making water, it is just condensing the water out of the vapor coming from the engine as it flows through the oil catch can. Better in the catch can than in the intercooler where it would be more difficult to remove.

Dave

 

Ok, so after reading and talking to as many people as I could today. I decided to go with a BSH catch can and the MCS Dual boost Tap from DOS to help keep my engine in the best running condition possible. As many have pointed out in this thread and many others. It is a well known fact that there is a build up problem in the N14 engines, and I plan on keeping the car for many years to come.
Thanks for everyone's input....now if I could only get my car