I searched through the archives but couldn't find this information. I just ordered a 05 MCS and I am wondering if using an oil catch can on a street vehicle will be a benefit? Does the oil catch can connect to the PCV valve? If used, can it harm the engine in any way? How often do you need to empty it?

Thanks in advance.

 

I feel that an oil catch can is a must in order to get continuous 100% of the intercooler's efficiency. I highly recommend putting one on your new S ASAP.

I use the Alta with perfect results of not a trace of oil residue in the IC.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=33430

This covers a conversation about the two or three ways you can deploy the cans. Have fun! It will help on any car with an intercooler.

Matt

 

This is my opinion, and I am sure there will members that differ with me.

Oil catch cans are used to catch oil carried out of the engine by the breather, and to keep it off the road (open crankcase vent) or out of the intake / intercooler (when car has Positive Crankcase Ventilation).

If the car has a reasonable oil consumption, you should not have enough blow by to cause oil carryover into the intercooler.

Excessive oil blow by is caused by worn piston rings, or premature wearing of the rings due to failure to bed them in per the "break in" or "run in" directions.

Unfortunately many manufacturers seem to feel that 1 qt per 1200 miles is with in normal range. At that point you may want to consider a catch can.

My MCS has used only 6 OZ of oil in 10,000 miles. Other posters have simiar results.

I also see posts by owners with catch cans that are collecting half a can of material in a few thousand miles.

You may want to see how your car does on oil before spending the money and time on the catch can.

John

 

Hi there and congrats on your new Mini....

Here's an image and a link to the M7 Oil Catch Can, feel free to call us with any questions you might have.

Sincerely

peter
Team M7
562-608-8123

www.m7tuning.com

 

John, have you ever removed your IC ? Anyone with 10,000 miles who wants to see why you should use an oil catch can should remove there IC sometime.

 

All highway miles and I'm catching about 2 Tablespoons + per day. 140 miles a day. Try to empty about once a week. Forgot for most of Jan and it was almost full. Its well worth it, not a drop of oil in the IC.


Nik

 

Hello there, I say to def. get a catch can. It won't even take 10,000 miles before you see oil in the Intercooler. I recommend m7's due to it's construction.

I'm using a Alta catch can made of Silicone that's not holding up very well because the way it's hooked up. Can't handle the vacuum it gets @ idle and the hoses sweat the oil that passes thru them.

M7's will hold up either way you connect it and only costs a couple bucks more. hope this helps

James

 

I have the Alta for 1.5 years and 10K miles. No problems with vacuum or hoses sweating oil. Regardless of which brand you choose, its a must do if yoy want to keep the inside of your intercooler clean.

 

Here is how I installed my Alta. Just about a years worth of use and I would highly recommend getting one.

 

Like Peter says



The standard install location is next to the anti-lock (passenger cowl area). To put it here takes extra work but if you're up to it, I can help And, yes...I love it

 

WHAT!????
Something is obviously very wrong with either your car or your setup of the OCC.

 

I've been meaning to ask about this but haven't got around to it. Almost all the catch it water, very little oil. Its set up as Scotts earlier post . The car preforms flawlesly, and have no issues at all. During the summer months (ie hot 90-110) there was alot less catch. but now in the winter months with the temps usually between 10-50Fit seems to be catching more . Is this possible??? There has always been some oil consuption with this car but nothing that I would consider odd. I would say about the same as John bosted earlier ~6oz per 10,000mi.

I kinda figure it working, and my IC is clean

Nik

 

There's probably as much moisture running through, but with colder temps, more of the water vapor is condensing on the cool walls of the can.....

Just a thought....

Matt

 

So how long does this take to install and how hard is it to install??

 

It looks pretty easy but I had Steve's Auto Clinic do mine because I am lazy and my MINI was there anyway.

 

I have a bout 5,000 miles on my S. Assuming I were to put a catch can on this weekend, what can I expect the amount of residue already collected in the IC to be? Is there a way to clean the IC, so that I can start fresh after the catch can install? I had no idea the oil build-up was such a problem...glad I clicked on this thread.

 

The oil is most easily seen in the boots of the IC, it seems to deposite there. If you are installing it yourself it is a perfict time to check/ clean the boots and IC out since you have to remove the IC anyway. I just wiped the boots out with a cloth, and then sprayed cleaner thru the inside of the IC and let it dry. I used a brake cleaner, and was just sure to let it dry. There was actucally quite a bit of deposites hidden in the IC "veins" (for lack of a better term)

It doesn't take long to install, half hour maybe. Just take the IC off, route the hoses, put IC back on and your done. The longest part for me was mounting the actual can. But that was my own fault............ I had to tinker

Nik

 

hello, I to think all the water your catching is from condensation building in the can itself, especially the Alum. top and bottom. I highly doubt it's coming from the engine. Mine is hooked up differently, but all I get is oil, about 4 tablespoons in the last 4 months. take care

 

Can you explain how your is hooked up to collect oil?

Thanks

 

My catch can was simply added to the stock setup. I left breather on the right side of the engine alone and istalled the can hoses between the PCV valve and the grey tube.

Check out Msfitoys pic. with the m7 can, you can just see the hose clamps connected to the gray line.

 

do you think the dealer will give me a hassle for having the oil catch can?

 

The reason for the higher oil content in your can is because of the high vacuum at idle. The engine is literally sucking the oil and what-not from the valve cover. By not using the "grey" hose you are eliminating the inherent problem of the high vacuum and only using regular intake vacuum to suck out the vapors from the valve cover. I don't get much oil, but I do get a fairly thick watery liquid from my can. Best of all my IC is staying clean.

 

This oil catch-can / oil separator thread is full of information and motivated me to install a catch-can, which I had delayed for 3 years. The thread resolved the question of the optimal hose conections, provided ideas as to mounting the catch-cn in the cramped engine compartment and provided other practical advice.

I decided to connect the catch-can in series with the PCV valve and the low pressure side of the throttle body. The catch-can will see vacuum with this arrangement. I decided to purchase the Alta catch-can because of it's small size and I've been happy with their other products. Jeff, at Alta, understood my concern about vacuum and the catch-can and incuded, with the catch-can kit, two large metal rings to place inside the silicone hose body of the catch-can. These rings will keep the catch-can from collapsing under vacuum. Inside the catch-can I placed, in a ring like arrangement, three stainless steel springs, similar to the old SU carb springs, and stuffed a copper turnings pot scrubber at the bottom. All this metal is to provide a large surface area for the suspended and vaporized hot oil to condense.

Mounting the catch-can was easy, even with '05 convertible tower braces retrofitted in my '02 MCS. The goal was to mount the catch-can as close as possible to the PCV valve to minimize hose lengths. To do this, it is necessary to move the black gas tank vent assembly as far toward the center of the car as it will go. All that was necessary was to shorten the stock bracket by 2" and to anchor the gas tank vent assembly to the stub of the bracket with a plastic cable tie. Moving the gas tank vent assembly out of the way provided plenty of room to locate the catch-can in that space right next to the motor mount, the gas tank vent assembly, and the supercharger outlet ducting and away from the headlight assembly in the hood. The bottom of the Alta catch-can was drilled and tapped to attach a mounting bracket fabricated from a 1/8' x 3/4" x 6" length of hardware store aluminum stock. The catch-can and bracket assembly is bolted to the frame rail in which threaded steel inserts for M6 fasteners were installed. Large self taping screws might work as well if they aren't removed very often.

So far, so good. Did clean the oil out of the intercooler with paint thinner. Too soon to tell how well the catch-can is functioning. I'd think that anyone could mount their catch-can as I did if they are willing to shorten the stock metal gas tank vent assembly bracket and are willing to drill two holes in the frame rail.

Regards,
John Petrich in Seattle

 

petrich,
The o5 convertable strut braces are installed to provide????????