mag light catch can

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Dusty

Dusty

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Joined
Oct 7, 2004
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100
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2,589
I tore up a perfectly good mad light today to make a bigger catch can. it s a 4 d side light. pics explain it. all you need is:
--the 2 pvc gromets (part #'s included in pic)
--the pvc valve (part # included)
--some copper (or stainless) emery cloth
--i used a 3/8 elbow at the light and a 3/8 to 3/8 coupler at the valve cover (where the pvc normaly is)

Note that the light is airtight but I didn't want it to see boost all the time and thats why i put the pvc valve at the the top of the light instead of at the valve cover where it normaly goes. for the pvs gromet going through the lens you must first drill a 1" hole in the lens. note that I added an extra big oring under the lens to make sure it stays tight. (available at true value hardware)
The 5/8 hose going half way down the light fits right over the pvc valve I used. you can put this together in 20min

price for light--$20
price for other parts--%9

I wanted to be able to see through the the lens but if you dont want to bother with drilling a hole through the lens there are a few pvc grommets at auto zone that fit tight right in the body of the light if you just want to leave the light bulb housing off (just unscrew it and discard)
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:idea: way to go dusty... i got the kazuma and was wondering about increased volume of blow by as well.. awesome job on a budget; and i got an extra mag that size as well. keep us posted on how it works for you. looks like youd have lots of options on where to place that unit as well.:cheers:
 
need to keep the emery pad between the airflow so the air is forced to go through the emery pad. my set up pulls the air to the intake manifold from through the hole (and pvc) in the top of the light while the dirty crank vapors enter the light through the side. it may be better to have it the other way around in my case-have the vapor come in from the top and exit out the side. one could argue that with my current set up a big bump may splash a bunch of oil into the 1/2 hose inside the light and this oil would then be sucked out the top into the intake.
 
right o

so as shared above I made the switch. I ran a drill through the pvc valve that is on top the light turning it into nothing more than a coupler. I then switched the hoses so now the hose on the side (clean air) goes into the intake manifold and the dirty vapors from the valve cover come in the top. I put the oe pvc valve in line with the hose going to the intake manifold so as to allow gasses to travel away from the light but cant return to it du to the valve.

so there;)
 
Dusty said:
one could argue that with my current set up a big bump may splash a bunch of oil into the 1/2 hose inside the light and this oil would then be sucked out the top into the intake.
Click to expand...

Not only that, your baffles working from the top down instead of bottom up. Your solution's sounds good to go. The only thing I'm curious about is the mesh baffle... wondering if that will get cloggy. I'm really interested to see how this thing performs. It's kind of rig-a-ma-jig..., but I like it :D.
 
OK, so I'm a moron. More of a driver than a mechanic. I've done some searches, but I'm not getting the benefit of the extra catch can. Does this help keep the weak (I know, debatable) EGR system cleaner and avoid the PO401 / PO402 codes? Does it keep the radiator from blowing pop rocks and cottage cheese? Make us more attractive to girls? What's the deal?
 
when your motor is running it develops a pressure in your crankcase. that pressure should be released to prevent broblems with your rings, etc. the pressure is released (actually vacumed out) by the hoses going from the valve cover to the intake manifold (before and after throttle body). that air naturally has oil vapor that could be coating your intake manifold, etc. the catch can collects the oil and returns clean air. Im a recent convert to the catch can craze
 
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How the hell did you think of using a maglite?! That's some serious McGuyver action. Hate to see what you can make w/ some coffee cups and duct tape... :D
 
are you using the factory pcv valve? I'm pretty sure they work within certain parameters of high pressure/low pressure. You might tap two vac gauges, one on the top of pcv and one on the bottom of pcv(in and out hoses), record the pressures at idle, WOT, and in-between chart them and get the correct pcv for your custom setup.

very cool by the way.
 
I am using the factory pvc in line just a couple inches from where it goes into the post throttle body. as shared above I drilled out the lens pcv valve so it is now just a coupler to connect the lens pcv grommet to my 3/8 hose. others could save themselves some time and use a a different pcv grommet at the top of the light with a 3/8 hole in it. then just plug a 3/8 hose coupler into that lens inserted pcv grommet. so basicly you would be plugging the 3/8 hose right into the lens grommet without doing my stupid drilled pcv valve trick.
But you would need to make sure the coupler was long enough to go all the way through the lens grommet and into the lumen of the flashlight so there would be enough coupler to plug the inner hose to---the hose that has the copper emmery cloth around it.

clear as mud
 
is your pcv connected to both the throttle body and the intake pipe (before the turbo). i went back and looked at the pics, the turbo creats a whole different monster. if the pcv is only connected to the throttle body, when it hits positive boost pressure, the pressure pressurizes the PCV system and force additional air into the motor (going the wrong way) did you put a check vavle on the intake side of pcv.
 
correct
If you have no turbo you would only put a catch can btween the 2nd throttle body pcv hose and the valve cover. you would leave the 1st throttle body pcv hose where it is (going also to the valve cover)

if you have a turbo like me your 2nd throttle body pcv hose is closed off while boosting due to the one way pcv valve inline with it. under boost the pressure in the crank is released via the other hose comming off the valve cover. (there are 2 vent hoses comming off your valve cover) normally, in a non boosted cruiser, the 2 valve cover hoses both go to your throttle body. but in a turbod truck one hose goes from the valve cover to the throttle body and the other goes from the valve cover to the pre-turbo intake (the 2nd trottle body port is blocked off) so that when the motor is boosting, and the valve cover line with the pcv valve is preventing ventilation, the motor can still vent to the pre turbo intake (which is essentially atmospheric) via the 2nd valve cover vent tube (the one that was suposed to also go the the trottle body).
But as others have done I have also placed a filter in series with the line going from the valve cover to the preturbo intake. I have used a small air compressor filter here as theis pathway sees much much less oil vapor (only when boosting)

in pics red is line going from light to throttle body
yellow is line from valve cover to light

green is the line going from valve cover to pre turbo intake (on non turbod trucks this line goes from valve cover to trottle body)

this is the main catch can thread https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=87788&highlight=carbon+control
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Curious to know how the emory cloth worked out on this design? Any clogging issues?
 
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