Oil Catch Tank

[Output Shaft]

I just installed it this morning, took the pics and ran up to the computer and posted it
It would have taken 20 minutes to install it (had to drill out the mounting bracket hole slightly larger to fit the 8mm bolt) but I had to run over to the hardware store to get a right angle NPT fitting. I had a short piece of 3/8" fuel line laying around.
I'm curious what will end up in it too.... Very curious indeed.

 

[Godwin]

How is the oil catch tank working out?

 

[Output Shaft]

I'm waiting on another engine component I sent out that is getting upgraded. I haven't run the engine since the PCV filter was installed. Car was already down when I installed it. Once I get the engine back up and running, I'll post back here with impressions.

One thing I noticed while I was playing with it before I installed it (blowing some air through it) is that there is some noticeable resistance to the air flow since the air is going through smallish orifices and a smallish filter. The resistance will only increase once the filter becomes saturated with oil.
My 'big'boy' oil separator I use for my air compressor, that is much larger, breathes much easier.

My thoughts now are whether or not this little filter will significantly restrict the volume of the air that is supposed to flow through the PCV valve. After noticing the restricted air flow, my initial guess is yes.

Even if the PCV valve were to be completely plugged, the crankcase won't be over-pressurized with blow-by, as the blow-by will exit out the top valve cover vent to the air cleaner... But I'm thinking it is far better to have blow-by and oil vapor exit via the PCV valve than waft up through the push rod cover to the valve train and valve cover above.

So now I have a doubts about this little filter... and I haven't even used it. It sure looks cool though.

I know that the bigger separator will work fine. It doesn't significantly reduce the air flow... but it's a lot bigger and will be more tricky to mount.

Once the engine is back up and running, I am going to compare this little filter against my bigger one.. connecting up each one with a PCV valve and taking note of the air flow/ oil catch.

Either way, I would like a PCV oil catch can to be in my engine's future. My task now is to decide which one.

 

[lovetoski]

What did you use to connect the hose where the OEM PCV fits? The silver thingy in this pic...

 

[Output Shaft]

The original Toyota hose that connects to the PCV valve did not have any clamping device (on my engine at least) to the PCV valve....so for the aftermarket Fuel/Vapor hose extension I installed.. I didn't use one either. I figured if there was a backfire or something, it would be better to be able to blow off the hose than blow something up. The HIC inlet hose on the metal tee farther up will ensure pressure release too.
A hose clamp could be attached at the PCV valve. I chose not to.
Since the extension hose is new and supple, it actually seals and fits tigher on the PCV valve than the 27 yr. old OEM hose.

 

[lovetoski]

cool, that makes sense. thankyou.

 

[Bear Lake Cruiser]

I just installed it this morning, took the pics and ran up to the computer and posted it
It would have taken 20 minutes to install it (had to drill out the mounting bracket hole slightly larger to fit the 8mm bolt) but I had to run over to the hardware store to get a right angle NPT fitting. I had a short piece of 3/8" fuel line laying around.
I'm curious what will end up in it too.... Very curious indeed.

Show us a pic after a month or three

 

[opg4759a]

Well I installed my Jegg's air oil separator.


IMG_20150515_145614 by Josh, on Flickr

After one day after I'm am definitely seeing it separate out some oil.


IMG_20150517_103656 by Josh, on Flickr

 

[Slow Left]

Cool. Looks like it's doing it's job.

I wonder if you are going to notice an increase in MPGs.

That was only after 1 day of driving? How many miles?

 

[opg4759a]

Only about 50

 

[Output Shaft]

Well I installed my Jegg's air oil separator.

Looks really great!
Take a look at your HIC intake hose tee fitting that feeds off the PCV main hose. The tee fitting and hose is pointing down. As oil slowly moves it's way up the main PCV hose, it will start weeping down the HIC intake hose and probably end up in the HIC valve. On my first pictures posted, I installed it (lame) like that too....

Normally, the tee fitting is lower than the HIC valve and so is the hose, so no oil can run to the valve.

So maybe it would be best to install the tee fitting down right next to the PCV valve, near the lifter cover... so it is at the lowest spot and oil can not flow to the HIC valve. I need to fix my plumbing too from the earlier pictures I posted.

 

[cruisermatt]

Going to (hopefully) install my newly rebuilt 3FE in about two weeks, is this a modification I should be thinking about doing? Keeping in mind I am not running EGR at all, and I'm installing a new PCV valve. This mod is to help to prevent negative effects of blow-by which I should have none of for about 20 years right?

 

[Output Shaft]

I think it's more of a belief than a fact. Some guys like them, some guys don't like the restricted PCV air flow through the filter. Zero OEMs install them. I haven't used mine yet, so I have no experience with it.

There are Plenty Of Opinions...

 

[Slow Left]

@opg4759a , have you ever run 1/2 can of SeaFoam in the crank case for ~100 miles right before you change the engine oil? I did so last summer and it seemed to clean things up in the crank case quite nicely...seems to have reduced some of the pressure that was building in the crankcase and alleviated early signs of blowby I was noticing on the engine.

Just thinking, because for 50 miles that seems to be a good shot of oil...but then again, I haven't installed one yet on my rig so I really don't have a point of comparison, just didn't expect to see that much after 50 miles...

 

[lovetoski]

I did this install yesterday, and drove 150 miles today. Actually, it was 10 hours of driving, since 100 miles were on forest service roads and in 1st and 2nd gear. Some time in low range as well. Was in the cascades, so a lot of up and down. There's definitely some s*** in the can.

 

[Output Shaft]

So this has been installed but you've not really put it to use yet? Looking forward to see what accumulates in the bowl.

How is the oil catch tank working out?

Show us a pic after a month or three

=============
OK, some (more) guys are gunna hate me...

I finally got to drive my car the last three days with the new JEGS PCV catch can installed.

My Verdict?
I removed it and went back to the OEM normal setup (w/o catch-can).

In my opinion, this little filter creates too much air restriction to the PCV flow.
It definitely filtered out some oil… a little over ⅛" collected in the bottom of the basin after 120 miles on my 2F, but if I have to choose between two evils, I'll take a little synthetic motor oil getting sucked into the intake rather than risk sludging my engine down the line due to inadequate crankcase ventilation.


After researching more on PCV catch cans, I noted a trend with some hot rod guys…
It kind of went like this:
First install the catch can for the obvious reasons….
Then get rid of it due to the discovery that there is restricted air flow…
Then just let the sucker illegally vent to atmosphere (towards the ground).

I don't want to do that. So mine is going back to the OEM design.

(that little filter looked so cool!)

 

[Slow Left]

In my opinion, this little filter creates too much air restriction to the PCV flow.

Hey OS, how about removing the filter element (but keeping the catch can) and filling the bottom 1/3 of it with metal beads...that way you still create surface area for the suspended oil (suspended in the gas) to condense onto in liquid form...the turbulence of fluid flow once the gas hits the catch can should be enough to bring the flow down to the beads...

By exchanging the filter element for metal beads you are sacrificing some surface area, but maintaining flow.