Still Not Sold On A Catch Can? Check Here...

krdeal · December 28, 2015

I am well aware how most additives work including Seafoam. It was actually marketed for the marine industry first, hence the name. Unfortunately, adding any Seafoam product to the fuel or oil will not fix the issue here. It needs to be added to the air intake stream to reach the back side of the intake valves to clean them. Adding to the fuel as previously stated will do nothing, adding it to the oil will not clean the valves, nor will adding it to a vacuum line unless it is directly upstream of the intake port going into the port itself. The only area it may be possible to use Seafoam effectively is the version that allows you to spray directly down the intake track. I'm still not sold on the effectiveness of that way either, considering it will need to go out the exhaust and possibly cause issues in the exhaust system. Nor do I believe the catch can is 100% effective. All we can do is the best we can.

newdude · December 28, 2015

Simple. It's maintenance that the customer would have to do themselves, and most people can't even find the oil dipstick now-a-days, let alone drain this can. If these things got full and clogged up the PCV system... that is bad news, and would lead to more 'warranty' claims than just not adding a can to begin with.

You could argue that this could be done in tandem with an oil change, but one: Not everyone goes to a dealership to get their oil changed, and two: For those that live in colder climates, condensation leads to the cans filling much faster than a warm climate year round.

Anyone trying to disprove that these things work and save your motor in the long run obviously don't know what a direct injection engine is. They cost about 100-200 bucks at most, and take literally 10 minutes to install. Cheap insurance. I mean hey, if you're gunna trade your truck in at 50,000 miles when she's just getting broken in, then all the power to you to not add a can. I just feel bad for the guy who buys your truck next.

By the way, GM DOES add these on the upper line Camaro and Corvette.

No Corvette (C6 or C7) has one. 2010-2015 Camaro does not have one from the factory unless you order a 1LE. 1LE comes with a PCV oil/air separator. http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=1145

However...see below...

I dont know of any OEM catch cans, he may be confusing the dry sump oil systems for a catch can.

2016 CTS-V and 2016 Camaro SS have a factory oil/air separator system (OEM engineered catch can).

LT1 Engine

The LT1 engine utilizes an integral positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system which is located in the Valve Lifter Oil Manifold Assembly beneath the Intake Manifold Assembly. The Valve Lifter Oil Manifold Assembly contains composite oil separating baffles and PCV plumbing. Filtered fresh air is routed from upstream of the throttle plate to the external PCV oil separator tank . From there it is passed to both engine rocker arm covers. The rocker arm covers’ design shields rocker arm oil spray, thereby reducing the potential for oil being drawn back into the tank during backflow of the ventilation system. If oil is drawn back into the tank it will drain down to the oil pan, which further reduces oil consumption. Blow-by vapors are routed from the valve lifter oil manifold assembly through a fixed orifice (7.5 mm) within a steel PCV tube, then into the Intake Manifold Assembly.

jrob56 · December 28, 2015

Like to see the setup of that then.

The one on the 1le just looks like a clean side seperator, and they just capped the PCV.

CH15GMC · December 31, 2015

Here is a picture of my wife's Acadia with 30k on it. I cleaned the valves manually (yesterday) before putting on an Elite E2-X can. I can tell a difference in acceleration. I also installed an E2-X on my truck (had the standard can but decided to upgrade to the E2-X since it performs better with GDI engines).

Pretty crazy buildup if you ask me. i recommend manual cleaning after seeing this (after 15-30k without a catch can). The cleans just push this into your engine and it can't be good for it in the long run.

joshc64311 · December 31, 2015

Here is a picture of my wife's Acadia with 30k on it. I cleaned the valves manually (yesterday) before putting on an Elite E2-X can. I can tell a difference in acceleration. I also installed an E2-X on my truck (had the standard can but decided to upgrade to the E2-X since it performs better with GDI engines).

Pretty crazy buildup if you ask me. i recommend manual cleaning after seeing this (after 15-30k without a catch can). The cleans just push this into your engine and it can't be good for it in the long run.

image.jpeg

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how did you clean manually?

Eddie 70 · December 31, 2015

Mine is coming up on 47k miles. I bought it used and I am going to say that nothing has ever been done to it. I have put almost 4500 miles on it since I have had it. Looking at this thread I am wanting to buy the E2-X also. I would like to see some pictures of the new trucks intake valves. I have two cans of the Seafoam spray I have wanted to try at each oil change. I think the catch can is the way to go and then maybe use the Seafoam as a preventative maintenance.

edillen3953 · January 1, 2016

I agree alot has to do with tuning and things other than catch cans. VW had horrible problems with initial DI engines. Using quality synthetic oil helped significantly. Read on VW and Mazdaspeed3 forums and you will still see alot of disagreement on catch cans and their worth. Good thing is that adding one has no ill side effects other than on your wallet.

A big reason Ford and others don't use Seafoam is due to the turbocharged engines. The Seafoam make for a very hot exhaust which is causing turbo housings to crack.

I think probably the best cure is what Lexus does. They add a single port injector in the manifold which squirts just enough fuel to bathe the back of the valves in order to mitigate some of the carbon build up.

CH15GMC · January 1, 2016

how did you clean manually?

I basically just took off the manifold and cleaned the valves with a copper brushes (used a gun cleaning kit). It took about 3 hours start to finish and I would say I'm handy and somewhat mechanically knowledgable...not hard once you get into it. Need to make sure the valves are closed all the way and tape off the others openings where the valves are open. I used compressed air to blow it out and get everything out. After cleaning most of the build up off I used CRC intake valve cleaner, let it set in and cleaned them again with the brush. There is a lot more to it but a member 'GDI Tech' helped me with directions. PM me if you want them. They were for my Acadia but should be simular to our trucks method wise.

CH15GMC · January 1, 2016

Mine is coming up on 47k miles. I bought it used and I am going to say that nothing has ever been done to it. I have put almost 4500 miles on it since I have had it. Looking at this thread I am wanting to buy the E2-X also. I would like to see some pictures of the new trucks intake valves. I have two cans of the Seafoam spray I have wanted to try at each oil change. I think the catch can is the way to go and then maybe use the Seafoam as a preventative maintenance.

My only concentrate with using Seafoam at that mileage is you're pushing all that buildup past the pistons and scoring the cylinder walls. Might not be enough to do anything but I'd rather not have that as a concern. It took about 3 hours for me to clean the Acadia's valves and think it would take about that on our trucks.

SMiller · January 1, 2016

I agree alot has to do with tuning and things other than catch cans. VW had horrible problems with initial DI engines. Using quality synthetic oil helped significantly. Read on VW and Mazdaspeed3 forums and you will still see alot of disagreement on catch cans and their worth. Good thing is that adding one has no ill side effects other than on your wallet.

A big reason Ford and others don't use Seafoam is due to the turbocharged engines. The Seafoam make for a very hot exhaust which is causing turbo housings to crack.

I think probably the best cure is what Lexus does. They add a single port injector in the manifold which squirts just enough fuel to bathe the back of the valves in order to mitigate some of the carbon build up.

Adding a 9th injector is the only way to fix the problem as of now.

crushNchowda · January 3, 2016

I am well aware how most additives work including Seafoam. It was actually marketed for the marine industry first, hence the name. Unfortunately, adding any Seafoam product to the fuel or oil will not fix the issue here. It needs to be added to the air intake stream to reach the back side of the intake valves to clean them. Adding to the fuel as previously stated will do nothing, adding it to the oil will not clean the valves, nor will adding it to a vacuum line unless it is directly upstream of the intake port going into the port itself. The only area it may be possible to use Seafoam effectively is the version that allows you to spray directly down the intake track. I'm still not sold on the effectiveness of that way either, considering it will need to go out the exhaust and possibly cause issues in the exhaust system. Nor do I believe the catch can is 100% effective. All we can do is the best we can.

Dude- you are completely missing what I'm saying- first off it will absolutely still have a cleaning effect being added to fuel since that same fuel gets directly injected, secondly the PCV valve (at least on my other smallblock gm v8s) is attached the plenum/intake manifold- physically direct line to it- so how the hell would it not work its way through the manifold and into the valves and heads???

You can stand behind my truck while I run it through the vacuum line, get real close to the tail pipe to make sure you can see the difference, and tell me if it's doings it's job of cleaning the scary varnish & carbon buildup off the precious intake valves.....I guarantee you won't see a damn thing because you'll be engulfed by a smoke cloud of contaminants being eliminated by the cleanse!!!!

Sixpack19 · January 3, 2016

I just googled images of direct vs fuel injection and wow I see it now. These dealers will be rich off fuel services offered to correct this carbon we'll have in next few years.

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