Oil catch can

[ken kraus]

Although a bit over due, just did an oil change on my 2005 Silverado, 6.0.  Also cleaned throttle body, which was very dirty, large carbon deposits. After draining the oil, after 6K miles, I lost a quart of oil,  motor is not burning any,as no carbon deposits at exhaust tip.  Any advise on a oil catch can?   I can only imagine what my valve and piston heads look like, I may scope later this winter.  

[Grumpy Bear]

A quart in 6,000 and the motor isn't burning any. Leaking then? There are only two ways out of the motor. I'm guessing no. 

 

That said it is the 'light ends' of the oil that are vaporized, drawn by the PCV system, introduced to the intake charge and then....burnt. Literally. Gasolines end point is about C12H* and lube oils start (IBP) is about C13H*. The cut isn't that clean. There is overlap. Thus the gasoline 'like' end of oil is burnt as...fuel. It's in the same range. So it doesn't mean then that some 'light end' burn off means a 'horrible' combustion chamber situation. There is a thing in combustion science called "carbon balance'. Takes about 10K miles to achieve this in a virgin cylinder. You not only expect some carbon. It's required for the most efficient use of fuel. At the balance point some new is formed and some old is shed. 

 

Now you can give someone $400 for a beer can and a few feet of garden hose and 'catch' it...or...find an oil with a lower NOACK and change a bit quicker. But here's the thing. A quart in 6K isn't terrible. In the 60's Chevy told us that our 454's were normal if burning less than a quart in 400 miles. They ran just fine and lived long lives. 

[2017SierraSLT]

I'm a big fan of Elite Engineering's cans. The catalytic converters will burn that small amount of oil away well enough not to leave heavy carbon deposits on the tailpipe. The engine is consuming(burning) it either through blowby, rings, loose tolerances, etc.