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Instead of catch can, why not delete PCV?

SquireSCA

By SquireSCA
in Engines & Drivetrain

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SquireSCA Enthusiast

SquireSCA

Posted
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I see the pros and cons of the catch cans, and am left wondering... why not just put filters on the output from the crank case vents, and plug them on the manifold intake side?

As long as they are open so that pressure can moves freely from the crankcase, but with a filter on them so things can't get back in...  Would it be a problem?

No having to worry about water freezing in a catch can in the winter...  Maybe you remove the pod filters and wash them occasionally...  Not worried about a little oily air venting to the atmosphere...  Most of us tune these trucks and running richer we are already bypassing EPA emissions, so a tiny bit of filtered, oily air is gonna make a difference IMHO so save the greenpeace lectures.  haha

Mechanically, is there a problem doing this?  I can't see how hot oily air makes an motor, let alone a GDI motor, run better or cleaner...  Without spending hundreds to get a quality catch can and maintaining it, wouldn't a cheap set of pod filters accomplish the same thing?

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Grumpy Bear
Grumpy Bear

Oh yes it is. The OP is taking things back several decades to the days of 'road draft tubes'. 40's/50's Pretty sure many on this site believe a PCV system is about 'pressure' when it is actually about

SquireSCA
SquireSCA

Ok, so nothing will happen with the motor...  Pressure can escape... it just won't be helped by the vacuum created by the intake, right? I know why they do it they way that they do, but if I don'

SquireSCA
SquireSCA

That makes sense I guess.  So is the consensus that I don't need a catch can?  I can just unplug the hoses from the intake tube(Airaid MIT), plug the tube, and connect the hoses to either a single pod

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SquireSCA Enthusiast

SquireSCA

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Ok, so nothing will happen with the motor...  Pressure can escape... it just won't be helped by the vacuum created by the intake, right?

I know why they do it they way that they do, but if I don't care about a little bit of oily air escaping, so long as it doesn't harm the motor, I would rather not be dilluting the intake charge or caking up my valves with carbon... I feel that's a fair tradeoff.  If I was worried about my impact on polar bears, I wouldn't have gotten a big truck to begin with...

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SquireSCA Enthusiast

SquireSCA

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What I wish there was, was a way to route the crankcase vent to the exhaust manifold... Let that draw the oily air via vacuum and have it bypass the motor entirely...

You can do that on bikes, which normally dump the crankcase vent into the airbox...  they also have a hose off the airbox that goes into the exhaust manifold to help "clean up emissions"...  So you plug the airbox, and route that hose to the exhaust(normally called SAI or PAIR, depending on the make of bike) and connect the crackcase vent to that, and it will pull a slight vacuum on the crankcase...

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
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6 hours ago, davester said:

The O2 sensor and cat probably won't like the oil...

No, no they won’t.  

SquireSCA Enthusiast

SquireSCA

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That makes sense I guess.  So is the consensus that I don't need a catch can?  I can just unplug the hoses from the intake tube(Airaid MIT), plug the tube, and connect the hoses to either a single pod style air filter, or get one for each hose?  That way pressure can escape, and if it draws air back in for some reason, it will be filtered air, no dirt or bugs, etc...

Sound like a plan?

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EXSlider400 Senior Enthusiast

EXSlider400

Posted
Posted (edited)

So plugging the exit hose to stop any oil flow will not cause any harm like building up a puddle of oil in the throttle body? 

Edited by EXSlider400
SquireSCA Enthusiast

SquireSCA

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Well, I think that there would be no more oil introduced into the throttle body if you plug the bungs on the intake tube, and took the hoses coming off the heads, and simply "capped" each of them with a small pod style filter or whatever, to let it vent when needed, keep anything from crawling up those hoses, and catch the little bit of oily mist.

Worst I can see happening is perhaps you need to empty and clean the filters occasionally, but they won't have water sitting in them and have to worry about them freezing in the winter time.

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green02crew Enthusiast

green02crew

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Well, I think that there would be no more oil introduced into the throttle body if you plug the bungs on the intake tube, and took the hoses coming off the heads, and simply "capped" each of them with a small pod style filter or whatever, to let it vent when needed, keep anything from crawling up those hoses, and catch the little bit of oily mist.

Worst I can see happening is perhaps you need to empty and clean the filters occasionally, but they won't have water sitting in them and have to worry about them freezing in the winter time.


I literally ordered the stuff last night to do this. Much cheaper than a catch can and practically maintenance free. It’s just not as “green”.


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SquireSCA Enthusiast

SquireSCA

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10 minutes ago, green02crew said:

 


I literally ordered the stuff last night to do this. Much cheaper than a catch can and practically maintenance free. It’s just not as “green”.

 




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Exactly, if you want green, go buy a Prius.  LOL

Edited by SquireSCA
Donstar Senior Enthusiast

Donstar

Posted
Posted

Interesting topic!  My question is what will this modification do to enhance my driving experience?  Or, what is the likelihood that this procedure will prevent engine failure during my period of ownership?  Will it enhance my resale value?  If it will save my engine from premature failure and subsequent costly repairs then it could actually have a positive environmental impact.  It sounds like an inexpensive modification and I would appreciate hearing the potential benefits.

 

BTW Individual contributions to increasing or reducing environmental harm may seem small or insignificant but I will usually choose the more environmentally  compatible option.  Polar Bears actually do matter...

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SquireSCA Enthusiast

SquireSCA

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To me its a simple fix to keep oil from messing up my intake valves without having to spend hundreds on a catch can, maintain the catch can, worry about it freezing if it has water in it and it gets down to 20 degrees F overnight in the winter, etc...

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green02crew Enthusiast

green02crew

Posted
Posted
To me its a simple fix to keep oil from messing up my intake valves without having to spend hundreds on a catch can, maintain the catch can, worry about it freezing if it has water in it and it gets down to 20 degrees F overnight in the winter, etc...


I live in a very cold environment and don’t have a heated garage. That’s what is keeping me from a catch can. My last diesel blew a turbo because of the CCV. I ended up routing that to the atmosphere and it worked great. Had a lot of blow by so it smelled like oil every once in a while when I came to a stop light but that was the only time I noticed it.


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