Another DIY oil catch can
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 626
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another DIY oil catch can
Here's my budget catch can install. Thanks to AZSolo for the inspiration: http://www.pbase.com/rsrock/oil_catch_can
There's not much room in the engine bay for most off-the-shelf catch cans, so it had to be small. That also means I'll likely have to empty it after every autocross run. I haven't had a drop in the can yet, I think you need higher G's than I can get with my street tires to make the oil pool in the valve cover.
Here's mine. Left side of picture, just in front of the shock tower:
The lines run behind the airbox and up between the valve cover and the intake manifold.
The bracket was a neat piece to make. It's was a scrap of aluminum plate that I hacksawed, drilled, hand filed, and then twisted in a vice with a crescent wrench to go from the tilted shock tower to the flat oil separator. Getting the radius around the top of the shock tower was tricky; lots of going back and forth between test fitting and filing. I tilted the separator slightly forward to try to keep the oil from climbing up to the filter under acceleration.
Then a bit of time with sandpaper and a polishing kit to make it fancy. It's nearly a mirror finish, too blingy for my otherwise dirty engine bay!
There's not much room in the engine bay for most off-the-shelf catch cans, so it had to be small. That also means I'll likely have to empty it after every autocross run. I haven't had a drop in the can yet, I think you need higher G's than I can get with my street tires to make the oil pool in the valve cover.
Here's mine. Left side of picture, just in front of the shock tower:
The lines run behind the airbox and up between the valve cover and the intake manifold.
The bracket was a neat piece to make. It's was a scrap of aluminum plate that I hacksawed, drilled, hand filed, and then twisted in a vice with a crescent wrench to go from the tilted shock tower to the flat oil separator. Getting the radius around the top of the shock tower was tricky; lots of going back and forth between test fitting and filing. I tilted the separator slightly forward to try to keep the oil from climbing up to the filter under acceleration.
Then a bit of time with sandpaper and a polishing kit to make it fancy. It's nearly a mirror finish, too blingy for my otherwise dirty engine bay!
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 626
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The web page I linked to isn't mine, that's AZSolo's fine work. He's got a few great DIY writeups on there. His homepage: http://www.pbase.com/rsrock/hnda_s2000
I haven't got a drop in the can yet, but I've only burned oil when autocrossing on R-compounds. Our next event isn't until early July.
I haven't got a drop in the can yet, but I've only burned oil when autocrossing on R-compounds. Our next event isn't until early July.
Trending Topics
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 626
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This little catch can was pissing me off. We had to dump it after every run. It was a fairly good measure for how well we were driving though - the more oil in the bowl the faster we were. It would fill up completely in later runs, I could see the oil on the exhaust tip after each event.
I often ended up geting oil on my hands when draining it. Having oil-covered hands sucks when you're trying to think about the next lap!
The fix: http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/inde...881c97a3f028ef8 - holds about 1.1L.
There's a big open space underneath the rear edge of the airbox, this just fit!
The can with all necessary fittings. I added all the brass fittings and teflon taped all the plugs. The drain isn't bad to get to when the engine is cool. When it's hot you have to be careful with some hot pointy things in the area, but I doubt I'll need to drain it with over a litre of capacity!
Airbox removed. The can in place and plumbed with oil cooler hose. It's the shiny bit near the bottom left, zip-tied to the steering rack at the bottom and a large harness up top.
With airbox in place, viewed from a little behind the airbox and looking down and slightly forward. The front of the car is at the top of the picture.
No more oily hands, no more oil going through the cat/exhaust!
I often ended up geting oil on my hands when draining it. Having oil-covered hands sucks when you're trying to think about the next lap!
The fix: http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/inde...881c97a3f028ef8 - holds about 1.1L.
There's a big open space underneath the rear edge of the airbox, this just fit!
The can with all necessary fittings. I added all the brass fittings and teflon taped all the plugs. The drain isn't bad to get to when the engine is cool. When it's hot you have to be careful with some hot pointy things in the area, but I doubt I'll need to drain it with over a litre of capacity!
Airbox removed. The can in place and plumbed with oil cooler hose. It's the shiny bit near the bottom left, zip-tied to the steering rack at the bottom and a large harness up top.
With airbox in place, viewed from a little behind the airbox and looking down and slightly forward. The front of the car is at the top of the picture.
No more oily hands, no more oil going through the cat/exhaust!
#10
Here's an updated link to my write-up and photos in the original post. I no longer pay for PBASE and now use this new site. That original catch was transfered to my MY03 and is still working fine. There are some courses that fill it up quick like others have mentioned.
http://random1photo.zenfolio.com/f981040004
http://random1photo.zenfolio.com/f981040004