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How To Istall A Home-Made Oil Catch Can On A 98 1Zz-Fe

By cesar, November 8, 2010



Hey guys. Like the post tittle says i need help on how to install a home made oil catch can for this set up. I have been told it is a must have for ur car. Also pics would help a lot! Thanks in advance for reading and for any responses..

Oil catch cans are only a must if you are blowing alot of oil past the piston rings, etc. (excessive blowby and wanting to keep the TB cleaner, longer). Usually a sign of something else amiss, a catch can may help will oil consumption, but keep in mind - if it gets to that point, will only be a temporary solution. Also very useful for forced induction applications, as you are generally looking at elevated levels of blowby.

There are a number of ways to install it. First, make sure you have a new PCV valve and some length of oil resistance hoses. May need to pickup some hose clamps and barbs, unions, depending on how you want to hook it up. Basically the catch can will be installed between the PCV and the throttlebody.

Best DIY guide I've seen so far was on VWVortex: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3248273-***Oil-Catch-Can-DIY***

For a VW Jetta, but very similar to other cars.

Mmmm... wow thats a nice write up on a DIY.

Sooo basic deal is..............

From the pcv valve to-------->> the can ------>> to the TB..

I was just hoping some one has a "home-made" can on their corolla and wouldnt mind postin some pics or a little write up wuold be better..Like a can fashioned out of a 4x4x4 electric box w a piece of loofa inside. Or one made out of a home depot husky compressor filter deal. I heard a piece of 2" or 3" pvc pipe works just as well. I even heard of someone making a catch can out of a monster energy drink can!!!. Since i dont know anybody who owns a shop or the tools needed to fabricate a welded one out of aluminum or stainless metal not to mention the budget issue. Lol

Id say 30 dollars tops. Plus i dont wanna just buy one and slamming it in there.

I like being part of the process. I dont know much of cars but i love em to death and every opportunity i have i try to learn something new.

So buying one just dsnt cut it for me. Call me crazy. I mean i have a lot of ideas here i just wanted to know if theres anybody on this forum who has fabricated their own catch can.

Besides ive seen a few diferent setups out there so im kinda confused and idk if to go with a breather type set up or a closed loop one.

If some one has a catch on their 1zz-fe i would apreciate some pics or a little more insight as to wich set up is best.

Im thinking of going w the closed loop anyway cause they say the breather type les the fumes out into the engine bay and smell goes into the cabin...

I just wanna make sure i know wat im doin bfore i start pulling stuff apart.

Thanks for reading fishexpo101.

Ur opinion is greatly apreciated.

P.S. my odometer reads 245000 miles.

Original engine third owner. No rebuilds done to it so far just a lot of oil consumption thats all. Ive read somewhere on this forum thats common for 1zz-fe's.

When i got the car some 30000 miles ago it was runnin worse than it is now. Ive managed to bring it back to every day driving and when i seafoamd it my buddy said i should look up "DIY oil catch cans" he said it would be of some help to my high mileage engine.

So i looked it up and now i have it stuck in my head that i want a catch can under my hood.

How bad is the oil consumption now? Just curious, 245K on the engine, just interested in seeing what consumption you have been experiencing.

Yeah, some 1ZZ-FE have it pretty bad, there are quite a few people that have reported numbers of a quart of oil every couple hundred miles. Some guzzling oil at a quart every 70-80 miles. Then there are a few that don't see any oil consumption at all.

As for the catch can, there are a number of ways to do it, some ways are better than others. I've seen the DIY Monster Energy drink ones, some out of a metal paint can, some just use an inline fuel filter, and a bunch of other "creative" ways to make them. One of those things that are simple in principle, but fairly complex in actual operation. A catch can needs to be able to collect and trap, oil, moisture, and blowby gases. Many catch cans employ some sort of substrate to "filter" the incoming charge of gases - this filter generally being made of steel wool, wire mess, gauze, narrowly spaced fins, etc. Some employ gravity (the tall catch cans) or multiple chambers (larger catch cans) to separate out the incoming gases.

Props to you in wanting to get your hands on it, instead of running to a catalog. A DIY one might not look as nice, but chances are will still do a decent enough job. Very few of those catch cans on the market are ones that I would consider purchasing for myself. Most of them are from larger tuner firms that sell on name and not necessarily function. They do sell decent ones, but those are generally priced accordingly. Don't have to have a lot of fabrication equipment to make this happen, but it sure does help. If you are able to form cylinders and TIG weld the material (generally aluminum or stainless) - even better.

Totally agree with not venting this to the outside air. While easier to do, keep in mind that whatever nastiness is pumped out of the PCV will also be shot under the hood - almost guarantee that you'll be breathing in some nasty fumes with this method. Just like the breathers they installed on older pushrod engines. Sure they look nice and cleans up the engine (no hoses running here and there), can't tell you how many times you'll be cruising down the road and constantly breathing in gasoline/oil vapors. For some, that is part of the appeal of the older muscle cars, but for my daily driver - I need to show up at the office and not smell like I showered in gasoline.

If you plan on DIYing this catch can, be prepared for some trial and error. Each car is a little different, some work better with one catch can design than another. The biggest hurdle is effectively condensing the incoming gases from the PCV. Also a fine line between putting too much or too little vacuum on the crankcase. You'll need some vacuum to help pull those gases away from the engine (positive ventilation). Too much vacuum, and you can hurt idle quality (too much PCV flow), too little and you don't get enough ventilation (chance to over-pressurize the crankcase). PCV flow is also critical - flow rate of a PCV valve varies due to engine load and speed.

Actual construction of the catch can can vary too. Some work well with just some steel wool stuffed in there, some prefer stainless steel for corrosion resistance/longer useable life (remember, lots of moisture will be pulled as well) - not uncommon to see several ounces of water with some thick oil ontop inside a well designed catch can. Some take advantage of baffles, multiple chambers to help cool the gas flow, increasing the chance to remove oil and moisture. Will take some experimenting with design and placement in the engine bay to get the best results.

Using DELO 400 15w-40 with just a little additive id be adding less than 1/2 a quart before its time to change it.

Now if i use 5w-30 or 10w-30 with no additive i will be adding up to 11/2 quarts before its time to change the oil. also have to mention that the pan gasket needs to be replaced. And the valve cover gasket as well. I dont think it has ever been done to this car. default_sad

So what would be a nice tip on how to get just the right amount of vaccum.. like for example sticking to the same diameter hoses would work?.

and if the can is able to trap moisture (water).

How come there are some people that run a hose from the bottom of the can BACK to the crankcase?? Should they recirculate the oil mixed w moisture?? Thats something else that i dont understand. I know by common sense that water in my crankcase is bad so is there a special trick that happens w the before mentioned setup?? Lol.

Thanks 4 your quick replies man. Im learning a little more every time.. default_smile

Depends on the style of oil catch can. Those ones with a nipple on the bottom could be one of those "chambered" types. You are correct, if they are the non-chambered type, they just made their problem worse, by condensing the gases and then pulling it back "liquid" into the crankcase. A little water won't hurt anything, but usually what condenses on the bottom of catch cans is totally nasty stuff, something I wouldn't want

You are also correct on the vacuum, the easiest way to maintain the right vacuum is to stick with the OEM PCV valve (its spring will determine the correct amount of vacuum) and same diamter hose as the original. Make sure it says "vacuum" hose on the length, otherwise the hose will collapse on you under vacuum.

15w-40 is pretty heavy for the car - I'm surprised your mileage is not in the low to mid 20's on that mix. But if you are consuming at a rate of 1.5 quarts (5w-30) every 3000 miles? 5000 miles? - I wouldn't consider that too bad at all. Just continually top off the oil whenever it drops a little - maybe every week or every fillup. Many have reported good results using Valvoline Maxlife high mileage motor oil.

Oil leaks don't help any either - aside from the pan and valvecover gasket, another potential leaking point is the timing chain tensioner that is on the backside of the engine, close to the firewall on the pulley side of the engine.

Yeah i need to replace that also. I still havent got time to check if its just the tensioner pulley or the whole tensioner deal. But it makes this squeaky sound when idling..

And the reason i use that heavy diesel engine is so that it lasts just about enough to give me a chance till the next oil change.(usually 5k miles)

I have just one more question regarding the catch can...

On the valve cover, there is the pcv valve and right next to it there is another hose connected to the valve cover.. where does it go to? I read on a titian forum some one was using a DUAL set up catch can. He mentioned one specifically working from the pcv to the tb. and he mentioned the other one being on "the other side of the engine"

My question is... where did he hook it up? Could i do the same on my car using the "second" connection on the valve cover?..

Also i liked hes idea for a catch can. Very simple yet effective. Id post a link so you could check it out but i dont have a computer and theres no link option on the mobile site of this forum. default_sad

Also if you check your oil dipstick and the oil on it smells A LOT like gas.. those are the blow by gasses mixing w my oil in the crankcase right??

I hope when i install this catch can my oil wont get so thin so soon because of the gasoline.

This way i could try going back to the 10w-30 Or even better the 5w-30!!....

Correct, fuel dilution (which is normal to a point) can cause the oil to take on a heavy gasoline odor. Generally this is attributed to blowby getting into the crankcase. Fuel dilution "thins" the motor oil, making it more likely to get consumed over the course of an oil change. That heavier diesel oil you are running - has strong dispersant properties, starts off with a high viscosity - both help with fighting the effects of fuel dilution - hence why that oil stays in there longer, hangs on longer. You can achieve a similar result even with 5w-30, if you constantly top off the consumed oil. Even adding a few ounces of fresh motor oil to the crankcase will greatly boost the protective property of the motor oil. That's why without top-offs, the oil tends to be consumed faster, the longer it stays in the engine. Also why some manufactures punched out the sumps to increase oil capacity - more oil volume available in the system, the longer it takes to break it down.

On our engines, the second hose on the valvecover is the fresh air breather hose. It pulls clean air from behind the air filter and allows it to drawn into the crankcase, a constant recirculation scheme. You could just replace this with a plain breather (little filter) - but your idle and driveability may suffer, since you are adding air that was not metered past the MAF sensor. For that second one, I'd just leave it as is - as it is pulling clean air only. Might replace the hose, as it probably is pretty oil soaked by now. As for the Titan forum, depends on the engine - assuming it is the V8? Typical V8's have a breather on one side and PCV on the other - could be what they are talking about.

EDIT: I think I found the site you were talking about. Second tube is the breather tube, they were worried that blowby would get through the breather tube as well. Which could happen, under the right conditions. Could always install clear silicone tubing to gauge how much "junk" is being passed one way or another. This was my planned approach for installing a possible catch can system on my own car. Just wanted to see if it was even necessary - clear tubing would give me a very clear sign if excessive blowby could hurt me.

To gauge how your catch can is working. I'd also clean the valvecover to get all the oil sludge off the baffles (some parts are always cooler, tend to get oil deposits to form there) and give the throttle body a good cleaning. Then keep notes on how long it takes to get deposits to form on those parts. If the catch can is doing a stellar job, it will take quite a bit of time before they get dirty again.

Got it. Just replace the hose and leave it as is. Last thing i wanna do is hurt idle quality..

Clear silicone hose? Sounds nice im going to start looking around to see if home depot or a local auto parts store has it.

I was just going to use black fuel hose but your idea sounds much better.

Well i think i know how im going to set it up

I might begin the project this weekend. Hoping to find a computer to be able to post some pics.

Thanks for your help man.

*UPDATE*

So i was in a hurry to put a catch can in my car. default_smile

Lol i couldnt wait untill i found the stuff i needed to make it like i wanted to.

So i just went and did a "temporary catch can" using a little fuel filter from the local autozone. default_smile nothing special, but im surprised of the stuff its pulling out.

(Even thou its just a lil fuel filter). I had a hard time removing the pcv valve since it was really old. Probably the original for all i know.

-QUESTION:

Since the valve groomet was old it was kind of hard to get it out of there. I broke it unintencionally as i was trying to pull it out.

It fell inside of the valve cover but i managed to pull most of it out piece by piece.

However, there is just one little piece i could not get out.

Will it affect any parts in any way???

Depends where it is at in the valve cover - generally you don't want any foreign material in there. If it was me - I'd pull the valve cover and dig that last piece out before it gets chewed up or otherwise disintegrates. That point, you'll have a much bigger headache on your hands.

Depends where it is at in the valve cover - generally you don't want any foreign material in there. If it was me - I'd pull the valve cover and dig that last piece out before it gets chewed up or otherwise disintegrates. That point, you'll have a much bigger headache on your hands.

yaaayyy!!! i pulled that last piece out!!!..

it was actually bigger than i remember..

thou there seems to be some kind of baffle that keeps stuff from falling near the camshafts.

so i just tiped the valve cover and it fell right out of the pcv hole!.

http://i241.photobuc.../IMAG0182-1.jpg

[url=https://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/cesar0215/Cars/IMAG0185-1.jpg][/url]https://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/cesar0215/Cars/IMAG0185-1.jpg

 

notw that im learning to post links and pictures thru my phone its going to be easier to ask stuff.

i wanted to ask you where is that tensioner "o-ring" located.

you know, the one that is very common to be leaking oil.

In that pic, would be on the very bottom, backside of the cylinder head, almost direct next to the little "shock" of the serpentine belt tensioner. Just look for a metal plate with two bolts on it - that is the timing chain tensioner.

this is the little catch can i made.

 

notice the stuff it pulled on just a few miles of deep throttle driving.

and im going to do something just like this one.. with the clear silicone hoses you mentioned.

[url=https://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/cesar0215/Cars/picsay-1290046836.jpg][/url]https://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/cesar0215/Cars/picsay-1290046836.jpg

That looks pretty decent. Yeah, it is pretty surprising how much oil you can trap with an oil catch can - that amount is considered "normal". Filter assembly looks really sharp! Almost looks like it was made for a DIY catch can. Plus, since it is translucent, you can easily see how much oil is in there and track oil blow-by, plus know exactly when to drain/replace it.

i know!! actually i was looking around for a "fram g2" fuel filter because a lot of ppl would talk bout it on the forums.

but when i saw this one i liked it immediately. like u said.. looks as if it was made for a DIY catch can..

thanks for ur help man. to some people this is kids stuff but for some of us a little help is always apreciated.

Hey Cesar or Fish, can you tell me what fuel filter was used for this DIY catch can? I am looking to replicate this exact setup that Cesar did. Haven't been able to find any plastic containers that size, with that much space open at the bottom, or with the inlet and outlet in those positions. There wasn't much information quoted after I saw the pictures, so I am not exactly sure what part numbers were used or how it was assembled specifically (if this was not bought this way). Also, just wanted to double check which connection was facing the PCV and which was facing the TB.

Cesar or Fish, I am still very interested in installing this.

Can you tell me what fuel filter was used for this DIY catch can? I am looking to replicate this exact setup that Cesar did. Haven't been able to find any plastic containers that size, with that much space open at the bottom, or with the inlet and outlet in those positions. There wasn't much information quoted after I saw the pictures, so I am not exactly sure what part numbers were used or how it was assembled specifically (if this was not bought this way). Also, just wanted to double check which connection was facing the PCV and which was facing the TB.

Howdy, just thought I'd throw in a couple cents. If it doesn't reduce your vacuum flow, using a fuel filter would be a start, but as soon as the oil gets into that filter, it could begin to restrict the pull from the PVC valve and like mentioned, start to cause idle problems. If you want to stop the junk but let the gasses through, might consider using a compressor air filter. They are designed to handle pressures and oils and have a nipple at the bottom of the glass or clear plastic bowl to drain out condensation/collected liquids. Regular filters are kind of big (about 2-3 in dia and 4-6 in in length, but at least in the recent past, Harbor Freight had a cute little one that's about the size of that fuel filter you're showing. Most air line condensation filters don't incorporate additional fiber filter inserts, but just have a disc near the top to block liquid spatter and to keep the liquid in the bowl. A perfect design I think for your DIY oil catch can, eh? Just make sure you put it inline in the normal direction of air flow so the disk inside is blocking any splatter (They usually have an arrow on the body showing which way the air should flow through.

Another issue you need to consider. Most of the oil consumption is probably due to collapsed oil rings. Notorious problem in these engines and although not as serious in older engines, cars with catalytic converters will tend to plug up if too much oil is being burned. 15w40 is pretty thick oil even in hot climates. If you're stuck using a thicker oil to DIY fix the oil consumption problem, I'd advise getting a brass tee at the hardware store and carefully installing an oil gauge and mounting it inside the engine compartment to monitor oil pressure. I blend my oils due to custom designing when rebuilding, to make sure my pressure is not to low or too high. Oil pumps have a bleed-off valve that kicks in at about 80psi. If when the engine has been running and warm and at say 2,000rpms oil pres is above 75psi at the weather temperature climate you are driving in, your oil is probably too thick. You don't want the oil pressure to be much lower than about 5-6psi when idling after the engine gets good and hot, but you might want to try 10w40 after putting an oil guage on the engine and see if you can get a good compromise on oil consumption vs. oil pressure. 5w30 is standard grade, but as you mentioned you are experiencing 1.5 qts per change, but at what duration? If you're going 4-6 thou per change, I don't think that would be so bad to warrant risking oil starvation at cold starts or in cold climates. If you're consuming 1qt per 1000 miles as many have commented have happened, you might be able to reduce what actually goes down the TB with your oil trap, and keep some of it from being 'burned off'. If it gets below 1000 miles per qt, then you probably have seriously stuck/collapsed oil rings. some have had some success in reducing oil consumption by doing the sea foam thing, but my guess is that the oil rings were getting stuck but not yet collapsed due to excessive heat that is caused when there is no oil flowing around those oil rings to keep them from getting too hot. If you get down to a qt of oil every 500 miles, you may soon be facing catalytic converter and/or the before 02 sensor failure and need to probably consider doing at least a ring job overhaul. So far on the 1ZZFE with my piston mods, have put on about 4kmiles after the initial 500mile oil change and now due an oil change, and have not consumed a drop of oil, but then I don't hot dog much these days like I used to when trying to out-run my guardian angels. default_smile

Because I did some mods to my engines (and because a jerk machinist machined the engine not as a consumer engine but as if it was going to be run on the track, i.e. looser clearances than spec, I blend my oils. I mix a ratio or 5w30 and 10w40 so that when engine is cold, the oil pressure at 2,000 is at or a bit below 80psi but when hot, the oil pressure at 2,000 rpms is at least 40 and at least 5 or 6psi at idle.

I once had a offroad racer long ago that I had straight weight in... All was good until I went to go visit a girlfriend and when I left late at night it was at or just below 0o out. I climbed in and started up and roared off, only to have main bearings seize up and lock up the engine. Very embarrassing to have to drag your car home in front of the purty girl... At all temps, don't want the oil too thick, or two thin.

One 1ZZFE engine in a car I bought from a dealer and was driving home late at night froze an exhaust cam due to oil starvation and spun the sprocket off of the exhaust cam. Cause? The idiot that owned it before had not changed oil regularly and the engine although spotless on the outside was the worst gummed up engine I've ever torn down. Looked to be a recently rebuilt engine too. Lesson? If you can't see the cams through the oil fill cap, pull a valve cover before buying a 1ZZFE car to make sure the engine isn't sludged and gummed up, which will usually be death to one of these engines, as well as long before destroying the oil rings on the pistons. These cars from what I read can burn as much as 1 qt every 500 miles and not puff a whiff of smoke out the back end (I guess the cat does a pretty good job of eating that oil, at least until it dies from all the oil burn-off).

Just a few cents worth.

Cheers



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