SSMOKE

I definitely wasn't expecting to see this. I installed this ELITE ENGINEERING CATCH CAN 103 miles ago. Strangely, when I installed it, the intake, throttle body area was completely dry with no detectable oil or oil film. I have been watching my oil consumption like a hawk and it does drop a little tiny bit down the hatched mark area on a regular basis. Like an 1/8" or so every couple of hundred miles. (Normal, according to my CF professional sources.) Anyway, SUPER glad that I installed it. I wasn't even going to check, but since I was re torquing my new Stage 8 locking header bolts I figured I might as well.





I thought I was seeing metal shavings or something in the oil, but my educated guess is that that is just residual manufacturing materials.

Dirty Howie

I check mine after track days and every 1K miles. There will be much more in the can then.

But if you oil level is droping 1/8" after every few hundred miles that is not normal. Maybe after 1-2K miles.


DH

dreameagle

why would one install this item onto the thermal heat source, when temperature clearly effects it's operational efficiency?

second, NO ONE can possibly be considering using a Brillo Pad for a filter--which is essentially what mesh is--given the vacuum pressure that will surely draw any loose filings (don't believe me, just check what's in the bottom of the plastic bag the mesh filter comes in) right back into the motor...

Dirty Howie

The Elite can does NOT have brillow pad material. It is a heavy metal spiraled shaving that is contained within a perforated chamber. It is never going to get out of the can.


DH

TnRZ06

Good description might have to get one of these will be using this post if I do great job.

Larry Myers

I have the Aviaid insert in my ZO6 oil tank along with the Katech blue oil pump and the Lingenfelter oil tank. How well is all this stuff working - who knows.

Understanding the pump and oil tank have nothing to do with oil in the intake it appears the same can be said of the tank baffle. Since installing the above components I've not seen a reduction in the amount of oil in my catch can.

Larry Myers

I have the Elite Engineering catch can on my car and am very satisfied with it.

However, if buying a can today I would certainly consider the can designed by Proxis Tuning in Dayton, OH., 937.985.2334. This can has a venturi which spins the oil out of solution. Contains no small parts to lose. Is easy to empty and looks good. And costs about the same as the EE piece.

The owner is a degreed prototype engineer who's not afraid to get his hands dirty. As such he frequently designs solutions to sometimes thorny problems. He has become my go guy for all things Corvette.

dreameagle

seriously?

a "heavy metal spiraled shaving"?

gee, do you know what they call a "lightweight, manually-powered, flat nose coned, steel-reinforced, tactical penetration/interdiction device"?

a claw-hammer;

there's a REASON almost every OTC oil filter and air filter are made of paper products, and this oil/air filter should be no different;

that's about the only promise i might trust saying metal will never get in my engine;

please don't take my word for it, go to the Conceptual Polymer website and read their analyses;

Carnac

The catch cans are not filters. The spiral metal at the top helps cool and adds a surface for the hot oil/air mixture to precipitate out the oil as a liquid.

I have used EE's catch can in both my 05 C6 coupe and 08 Z06 with ZERO metal shaving in any of the caught oil.

I find that I catch about 1-2 tablespoons of oil during a HPDE day or between regular oil changes (at about the 20-30% oil life remaining).

Once again - a catch can is not a filter. The oil is not going back into the engine oil system. It is separated and is then removed by emptying the can. Any oil that gets by the catch can (suspended in air) goes into the intake just like a car without a catch can, just a lot less of it. I am happy to not be putting the several tablespoons worth of oil down my intake every couple thousand miles.

Jim

Dirty Howie

Have you ever opened up and seen whats inside and how the EE can is constructed ???????????????

I doubt it. Cause if you did you would not be making such ignorant statements.

It is a completely safe and effective catch can.


DH

Mark2009

It is going back into the air intake system, which leads directly to the combustion chamber... not a place where you want any foreign material. It would not be impossible for a piece of the metal 'filter' to pass into the air intake system. Add to that, this type of filter mechanism is far from the most efficient at separating the oil from the air (a centrifugal-based device should be much, much better).

Personally I think it would be a good idea to insert a clear-housed bronze or paper fuel filter inline with the output of the catch can and the input to the intake manifold. This would need to be a low restriction device, and would serve two purposes:
1. Visual guide as to any accumulation of oil vapor still getting thru the catch can (discoloration of the filter element), and
2. Intercept any tiny metal particles that might get thru or come from the catch can.

Michael_D

I just installed one of these EE cans. I was using a can from RX, but it was just too tall. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to mount the damn thing where it wasn’t either rubbing on a hose or the hood liner coming in contact with it. So….the EE Can being a bit shorter worked out quite well. It is vastly superior to the RX can as far as quality of product and work too. It really is a nice piece of work. The was a bit apprehensive when I saw the coiled up mess of metal coils in the top section though. So, I took it apart and checked it out. After fiddle fart/f’ing around with the crap (which looks a whole lot like the coiled shavings discarded in the lathe bin), I stuffed it back in without much fear of it finding its way to the combustion chamber.

dreameagle

seriously, DH?

i certainly am ignorant when compared to the scientists and engineers at the Conceptual Polymer website i referenced as the basis for my conclusions;

i do believe they've taken apart an oil catch can or two almost exactly like your vaunted EE cans before they drew their conclusions, which are supported by incontrovertible facts far above either your or my opinions;

if you're a senior member breaking off so quickly into an insulting and non-factual diatribe with little more than your opinion to support it, i have to question whether i want to be a member of this forum;

dreameagle

couldn't agree with you more;

that extra filter would be a delicate balancing act, because the catch can is already in line with the tug-of-war between crankcase and intake manifold pressures;

that is probably why Conceptual Polymer recommend a paper-based filter in their own catch cans;

dreameagle

given the logic inherent in your response, it is by now almost certain you have visited the Conceptual Polymer website i have referenced;

i happen to think their research and conclusions are quite thorough and logical enough to be trusted, even beyond what E.E. have begun;

dreameagle

the Proxis Tuning oil catch can you describe is of a design that is, indeed, highly recommended;

it appears also to have the advantage of being able to defeat oil slosh generated by the remarkable lateral forces our Corvettes create, something else lesser cans find difficulty combating;

Mark2009

Good point, now that we've got into the theory of physical design. I would certainly expect that under the right conditions (bump, G-load) a half-full typical catch can could burp a slug of oil into the intake manifold.

On my backup filter proposal I did test one that I use on another application (diesel fuel filter on a genset, original spec is for something like a 1980 Mercedes... 50 micron paper, WIX 33007) by blowing thru it... seemed to be rather low restriction but I didn't have a manometer stuck up my nose at the time (or my ***, as some may suggest) so only got a 'butt dyno' reading . . . I'm going plumb one into my car when I get a round to it just for kicks (I have an EE can like most everyone else, bought it before doing research... doh!).

Yes I have seen the Conceptual Polymer site. They think smart thoughts, methinks I believe there was another gentleman selling catch cans that were a cut above the standard fare... can't remember the name but IIRC it was oriental.

Michael_D

You guys are thinking too hard. There will always be a pressure diff in favor of flow to the intake. These cans work. Any of them will work as long as there is a change in direction of flow and press/velocity change. Think of knock out drums in any gas processing facility. Same concept.

Spinning/centrifugal movement is best, but needed? Doughtfull. Paper? Sure, but will you know if or when it gets plugged?

Mark2009

Hey now... bench racing and mouse trap reinvention in process, please don't interrupt
But no, I normally would not suggest a paper filter, I was just suggesting it as an experiment to see how much oil vapor is getting by the typical catch can. If it turned out to be significant over a certain period of miles or track time, then one could replace the typical catch can with a more highly engineered version (centrifugal), install a new paper 'back up' filter, and see if the results were the same over the same period.

Hardly a lab test, but might tend to prove a point.

Michael_D

Sorry!

There are a couple things I would personally do different with the EE can. 1) pull vacuum from the top and not the side. A different type of filter would be needed between the can and the intake though. 2) add a drain valve at the bottom. It's not all that convenient to unscrew the canister with a hose directly underneath it. 3) include some 1" shims to allow the installer to move it further from the head.