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C6 Corvette ZR1 & Z06General info about GM’s Corvette Supercar, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Suspension Setup for Street or Track
Define need? No z06 needs a catch can. Does a catch can help maintain or improve the performance of the car, yes. Is that worth $200 to you is the question. Need would imply it will explode without it, so it doesn't need one. Do you want one to keep oil/sludge/etc out of the intake/heads?
As for people saying they don't have one, and nothing bad has happened. What are you expecting? Catostrophic failure? Would you notice 1-5% of power missing gradually after some mileage? Would you notice missing some power or a little KR from oil? Nope, probably not going to notice it. So I guess you could argue either way, but $160 for a nice system that keeps the intake from having used oil dumped into it is worth it to me.
Mighty Mouse hands down makes the best cans. I've had Elite, RX and now swapped on a MM can, and it makes the others look like a joke.
As for people saying they don't have one, and nothing bad has happened. What are you expecting? Catostrophic failure? Would you notice 1-5% of power missing gradually after some mileage? Would you notice missing some power or a little KR from oil? Nope, probably not going to notice it. So I guess you could argue either way, but $160 for a nice system that keeps the intake from having used oil dumped into it is worth it to me.
Mighty Mouse hands down makes the best cans. I've had Elite, RX and now swapped on a MM can, and it makes the others look like a joke.
The reason I don't run one is I don't think it is required. I have asked forum proponents several times over the last 15+ years and have never gotten a definitive answer that they do any good. Your last sentence sums all of the responses to my questions. In my opinion that isn't a very good rationale for adding one and is more like fixing something that isn't broken.
getting my heads done....builder says may wanna think about it....trust him completely....he may install one for me for free....thats just how he rolls
He said it reduced consumption, not eliminated it.
Why would anyone want to drive around with less than the oil capacity designed by the GM engineers ??????????????
It's been proven that when the oil reservoir is all the way full, engine vacuum present at the tank vents can pull liquid oil into the PCV system. Happens on LS9 cars too. When on the street, 1/2qt lower capacity isn't going to matter, especially on the 09+ tanks, but it is enough to keep the liquid oil away from the PCV vacuum. Now like Lawdogg said, on the track, keep it full for the long left hand sweepers.
It's been proven that when the oil reservoir is all the way full, engine vacuum present at the tank vents can pull liquid oil into the PCV system. Happens on LS9 cars too. When on the street, 1/2qt lower capacity isn't going to matter, especially on the 09+ tanks, but it is enough to keep the liquid oil away from the PCV vacuum.
This doesn't explain the problem with LS1/2/3/6's that don't have dry sumps and still soak the intake manifold tract's with oil!
It's been proven that when the oil reservoir is all the way full, engine vacuum present at the tank vents can pull liquid oil into the PCV system. Happens on LS9 cars too. When on the street, 1/2qt lower capacity isn't going to matter, especially on the 09+ tanks, but it is enough to keep the liquid oil away from the PCV vacuum. Now like Lawdogg said, on the track, keep it full for the long left hand sweepers.
I understand your point of view. But I will keep mine full especially since I only have an 8qt capacity. Not worried about any PCV induced oil since I have a catch can.
I was told by two different builders (both on this forum) both of which have worked on my car in the past and who eventually did my H/C/I, that with a big cam it would be valuable.
As for people saying they don't have one, and nothing bad has happened. What are you expecting? Catostrophic failure? Would you notice 1-5% of power missing gradually after some mileage? Would you notice missing some power or a little KR from oil? Nope, probably not going to notice it. So I guess you could argue either way, but $160 for a nice system that keeps the intake from having used oil dumped into it is worth it to me.
Mighty Mouse hands down makes the best cans. I've had Elite, RX and now swapped on a MM can, and it makes the others look like a joke.
Well I wouldn't say it didn't use oil. I am on my 3rd LS engine. First two would use about a quart per day at the track and none on the street. Never used a catch can. The first engine in my Z used far less oil at the track than the LS1 and LS6 but it did use between a 1/4 to a 1/2 qt per day. The second LS7 in my Z uses less oil than the first. More like a 1/4 qt per day.
Here are some pictures of one of the heads and the tops of the pistons on my first engine after it dropped a valve. It had about 24K miles with close to 4K track miles included.
Would the carbon in the cylinders have been any less if I had run a catch can? Maybe but I sort of doubt it.
I drain my can once between oil changes and then when I change the oil. I always get a few ounces of oil out of the can. So if you don't want that going in your intake then you need to have a can. That simple, don't know why this takes 3 pages.
I would not purchase another RX can. Go with the MM cans. Talk with Dave, he can explain the best way to set them up. For a NA car I would run a single PCV can.
09 stock LS7 with ~10 track days and a few other speed events, ~40K miles.
My EE catch can picks up < 1 oz. of oil in 2500 street miles with very little time over 4K RPM. On a track day of 100 miles plus 200-500 miles to/from the event and significant time over 5K RPM I'll collect 2-3 oz. of oil that would otherwise go in the intake. For track work I don't need oil reducing the octane of the 91 octane gas generally available here.
For my car driven easy on the street no catch can would be needed, but I bought the car to enjoy the performance and for that my engine certainly sees less oil in the intake with the catch can installed.
The reason I don't run one is I don't think it is required. I have asked forum proponents several times over the last 15+ years and have never gotten a definitive answer that they do any good. Your last sentence sums all of the responses to my questions. In my opinion that isn't a very good rationale for adding one and is more like fixing something that isn't broken.
Bill
Always enjoy your posts Bill.
Question - did that head that dropped the valve have "the fix" installed? I assume it was stock.
01-29-2015, 06:52 PM
