errance

Hello,

Car is stock 2007 Z51 coupe.
I do 1/2 dozen HPDEs /year at a beginner level.
Cosmetics of my engine bay do not matter to me.

Given all that, do I need an oil catch can?

Last time I was at Pacific Raceways, the owner of an LS2 GTO had one and suggested I get one.

I understand a catch can prevents overflow oil from going into the intake manifold and being burnt. What I don't know is: do I care?

Thanks!

John Shiels

I never had one and I run it hard.

Cobra4B

Yes... I have one and fill up an inch or so each HPDE weekend. They prevent oil vapor from entering the intake manifold via the PCV system.

errance

What I'm wondering is: is that a bad thing? Is this a sub-optimal design from GM? And if yes, why?

Thanks.

RichieRichZ06

I would rather not have multiple ounces of dirty oil going through my intake and building up on the valves and in the chambers. I run my car VERY hard and do a lot of HPDE's Auo-x's and drags and over the course of one day at the trak, I have dumped as much as 6oz of oil out of it. After taking my intake off for a recent HC swap, there was ZERo film or oil in the intake and the runners looked brand new. Another car that was in the shop had tons of sludge and nasty oil buildup in the intake and the ports of the heads.

Cobra4B

Yes... pull your intake look in the TB and manifold... it will be coated in oil. When I put my cam in I made sure to clean it thoroughly. GM didn't desing it as a race car. It's a street car... race cars all run catch cans.

Jason

Got any pics of your setup C4B?

Maineiac

...I have no plans to run one...

Cobra4B

That's a mistake... if you saw what I empty out of mine and my fathers after an HPDE you'd be glad you had one. I didn't run one for years... then last winter I had my motor apart for a cam install and pulled the manifold to remove the AIR system. The intake manifold and back of the TB was coated... as was my buddy's '04 we did H/C on. All LSXs do it.

I have an Elite Engineering can... looks like an oem piece:


Here's the oil after a few thousand miles of street driving:



After the last track event my father's was 1/2 full.

errance

Please forgive the newbie question: is it bad to have oil in there? Is it not needed to lubricate anything? Does the excess not get burnt out through the engine? Is there a loss of performance from having that oil in there?

Thanks.

Cobra4B

^ Oil coating everyting impeeds air flow and the oil deposits can build up on the pistons causing hot spots and detonation.

jbauch357

I have one too, and lap at Pacific Raceways usually a couple times a year - plus like to attend smaller auto-x events where you actually get track time.

If you want to see the setup before hand you can take a look at mine, either at a DE or just for kicks sometime this weekend...

hisvett

Pull your intake off after running a hard session and check for oil in the TB. After letter my car sit between runs, it would smoke when first started (give-a-way sign). I made one out of parts on the shelf plus maybe $5.00 is fitting from my local speed shop, Home Depot . Does the job.

Bill Dearborn

I ran my 97 for 6 seasons without one and I have now run my 03Z for 4 seasons without one. Neither car smoked and I haven't noticed any lack of power.

Bill

Z06Fix

I am on the fence about this one.

kelp

Oil in intake. Bad. Oil=Bad.
Oil in catch can = Good. Good oil there only.
Car no ment burn oil. Gunky yuck.
Clean engine be good. Yes. Dirty intake bad. No.
2 catch cans better.
Your car, not mine! Mine be clean!

Maineiac

......still not on my "to do" list....

Cobra4B

Honestly... pull off your intake and look in the TB, or pull off hte manifold and look at it... then look at all the oil residue around the intake ports on your heads. It's not a good thing.

John Shiels

haven't seen any to speak of.

Cobra4B

It's hard to see but their is oil residue on the back side of the TB, the inside of the manifold and even a thin ring around each intake port.