When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Figured I would post an update after my track outting on the oiling issue. If you don’t recall the LS will really fill up catch cans and people have tried different setups under heavy tracking. My setup when I acquired the car had a catch can mounted in the fender at the bottom feeding from drivers side rear valve cover. The can would fill and overflow in a 15 minute session. Seems to be a common issue.
My solution for testing which was partially taken from other members here and CF members.
I purchased raised Holley valve covers and tapped them with 10an fittings in the middle of the valve cover (hard to pool oil in the middle). I then ran both lines into a generic nothing special catch can in the battery compartment. I put the can as high as I could and still shut the hood.
I also added a pcv valley cover to the car and ran the pcv into a catch can just to see.
My track outting consisted of 5 sessions at MSR H in 100* heat. The car started out with oil barely over the full line first session. I added approximately 3/4 of a quart over full. 3 sessions were on nitto nt01s and 2 sessions were on Pirelli scrubs. A lot of traffic, I was able to really push the car to check oil temps, pressures, coolant temps etc. for reference I ran a best of 1:43 on nittos and 1:41 CW at MSR in the evening (2:30) track was too busy earlier. Nothing to write home about but a decent shakedown run in the 100* heat on old scrubs. Track temp was 145*
Results were nothinggggg in the catch can from the valve covers. Literally less than a teaspoon in the corner that I can’t even drain out. I checked it periodically during the day to make sure it was functioning and all seemed well.
The elite catch can had approximately 2 ounces of oil. Maybe 1/3 full at most.
I would say 1/2 qt over. Night before I changed oil. Car has an accusump and oil cooler. There’s a good bit of oil moving around but def still north of full.
very possibly not but after reading page after page of issues from other members, I wasn’t even sure this would work. I do have a high compression big cam car as well
My LS3 was weeping out the rear main pretty bad until I added a breather with check ball on Holley valve covers for sustained sessions. No catch can system as I've never seen much of any oil in the intake, maybe one day...
looks like an ebay catch can, I have on on the way. item 192476812797
I'm porting mine back into the oil pan to try. My engine doesn't' currently have a valley cover vent, so I'm hoping I can eventually get a solution venting only through the valve covers. First attempt was not successful.
front is bad for decel rear is bad for accel, sometimes for a track car this is the worst of both worlds. good move with the high / center vents. gm finally did this on wet sump lt4
only side effect is the unmetered air and of course needing a dual can system vs just one to handle it all
in general i avoid engine bay mounted breathers for long racing applications as they can and will spit oil as seen in other guys post direct across very hot engine and pose fire risk. some organizations do not allow them
I have a road race / recirculating fitting top for this instances as well as a remote mountable expansion tank when the 6oz capacity is still not enough
@David@MMS with the recirculating fitting top you show above are you able to recirculate the oil back into the dipstick tube like @fatbillybob mentioned above? That way we don't have to worry about the oil overflowing out of the can anywhere.
I talked with MMS a good bit about this. It was still a concern with the car being on track and an unsure solution. Personally I think what he showed above would have worked now that I have tested this. I was filling up a 16ounce can and puking oil I’m the fender on TT sessions (4-5 Laps and done) maybe 12-14 minute session. I think the combination of a right hand heavy course (catch can was routed to driver rear valve cover) which would pool oil in driver rear on right turns with acceleration. Along with the catch can being mounted very low in the fender.
-secondly I had a sealed valley cover before. But I added a pcv and determined I would block later on if needed.
-also like David farmer said it’s just a generic eBay can. An EE pcv catch can I’m the standard location.
-the battery compartment was huge to me in case I had overflow or puking issues. I don’t want a fire!
-this can or something smaller will work in. The battery compartment if you go with a smaller battery and have patience. my
hiccup was an fittings. You need hard 90 an fittings to work. I had soft 90s and was wrapping this up the day before the track. I have since decided to relocate battery to the trunk just for the sake of less headache.
@David@MMS with the recirculating fitting top you show above are you able to recirculate the oil back into the dipstick tube like @fatbillybob mentioned above? That way we don't have to worry about the oil overflowing out of the can anywhere.
the top of my cans is the vent, the bottom is where the liquid oil would normally be, and depending on the build type of the can you can drain back if you like
-if you are tied to intake manifold vacuum with the same can then that one would not be able to drain back
Good idea. I considered it. But wasn’t confident in doing a setup like that. You’ve been around this for a hot minute and know the fine details of what’s really going on.
I'm going back through the oil drain, metric-to-AN fitting......May weld a bung later, but want it below the fluid level.
I use a PCV valve designed to handle oil as a check valve so oil can drain out of the catchcan into the sump but not the other way. I would think if you drain to the oil drain the lowest point that would make the most restriction to draining back
I agree, but gravity is gravity. I don't want to go above the oil line, as then you'll just have even more crankcase gasses constantly "percolating" in the catch can.
Catch can high.....return fitting low......that's only about 1psi of head pressure, but hope it's enough. The check-valve is a good idea, may add that to the list.
I would say 1/2 qt over. Night before I changed oil. Car has an accusump and oil cooler. There’s a good bit of oil moving around but def still north of full.
You mentioned you are running a accusump, do you have a preference? What brand, and how many quarts? I need to put one in my car.
I have a Moroso setup that was on the car when I purchased. Seems to do well. I have an oil pressure gauge on tap so essentially every startup it’s a test for the gauge and the sump. Gauge is flashing low (0) activate pump get 25+ psi and start the car.
07-29-2018, 08:30 PM
SOLUTION: Catch can/oiling issues at the track
