As most of you know, plastic catch cans can be a bit scarry, especially if they are mounted in areas that see temps above 130F. Besides, most of the larger versions are part of a particulate filter assembly, which does a good job at catching bulk liquids, but a poor job of trapping airborn oil.
Coalescing filters, with spiral-wound borosilicate glass fibers are far superior and have been out there trapping oil for air equipment for many decades. Anyway, I recently designed a glass catch can as an alternative to my aluminum versions. Because I mount my "can' near the front of the engine bay (cooler area promotes greater coalescing action) and because my OEM airbox had been replaced with a Halltech filter (long ago), I have plenty of space to mount catch cans that aren't too huge.
Although I have found that a properly-sized coalescing filter does an excellent job, I have been running one of those and a "pre"-filter (particulate) to see if the life of the coalescing filter is extended. Today, I emptied the aluminum-bodied prefilter and popped in another glass version. What is interesting is that there is a company that makes a multi-element optical sensor that can be strapped to a glass body to relay the absence or presence of liquid at any height you wish it to. For people who don't pop their hood frequently, THAT would be a nice high-tech aid. To do this with an aluminum can, you'd have to drill a hole in a particular location that would not be easily adjustable.



I left some oil in the "secondary" filter to show you what it looks like after the condensed water was filtered out.

 

 

Thanks for the update Dave68. I use the aluminum cans for both my praticulate filter and coalescing filter and the coalecsing filter body has a sight glass buit I don't use much oil at at.

 

Dave,

I see more water during the Winter months, but I can always expect to see oil in the coalescing side. The hose exiting the coalescing filter is always bone-dry, telling me that the filters are doing an excellent job.

Dave

 

Very cool spin on the catch can mod and it looks great

 

 

Thanks,

I forgot to mention that many plastic "cans" contain a warning by the manufacturer that the material should not come in contact with synthetic oils. My guess is that eventually, the can would craze and fail. Aluminum cans can actually assist in condensing liquids from the air, but ONLY if the can is mounted in a cool place (glass can do this as well). If the can is located near an exhaust manifold, the can temp will be very close to that of the blowby gases, thereby limiting the amount of condensed liquid that can be formed.

Dave

 

Very cool catch can you came up with.

 

 

Hi Dave -

Nice and sano - thank you for taking pictures and posting your cans.

Where do you get the glass and aluminum filters that you put on your car?

best regards -

mqqn

 

mqqn,

I make em, myself.

Dave

 

very kool

 

Very interesting!

But I'd prefer to keep the oil in a solid can - UNSEEEEN!

Thanks,Matt

 

Hi Dave -

Wow - they look great!

I like the idea of being able to check the can visually - great idea.

best regards -

mqqn

 

Good idea