Do I need a catch can?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 35
Likes: 3
From: Myrtle Beach, SC
Do I need a catch can?
Tried to do a little searching and didn’t really come across much as to the use of a catch can on the LS3. I’ve used them in the past on other cars, and would get a fair amount of oil in there every few thousand miles. I’m familiar with the Elite Engineering Products and have used those. Any thoughts or recommendations are appreciated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 523
From: home
I'll go out on a limb here. I do not use catch cans. I use a breather can. Block off the the port on the lifter valley cover and on the intake manifold. I add a -10 AN fitting to each rocker cover and plumb it to a Peterson breather can. If dry sumped, the tank vent is also plumbed to the breather can. This way there is no chance of any oil getting into the intake.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 469
Likes: 62
From: coconut creek, fl
when I removed the ls3 intake to send for porting it was covered in oil
After installing the ported intake I added a catch can. After few thousand miles I now have removed the heads to get ported
and emptied the catch can it had a good amount of oil in there.
After installing the ported intake I added a catch can. After few thousand miles I now have removed the heads to get ported
and emptied the catch can it had a good amount of oil in there.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 115
From: Tampa Fl
St. Jude Donor '12
Corvette tuner in Tampa
This is what I tell guys about a catch can.
It does not give you more power today, But what it will do is capture the oil that would be pooling inside your intake manifold that over time will mix with your Air Fuel Ratio.
It does not give you more power today, But what it will do is capture the oil that would be pooling inside your intake manifold that over time will mix with your Air Fuel Ratio.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
My average mileage between oil changes is 10K+. The dipstick reads between 1/2 and 3/4 quart low at change time. So as a rough figure, I use up about 1 ounce of oil every 2.5 million engine revolutions or 10 million combustion events. Since the vast majority of oil used up is being burned off cylinder walls, I look at the very small amount of oil entering the manifold as additional upper cylinder lubrication in vapor form. An even smaller amount condenses on the IM floor and eventually evaporates if you run the engine long enough.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,461
Likes: 326
From: Houston TX
My average mileage between oil changes is 10K+. The dipstick reads between 1/2 and 3/4 quart low at change time. So as a rough figure, I use up about 1 ounce of oil every 2.5 million engine revolutions or 10 million combustion events. Since the vast majority of oil used up is being burned off cylinder walls, I look at the very small amount of oil entering the manifold as additional upper cylinder lubrication in vapor form. An even smaller amount condenses on the IM floor and eventually evaporates if you run the engine long enough.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 183
From: Maple Ontario
You need catch cans on the Direct Injection engines... GM LT series is pretty good.. but even so, they redesigned the PCV system in 2017... In the LS3 you will get oil in the intake but the injectors wash off this oil when they inject detergenated gasoline on to the backs of those valves. I don,t see why there is no factory catch can.... it;s more of a philosophical issue as GM does not want their customers having to drain a catch can... but if GM was smart, they would make it part of the Oil change procedure and this would allow for it to be drained on a regular basis.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,775
Likes: 585
From: Texas
Depends. Are you getting oil leaks when you run at high speed, like at the drag strip or the autocross? The LS engines do have a tendency to leak at the front and/or back crank seals. A catch can plumbed into both valve covers can help alleviate that issue if you have it.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 285
I debated this and almost installed one when I had my 2011 Camaro LS3 M6. Sold it to buy my current 2006 LS2 A6. My take-a-way from researching it for the Camaro was if I had a boosted engine , yes I needed one. If I raced the car a lot, yes I would need one. My car was not boosted and I didn't race except for an occasional jump on the highway spiritedly. I did not pull the intake, but I used a small white piece of linen and secured it to a plastic rod. I opened the throttle body butterfly and stuck it in and then swished it around inside the intake. It came out clean, no oil. So I decided I was not going to waste my time or money installing one. For the same reasons, I am not installing one on the Vette either. I have other things that I can obsess about, this isn't one of them. But if you will sleep better having installed one, by all means install one. Good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 4,667
Likes: 1,849
From: Erlanger, Kentucky
Do you need a catch can for normal, regular driving with some spirited acceleration here and there? No. Is it a good idea to have one on your car? Yes. It will help prevent oil buildup in your intake.
I would say if you track your car, a catch can is a must.
If you do decide to get one, you cannot go wrong with Elite Engineering. They make a quality part.
I would say if you track your car, a catch can is a must.
If you do decide to get one, you cannot go wrong with Elite Engineering. They make a quality part.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 35
Likes: 3
From: Myrtle Beach, SC
Do you need a catch can for normal, regular driving with some spirited acceleration here and there? No. Is it a good idea to have one on your car? Yes. It will help prevent oil buildup in your intake.
I would say if you track your car, a catch can is a must.
If you do decide to get one, you cannot go wrong with Elite Engineering. They make a quality part.
I would say if you track your car, a catch can is a must.
If you do decide to get one, you cannot go wrong with Elite Engineering. They make a quality part.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,001
Likes: 243
From: Surprise, Az
Someone that has done some pseudo testing on catch cans and has removed heads from LS-3's that did and did not use them, complete with pictures may still have the pictures on this site. Research Spinmonster, his posts may aid your decision. Personally, I use them to help cut down on engine deposits. Like HOXXOH says, the oil vapor helps as an upper cylinder lube. The same situation occurs with an EE catch can, though on a little smaller scale as the oil vapor is condensed in the CC and drips to the bottom of the can, not all of the oil is condensed (not a perfect system), so there is still going to be some sucked back into the motor. I seem to find more oil in the CC when just street driving than on track days too, incidentally.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 792
Likes: 127
From: Dallas Texas
Tons of info and debating on this subject: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...w-magnets.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...an-needed.html
Happy reading!
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...an-needed.html
Happy reading!
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 205
From: Kansas City MO
Depends. Are you getting oil leaks when you run at high speed, like at the drag strip or the autocross? The LS engines do have a tendency to leak at the front and/or back crank seals. A catch can plumbed into both valve covers can help alleviate that issue if you have it.