After about 3000 miles, I decided a catch can was an overdue investment on my 2015 Z51 A8, used primarily for DD so far. I was wiping out several tablespoons of oil in the intake manifold accessible with the TB removed after about every 1000 miles.

I've had zero oil from the sump tank line into the air intake box so far.

I decided the Might Mouse PCV can was a good choice, mainly based upon good reviews in the C6 forums and excellent support from Mr. Mighty Mouse (Dave, designer/owner).

The product was delivered on schedule and was installed in about 40 minutes. I left two days later on a 2400 mile round trip from NC to MO.

The installation instructions were clear and I initially installed it exactly as shown in the instructions pictures. I ordered the dual can mounting bracket option, so I could add a draft can later, if needed. I later moved the can to the other mounting tab and may add an elbow to the intake manifold line, so I can rotate the sight glass to a more visible location, although it is just as easy to drain the can as to check the sight glass.



My car has the magnetic ride control (MRC) option, so there was an extra connector between the two mounting bolts for ground cables, that are used for the bracket. The connector was temporarily rerouted toward the front of the car and secured with a cable tie. Note that the connector slides into its mounting bracket. I suggest removing the connector from the mounting bracket before using a trim tool to pry the bracket from the chassis.




This shows the bottom of the MRC connector bracket, which was originally in the two holes to the right of the green dots by the catch can aluminum bracket.

The catch can didn't alter the car's performance in any noticeable way.
Most of the trip was on Interstates at 65-75+ mph, with the transmission in manual mode, often downshifting to keep the rpm's up, since the car had seen mostly city driving so far.

I drained the catch can at 1100 miles in MO and again at 2400 miles back in NC. I suggest wearing nitrile gloves, since the fluid is very aromatic and it's smell doesn't wash off hands easily!

I drained a total of 33 ml of fluid, which is slowly separating into layers.



I checked the air intake box today and it is still absolutely clear of oil.

I removed the TB and found a little oil in the front part of the intake manifold, but much less than previously. I estimate I had less than 1/2 teaspoon after 2400 miles, compared to over 2 tablespoons for 1000 miles before the MM catch can. Here's what little I wiped up (I'm surprised how clean the oil looks on the towel....)



After the trip I determined that the can holds about 6.5 ounces (192 ml) to the center of the sight glass, with about another 1.5 ounces of room to spare before the liquid reaches the internal baffle (which would block flow from the inlet).

I plan to remove the mounting bracket and apply NoAlOx compound with a ScotchBrite pad to both sides of the aluminum bracket where the ground cable lug is under the aluminum. Aluminum oxide is a good insulator and could result in intermittent grounding problems if not prevented from forming. This is standard practice in electrical installations involving aluminum components. The front ground cable does not have this issue, only the rear.

I'm a happy Might Mouse Solutions customer! The product seems to be a good design, well built, reasonably priced, with good customer support!

No modifications were required to the car. The catch can is easily removed and the original U-tube reinstalled, if desired due to warranty service concerns.

 

Nice to have a thorough review on a MM can/breather.

I really like the setup and the look of it - I think it's the best of both worlds (catch/breather) at a good price.

 

Your car is naturally aspirated?

what made your mind up on the PCV style and what affect will the second (draft) can have ?

Thanks for the review

 

Yes, it's NA.

I wanted to keep the closed PCV intact so it passes emissions tests.

Adding the second draft style can is the Mighty Mouse solution to burping oil from the sump tank, if the PCV can/breather doesn't solve the problem (which I don't seem to have yet).

Here's a summary from the designer of which style I needed:

"-if you are having oil in the intake tubing ahead of the throttle body, your single can is best to be the 'draft'can, mounting between the valve covers and the air filter intake area. it will allow adequate airflow here as well as blowby relief while catching oil 'burping'

-if you are having oil in the intake manifold itself (via the factory pcv loop between manifold and valley plate on driver side) you would purchase my pcv can and put it in-line of this loop. it will continue to work like stock but provide blowby relief while catching any oil you may be ingesting here.

-I would recommend both if you are having trouble in both areas, or are having crankcase pressurization issues."

Until I get some track time I won't know for sure if I will have the oil burping problem. It isn't clear to me why some cars have different symptoms to differing degrees. I felt that mild crankcase pressurization might be solved by the PCV can with its blowby relief when needed, since I haven't seen any burping yet.

If not, then the draft can system can be added, with minor changes to the passenger side PCV lines. This seems like a better solution to a basic engine ventilation problem than the clean air breather cap on the oil sump tank that other use (although it seems to work). MM's draft can seems to work for boosted engines according to posts on the C6 Z06 forum, so it's probably overkill for NA.

This is my first dry sump direct injected engine, so I'm not an expert. Most of my experience has been with Cummins diesels, without PCV, where life is simpler, albeit much dirtier....

 

Glad to see an answer. Some cars are defective from GM. They have the same problem. Another product issue GM has got away with.
It pushed me to the Z06, The new zo6 better NOT have this ugly issue.
My C7 was corvette number 7 and the first I have had an issue with.
then it was compounded with the blower. My car sat on stands for 2 months in the garage with this issue.

Mighty Mouse purchased my C7. A new Z51 should no way no how Need a catch can for oil use. GM fully sucks for this in my book!
I'll donate 5,000 dollars to start class action suit.

 

Catch can necessity is borderline opinion and the majority (99.99%) of the modern world does not use them while enthusiast boards like this one are adamant and OCD about it because let's be honest, we would polish and wax our pistons if we could.

Why don't you just send me the $5,000 instead, it will do the world a lot more good. Your car was overfilled with oil, which you insisted was a lemon but now someone else is using it just fine. How can that be??

Stop being so litigious, you know? Life is too short for that.

And besides ALL of that, PCV has introduced poop into the combustion chamber since it was introduced in the 60's. This is nothing new, just now we have the ability to inspect the poop on a molecular level.

Go look at direct injected motors across the industry and file your lawsuit against the world.

 

I don't think adding an oil catch can is the answer to using 3 quarts of oil in 2000 miles. Either the engine was defective and should have been repaired under warranty or it wasn't broken in properly.

But I suspect the Z06 will benefit from a catch can to reduce coking of the intake valves, regardless of what your oil consumpution rate is. Seems to be a problem on all DI engines with PCV.

 

Thank You for the review--I am breaking in a new C7 with the Z51 option that I will be using for HPDE and found the info very useful. I was considering the MM PCV can to control oil in the intake manifold and you helped me decide. I have no oil burping from oil sump so far but car only has 400 miles so it really has not be run hard at all. I like the idea of the PVC can relief valve to help with crankcase pressure increases. Thank You again for taking the time to post your results. If you add a second can please post again with any info regarding its usefulness.

 

Good review, thanks.

 

The PCV concept was introduced as a cheap way to deal with poor engine design and manufacturing control in the 60's. It was never a good solution, but it is NO solution appropriate for direct injected designs.

Adding a $200-500 mod to reduce the PCV /valve coking problem significantly doesn't make the car's owner obsessive compulsive. Some will choose to modify their cars in many ways, others will enjoy it as delivered from the factory. To each their own....

Every car has its design and production weaknesses. I see no reason to not pursue improving areas that need it, especially if the fix is cheap and easy. Maybe GM will get the message for the 2016 model.

 

Hey, what's wrong with waxing your piston every.... Wait...

You're a terrible influence on me, Higgs.

Agree on the first part, but no way GM will do the second based on EPA, etc. We've talked that one out in other threads. For now, it's on us.

 

don't take my post the wrong way. there's a catch can on my truck and my car. my post wasn't about catch cans.

 

lol don't put your metaphors on me!

 

Wait a sec.. whats wrong with waxing your pistons?!?!

 

This shows the original 33 ml of drainage after settling undisturbed for about 5 weeks in the large graduated cylinder (compare to first post in this thread). The dark oil and emulsified fuel/water/other hydrocarbon mix has further separated.



In the small centrifuge tube on the left is what was collected since the first drainage -- 0.5 ml after 890 miles (6540 miles total) of mainly sporty DD, with a few 0-90 runs.

The warmer weather has reduced the water condensation and previous 2400 miles of Interstate driving probably helped seat the rings, etc., reducing blowby.

I notice a significant decrease in the carbon deposits on the exhaust tips now, also. I used to wipe them off twice a day -- now probably twice a month (unless I wash the car more often).

When I get some free time I'l pull the TB to look for oil in the intake manifold area, since that is what really counts. I may buy a borescope camera to look at the intake valves (I have a nice one for my rifles, but can't see it making the turns...).

Still no oil burping from the dry sump tank.

 

I removed the TB and did a thorough wipe of the inside of the intake manifold and TB (this is now 1015 miles since previously cleaned). There is more oil on the towel compared to post #1 (after 2400 miles), but this is because I pushed the towel much further back along the bottom valley than before, which is where the large dark patch in the middle and the two dark spots on the right edge came from.

The front part of the manifold that I can reach with just my hand was pretty clean. Probably about 30% of the light oil film I wiped up was on the inside of the lower half of the throttle plate, which has always been the case previously also. It's not obvious why the oil would be there, given where the PCV tube is and the air flow pattern.



Still absolutely no oil film in the air intake box, even in the little reservoirs below the hoses from the valve cover and sump tank!

 

Another mightymouse install, using PCV can on n/a car. Need to find some black hose clips now. Thanks Mr. Mightymouse