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Godless Commie decides to build a catch can...

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Old 06-22-2019, 03:28 PM
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I just wanted to check if this scrubber configuration is correct before I button the VC up:



Top of the photo is the cold side.

Please let me know, thanks.
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Old 06-22-2019, 04:08 PM
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I may be wrong but it looks way too tight from the picture. Should be opened up and light rather than tight and dense. We're just wanting to have oil droplets make contact with the media as the vapors change directions multiple times while wandering through it. We don't want to create a restriction.

It may just be the way it photographed.
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Old 06-22-2019, 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by sixshooter
I may be wrong but it looks way too tight from the picture. Should be opened up and light rather than tight and dense. We're just wanting to have oil droplets make contact with the media as the vapors change directions multiple times while wandering through it. We don't want to create a restriction.

It may just be the way it photographed.
No, you are right. It is packed pretty tight...
Lemme get on that.
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Old 06-22-2019, 04:57 PM
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Take two...
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Old 06-22-2019, 09:16 PM
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Having finished all I could do at the garage, I packed everything and went to the welder...




Once I was done there, it was time for powdercoating....



I wasn't able to take pics there (it was getting late and I was helping to save time), so there is one crappy pic of stuff going into the oven.
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Old 06-22-2019, 09:17 PM
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I got all the intercooler pipes, intake piping, the BOV, pretty much everything painted while I was there...

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Old 06-22-2019, 09:19 PM
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Then it was time to put everything together for the last time...



I applied a thin bead of black silicone before I bolted the cover down for good measure.
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Old 06-22-2019, 09:21 PM
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The rest was all about throwing everything back in the car...
I used new grommets just to be safe.

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Old 06-22-2019, 09:25 PM
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All done...

Hope it performs as good as it looks.
I still have a couple of unrelated things to do, so I left the car in the garage.


Here's my breather tank project in final form, from every possible angle:































Yes, I did cap the PCV port on the intake manifold.
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Old 06-23-2019, 06:55 AM
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You've done a very nice job. I am looking forward to the results.
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Old 06-23-2019, 08:45 AM
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For those that don’t read the full threads on VC mods, it should be pointed out that there are compelling reasons to use real copper scrubber pads rather the copper coated or stainless. Yes, stainless steel does rust and copper coating coming off and apart inside an expensive engine probably isn’t a good idea. I’m not picking a fight with anyone but do strongly suggest that each person do their homework. This was the only one I could find in the US that is copper - Amazon or eBay.



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Old 06-23-2019, 09:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Turbomack
For those that don’t read the full threads on VC mods, it should be pointed out that there are compelling reasons to use real copper scrubber pads rather the copper coated or stainless. Yes, stainless steel does rust and copper coating coming off and apart inside an expensive engine probably isn’t a good idea. I’m not picking a fight with anyone but do strongly suggest that each person do their homework. This was the only one I could find in the US that is copper - Amazon or eBay.
I do understand you and your concerns about stainless scrubbers.
However, I have been using stainless in my VC since 2012, and I have never seen rust on them.
Maybe this is because my car is a DD, I don't know.
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Old 06-23-2019, 12:56 PM
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this catch can solution is nice. so nice.
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Old 06-23-2019, 10:29 PM
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Stainless steel doesn't usually rust when coated in oil. Cast iron doesn't either. I'm using steel wool which isn't rusting, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else.
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Old 06-23-2019, 10:53 PM
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The can on mine (granted, an ebay one) uses a stack of round aluminium caps with holes in them.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/02...g?v=1471895266
Like that, but the holes taper up in diameter with each layer

Seems to work fine as is, but if you were making your own you'd be better to use a wider surface area, and have more than the 3 layers to trap more stuff on the way to the exit vent.

And yeah, being alu and plate, no worry about rust ever.
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Old 06-24-2019, 07:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Turbomack
For those that don’t read the full threads on VC mods, it should be pointed out that there are compelling reasons to use real copper scrubber pads rather the copper coated or stainless. Yes, stainless steel does rust and copper coating coming off and apart inside an expensive engine probably isn’t a good idea. I’m not picking a fight with anyone but do strongly suggest that each person do their homework. This was the only one I could find in the US that is copper - Amazon or eBay.


How many parts in your engine are made of steel or any other ferrous metals?
I would totally take my chances with this ss material.
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Old 06-24-2019, 08:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Godless Commie
About the drainage...

I came up with the vacuum idea because there is no room under or below the breather tank for a petcock or for holding a cup under the drain.
Hence the approach to empty it from the top, using readily available engine vacuum.
Bit late I know, but ...

I have a similar packaging problem, I put a drain hose into the wheel well, just need to turn the wheel to full lock, or remove, to access.

Instead of vacuum from the engine, why not use one of those syringe devices used for filling/draining gearboxes and diffs, master cylinders, etc?
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Old 06-24-2019, 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Erat
How many parts in your engine are made of steel or any other ferrous metals?
I would totally take my chances with this ss material.

I thought this could turn contentious ...”can’t rust if it is coated in oil”, “been doing it that way since 1742 and never blown a motor”, etc. On one of my 1000-post reading sessions last year I came across some compelling arguments against the coated ones and the SS ones. Wish I could easily find those posts. Steam and moisture causing it to rust and flaking of the copper coating were a couple of things I remember and they weren’t challenged very well or I could have saved a lot of hassle for myself switching it out and waiting on the real copper ones to get delivered. That’s what gets confusing about all the threads...20 will say it’s the best thing since toilet paper, 20 will say it’s really dirty TP. Advanced engineering degrees drive me to understand the science behind questionable comments but the million miles of real experience in MT is invaluable and means a lot.
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Old 07-04-2019, 09:16 AM
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if you are running a VTA (vent to atmosphere), PCV delete, it makes no sense to put anything in chamber C because there would never be a vacuum to pull any caught oil back into the head. The negative pressure (i.e. vacuum) will get it’s relief from “A” before it sucks oil out of “C”. “C” is just going to fill up and eventually puke onto the can if/when there is enough pressure to blow it through. However, a small hole or 2 drilled into the chamber cover of “C” would allow any caught oil to flow back into the head. Someone on here had plans to cut the chamber cover in “C” off by 1/4 or 1/3 at least partially for the reasons I state. Don’t think that ever got fully vetted or if it did I never found the results.
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Old 09-25-2019, 09:49 PM
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A quick update:

I emptied the catch can for the first time today.
About a liter of the chocolate milk stuff.
Had quite bit of a water in it, in fact vast majority was water, because I was stupid enough to power wash the engine before draining it.

Draining it with the compressed air driven vacuum bleeder was a breeze. No mess, super clean.

I can safely say this was a successful project.
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