[MalcolmV8]

Having just done a DIY walnut blasting of my car I'd like to install a catch can to slow down this process and prolong the next blasting session as long as possible.

I did some searching since I figured the long time BMW guys on here would have already done this and I saw references to BMS cans. I searched and found this

http://www.burgertuning.com/BMW_335_oil_catch_can.html

Is this still the general consensus? I'm still a noob at BMWs but I'm sure long time users would have some experience or feed back they could offer.

Thanks guys
Malcolm

[BashShah]

I was going to do it, but then thought about a windshield reservoir Meth system.

Till now I have neither.

Now I look at it this way.
Walnut blast is at 50k intervals.
So on 150 k car....
Just 3of them....
Hmmmm

Just chocked it up as a regular maintenance and just get it done.

DN

[e90Mark]

I got my valves blasted over the weekend and also got the RB PCV valve and BMS OCC installed.

[MalcolmV8]

Originally Posted by DarkNemesis

I was going to do it, but then thought about a windshield reservoir Meth system.

Till now I have neither.

Now I look at it this way.
Walnut blast is at 50k intervals.
So on 150 k car....
Just 3of them....
Hmmmm

Just chocked it up as a regular maintenance and just get it done.

DN

I hear 30k miles. This is my first one so no real world experience yet. Other than mine looked like this



Since I bought the car used I couldn't tell you how many miles that is from.

Originally Posted by e90Mark

I got my valves blasted over the weekend and also got the RB PCV valve and BMS OCC installed.

How do you like the can? Specifically can you get to the base to screw off relatively easy to dump the oil it catches? On their website it looks like it's in a really difficult place to reach.
I'm also wondering how often it would need to be emptied. It looks rather small.

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by DarkNemesis

...I look at it this way.
Walnut blast is at 50k intervals.
So on 150 k car....
Just 3of them....
Hmmmm

Just chocked it up as a regular maintenance and just get it done.

Kinda the way I think about it. An OCC is expensive, a PITA and from what I hear they smell bad and do little to prevent the buildup anyway. For me, walnut blasting is a 50k-100k maintenance item. I had mine done for the first time at 120k, and it was no worse than other cars at 50k. In hindsight I wouldn't have waited so long, so I'm scheduled for another blast at 170k.

[TimIHB335]

I have not purchased one (catch can) either. ASR engineering has an oil / air separator that they claim takes car of this issue.

[e90Mark]

Originally Posted by MalcolmV8

How do you like the can? Specifically can you get to the base to screw off relatively easy to dump the oil it catches? On their website it looks like it's in a really difficult place to reach.
I'm also wondering how often it would need to be emptied. It looks rather small.

I've only had it installed for a few days and my car's been sitting the garage, so no comment on it other than it looks cool I guess.

Yeah, it's in a difficult place to reach, you're gonna have to take the engine cowl off to empty it, I think. Car is torn apart right now, so just going off memory.

It depends on the health of your PCV system.

Originally Posted by TimIHB335

I have not purchased one (catch can) either. ASR engineering has an oil / air separator that they claim takes car of this issue.

That's what I would've preferred. Had no idea about this, went and google'd and looks like it's not available to purchase online?

An oil/air separator is what worked on my last car, not an oil catch can.

[shadow191]

I had the walnut blast done at 41k. Right after, I installed RB PCV and catch can. So far, not much collected, but I don't drive much so car is at 42k. Just a few drops. I don't run the cowl anymore, so catch can is very easy to check. It's not big, but if you fill it up frequently, you've got bigger problems than dirty intake valves.

[MalcolmV8]

Originally Posted by NGEE

Kinda the way I think about it. An OCC is expensive, a PITA and from what I hear they smell bad and do little to prevent the buildup anyway. For me, walnut blasting is a 50k-100k maintenance item. I had mine done for the first time at 120k, and it was no worse than other cars at 50k. In hindsight I wouldn't have waited so long, so I'm scheduled for another blast at 170k.

Yeah I hear you. If I could completely eliminate the oil with a separator that would be ideal but I'm not sure how realistic that is.
My thoughts were I'm going to pull this apart and blast it in say 40k miles from now. If a catch can or separator could keep the majority of oil at bay and keep the car running and optimal performance till the next blasting all the better. I think it's the thought of the last 10k miles or so the car will be running at reduced performance and gas mileage and that bothers me.

Oh and the bad smell or stink is only on open catch cans that vent to the atmosphere. I'll never run one of those again. Always run a closed loop system in line of the PCV or similar.

Originally Posted by TimIHB335

I have not purchased one (catch can) either. ASR engineering has an oil / air separator that they claim takes car of this issue.

Links to what you found? I'm not finding that one for some reason.

Originally Posted by e90Mark

I've only had it installed for a few days and my car's been sitting the garage, so no comment on it other than it looks cool I guess.

Yeah, it's in a difficult place to reach, you're gonna have to take the engine cowl off to empty it, I think. Car is torn apart right now, so just going off memory.

It depends on the health of your PCV system.

That's what I would've preferred. Had no idea about this, went and google'd and looks like it's not available to purchase online?

An oil/air separator is what worked on my last car, not an oil catch can.

Ah true that is tucked away under the cowl back there. That wouldn't work for me, I'd have to relocate.

Originally Posted by shadow191

I had the walnut blast done at 41k. Right after, I installed RB PCV and catch can. So far, not much collected, but I don't drive much so car is at 42k. Just a few drops. I don't run the cowl anymore, so catch can is very easy to check. It's not big, but if you fill it up frequently, you've got bigger problems than dirty intake valves.

Well you'd be surprised how much oil can get pushed in a can depending on boost and how you drive the car.
My turbo'd Honda runs close to 20 lbs of boost and while daily driving it I'd be emptying that can once a week. Of course I drove the car hard and had fun it everyday. They can only get about half full before they loose their effectiveness and oil just starts passing right through it. I eventually welded a bung into the bottom of it and plumbed it to the side of the engine block with a check valve so when I got out of boost it just gravity drained the catch can back into the engine and became maint free which I loved.

I've noticed on the BMW I loose about a quart of oil between oil changes (5k mile intervals). Granted the oil filter housing has a small leak I'm repairing now so there's no way to know how much of that oil was lost to the leak and how much went through the intake.

While searching around I found this catch can/oil separator for Subarus very interesting. Notice their multi baffle design to increase surface area in a more compact design and it even plumbs into your engine coolant to heat the can and reduce sludge build up. It also gravity drains collected oil back to the oil pan for maintenance free design never requiring you to empty it.

http://perrinperformance.com/i-14908...separator.html

[gtaccord]

The BMS catch can does not smell at all and while it is not right out in the open it adds like 10 mins max to my oil change time which is no big deal. The most I have gotten out of it on either of my cars is about a thimble full. It's not particularly expensive and it doesn't hurt anything. Just do it.

[MalcolmV8]

Originally Posted by gtaccord

The BMS catch can does not smell at all and while it is not right out in the open it adds like 10 mins max to my oil change time which is no big deal. The most I have gotten out of it on either of my cars is about a thimble full. It's not particularly expensive and it doesn't hurt anything. Just do it.

I have to say if all you're getting is a thimble's worth between oil changes it's not a very effective design and I'd say the majority of the oil is passing right through it.

[gtaccord]

Originally Posted by MalcolmV8

I have to say if all you're getting is a thimble's worth between oil changes it's not a very effective design and I'd say the majority of the oil is passing right through it.

It varies for each car. Some people get a full container every 5k miles. Some people get nothing. Also I have the upgraded RB PCV valve and drive almost all highway miles with the engine at relatively low load.

Some people have high oil consumption, I have relatively none. It may be wasted money for me but as I said it doesn't hurt anything.

[MalcolmV8]

Originally Posted by gtaccord

It varies for each car. Some people get a full container every 5k miles. Some people get nothing. Also I have the upgraded RB PCV valve and drive almost all highway miles with the engine at relatively low load.

Some people have high oil consumption, I have relatively none. It may be wasted money for me but as I said it doesn't hurt anything.

What's inside the catch can? Is it just the traditional type that's a hollow case maybe with a baffle or two? Typically those are not every effective.

In searching around I found these guys

http://www.42draftdesigns.com/Ultima...Can_p_288.html

I gave them a call and they actually have four layers of filter mesh screen inside that causes a lot of oil vapor to get caught up and stay behind. This sounds like the most effective solution I can find. It has a drain plug and if the filter media ever gets gunked up you can open it and clean them out with carb cleaner or similar.

I've read online that having the catch can in a warm place like right next to the engine or above the turbo's is beneficial because the heat keeps the filter media from getting sludged up.

[gtaccord]

I am not saying there isn't a better design available. I am saying that this is probably the best one you can buy as a kit that will fit. There was a ton of research done on this by Rob Beck. I am sure if you search for it on this or the other forum you will find it.

The big issue with the n54 is packaging. There is no where to put it other than where it is without relocating something else that is more important. If there were an easier better solution it would have been done already.

[MalcolmV8]

Originally Posted by gtaccord

The big issue with the n54 is packaging. There is no where to put it other than where it is without relocating something else that is more important. If there were an easier better solution it would have been done already.

Yup it's tight back there and you really don't want to relocate the catch can else where in the engine bay because the long hoses become a restriction at such lengths harming the performance of the PCV and the crank case ventilation.

So I will leave the catch can back behind the motor in that very difficult to reach position giving it two very short hoses so it should not affect the performance of the PCV or crankcase venting.

Then I'll remove the drain plug from the catch can and install a barbed fitting with a hose that runs down low to a convenient place under the car off to the side and install a drain plug over there. That way I don't have to worry about never been able to reach the catch can back there as it won't necessary except maybe once a year to pull apart and make sure the filters are not gumming up or in need of some clean out with some carb cleaner.

[BashShah]

MalcolmV8
+1 to what you said above.
Drain plug.....hell yeah.... Great idea.

But do tell us, the location of your new OCC. and which one did you choose, and what do you think about it.

I was going to go Meth, but decided against it.
I am going to remain stock.

DN

[123Britt]

If you replace your PCV with the RBTURBO Type and use oil with low NOACK as well as OCI less then 7.5k . You wont catch much oil -- being the engine is running properly. I have both but don't track the car. If you are a tracker then go for it. I say save the money for the best oil you can find and get the RB Turbo valve.
.
.
Redline 5W-30 + RB Valve + non-leaking VC Gasket + weekly hard drive = Extended Valve Cleaning Intervals
.
Meth could also be added to the formula.