Is It Necessary to Install an Oil Catch Can?
1 Answers
An oil catch can is considered an aftermarket accessory. Not installing one won't have major consequences, but installing it is certainly beneficial. The principle of an oil catch can is to use the vacuum in the intake manifold to draw blow-by gases from the crankcase and redirect them into the combustion chamber for re-burning. These blow-by gases primarily consist of oil vapor and combustible air-fuel mixture. Since oil is viscous, if it directly enters the intake system, it may adhere to the intake pipe walls, potentially causing carbon buildup that obstructs airflow. More details are as follows: 1. Structure: It consists of two chambers. The lower chamber is designed to collect and settle the separated oil, connected via a tube, while the upper chamber holds the separated combustible air-fuel mixture. The cleaned mixture is then directed into the intake manifold. This setup is both environmentally friendly and prevents oil residue buildup in the intake tract. However, an oil catch can only prevent carbon deposits from forming; it cannot remove existing deposits. 2. Function: The primary purpose of an oil catch can is to protect the engine. During high-speed operation, the crankcase experiences high temperatures and friction due to the rapid movement of the crankshaft, leading to oil degradation and vaporization. This results in high pressure inside the crankcase, necessitating the expulsion of degraded oil vapor. Since this vapor is highly corrosive, factory-installed systems typically route it into the intake manifold for the engine to burn off. However, this approach has a significant drawback: it quickly dirties the throttle body, negatively impacting performance and fuel efficiency. 3. Principle: The oil catch can works by separating oil vapor from the air, collecting the waste oil, and only sending the filtered air into the intake manifold. Thus, its main benefits are engine protection, maintaining throttle cleanliness, and reducing fuel consumption. Regular maintenance of the oil catch can is essential. If the filter becomes clogged or the internal circulation is blocked, exhaust gases may enter the air filter.
