2.2 Oil catch can, more of cleaning up then performance!
 

Recently I posted in the SS thread about installing an oil catch can , well I found it was a requirement for my 2.2. The OEM hose runs downhill to the throttle body, and gravity takes the oil and condensation into it, yuck!
This ingested oil can
A: clog up your catalytic converter
B: mess up your O2 sensors
C: suck up the oil and you have to add oil every couple of days!
D: make a gummy mess of the intake manifold and the throttle body!

So, I ordered a $20.00 catch can on EBay and installed it on Monday, it sat in my garage for a few of the colder months and it was 45 degrees on Monday so I went to work!
It took all of twenty minutes and had to drill two holes, a couple of pop rivets and hookup the hoses!

I'll keep an eye on this setup and keep you posted, I just hope there's no condensation build up and it freezes up.

The OEM hose slopes downhill
https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...7/original.jpg

The OEM hose has two bends but isn't enough to thwart gravity!
https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil.../original2.jpg

The long loop hose , was an attempt at fighting Newton's theory
https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...7/firstmod.jpg


The oil separator catch tank....
https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil.../frontview.jpg

Another view , shiny and pretty, we'll see how that stands up to the rest of a Canadian winter!
https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil.../completeb.jpg

It looks like there's no way to open it for inspection.

There is a threaded and knurled plug on the bottom to drain the tank , 60 miles on this and nothing in it yet!

:twothumbs:

Good that you used transparent lines. As long as there is no residue on the clean side line, you're good!

That's what I was thinking, and I resisted the urge to use a braided stainless steel hose I have in the parts pile left over from my old show truck. Another angle of the drain plug

UGH I would like to do this to Gregg but it looks like an aftermarket airbox might be required!

No you just mount it in a different place and use longer hoses.

Can
 

OldBlue... Just thinking of this which you showed me a short time back and wondering if it was still working or if you would change to a catch can... you have answered the question. FIRST... the looped hose was still letting oil build up in the TB and Intake Manifold RIGHT? Let us know how this can works out after some miles. A mechanic friend told me that he had fixed this problem a few times by changing the value cover for a new one. Said that there was some kind of a separator material inside the box on the inside of the value cover where the PCV hose fitting was. In time it lets the oil be pulled through the hose and into the TB and Intake. So replace the value cover $$$ or get a catch can! Thanks for the update Steve

Steve , yeah I heard of that to, so I popped off the valve cover cleaned in a hot tank, reinstalled it , and still the oil and condensation ran down the OEM hose to the TB.
So plan B the loop hose after awhile the same results,
Plan C I cut the loop hose 2 inches from the valve cover pipe and placed a 90 degree elbow into the hose , routed the hose straight up and clamped it to the left side top cover plate of the air cleaner box, you see in the pictures. Still got some oil sucking into the TB and condensation.
The P0420 code has popped up a few times, each time I cleaned the throttle body and ran a bottle of catalytic converter cleaner through and cleared the code.
So far in 250 milessince I've installed this oil separator tank, no code, no oil, and no condensation in the TB.
Yes, it's early and yes I will keep the information flowing!!

Do you have a one-way valve inline at the valve cover ? Just wondering if that would keep anything that hasn't made it to the catch can from draining back at shutdown.

Maybe we can add this to possible causes of P0420? Oil vapor getting on the O2 sensors.

Nope, George no check valve.
Yep, Don P0420 can be caused by oil in the catalytic converter.
There are lots of sites and videos on YouTube about it.

Weird things happening

Can anyone confirm they see post # 13 & 14, please.

Yep. I see them.

Blue is your can baffled?

No , just a 500 ml aluminum bottle pretty nice for $20.00 and free shipping!

Do this to your can
http://my350z.com/forum/attachments/...publish-1-.jpg

Great idea but the can is a one piece and so far nothing has been sucked up the intake hose from the valve cover to the tank

Your can doesn't come apart using a 3mm allen wrench?
Picture please.
I got one from EBay for $20 and some place on this forum I showed what I did to it.
I think it's in DIY section. Navigation on the forum isn't my greatest.

Pictures in post # 1,3 and 6

Is this your catch can / oil separator?

http://s697.photobucket.com/user/Ric...hgsbk.jpg.html

I think the difference would be your dealing with turbo pressure and mine is just a 2.2 litre, not much pressure.

Here is Cat Man's thread https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...-can-ss-54374/

Yes, I recall that thread, it pertains to the 2.0 Turbo SS oil build up .

Yes

Oldblue .The lower on the car you can get the catch can the better. You might want to put baffles or stainless steel wool in the can half way up in it. When the oil/air passes through the can the oil needs a media to attach to.If not it just stays in the air and passes through. I put my can behind the front bumper. No oil in the intake.

Yes, but for my climate, ffffffffing ccccoollld, I did not want condensation filling up the separator can and freezing , resulting in a split open can , a waste of $20 bucks and me kicking myself 'cause I forgot to drain the catch can.
I'm just 575 miles into this and temperatures ranging from 48 F last week to 10 F this past three days, so far no oil or water has been sucked up the hose to the catch can, or out to the throttle body.
There is no condensation on the underside of the oil filler cap either. So far, this set up is working , at lease for my 2.2 N/A Ecotec.
The throttle body is clean, the exhaust tip is not sooted up, and that P0420 code hasn't popped up. It usually came on within 75 to 100 miles of clearing the code, also, I checked for pending codes and there are none!
I'll keep on reporting any changes.

I'm sure you verified that the air flows through the can. It just seems odd that nothing is even coming into the dirty side line. Your anti-Newton design was still letting oil vapors through, right, that's why you went to this?

Well , yes the other hose and loop system did let vapour to suck up then slide right on down into the fitting with the white teflon tape in the right by the throttle body.

I believe the new system just hasn't had the time or the temperature to really show how it working or not.
The tubing is 3/8 ID and the fittings have 1/4 ID passages and I did disconnect them to check for any plug of any kind, thinking the same thing.
Now, if the can needs to be vacuumed of atmosphere to allow oily vapour from the inside of the valve cover to be sucked out, would the negative pressure from the throttle body be enough to suck that vapour up the inlet, and into the catch can?
I think if the can was mounted, below the level of the valve cover outlet, then, yes it would.
I don't have much room to lower the mount on the air cleaner box and if I mount it on the rad cradle then the tank is in the way of the oil filter .

Manifold vacuum, at idle, is certainly enough to evacuate the crankcase, even to depressurize the can, no problem at all, should be nearly instantaneous. Cruising on the freeway, however, you'll have much less vacuum, but still should be no problem.

And as far as trapping contaminants, RF2 is right, lower is better, but you also have a valid concern about freezing. But if you empty the can regularly, it shouldn't expand enough to damage the can. I would think it could even get about half full without damage. It should take months to get half full. And you've got a level indicator.

But you're basically the same now, as the anti-Newton design(s), so I expected similar results. Sounds like you did, too. The dirty side tube should be at least a little dirty, even if it's only right near the valve cover.

That triple clamp at the valve cover, is that just a reducer?

Yeah it's a clear tube to the reducer then the blue hose.

Oldblue, how many miles are on your wagon??

226,000 miles

If you are concerned about the can freezing located behind the front bumper, just put two teaspoons of winter windshield wash in the can. This will keep it from freezing. It will freeze under the hood when the engine is off just like your windshield washer tank would with out it.. Vapors from the fluid will not hurt your engine. Some people use windshield fluid instead of methanol for their water injection systems. It looks like you have the same can that I have.

Great suggestion, thanks

Today I went out and checked for any vacuum at the fitting at the white teflon tape at the elbow by my throttle body, there isn't any.

Let me put on my non-turbo, N/A thinking cap.
Full vacuum can only be captured "after" a TB or carb.
(see where I'm going with this )

Anyhow. Just pondering your vacuum issue as I wait for some paint to dry on a door hinge. (yeah, replacing hinge pin and bushing on the old Dodge )

I think mine must have been in that box that went to the thrift store. :duh:

OB, I'm tapped into the brake booster line, right where it enters the intake manifold.

That might work for y'all 's SS but I'm not teeing into that line.
I had a nap, woke up all startled and thought, hey ( just like FMG says) there is no vacuum on the air cleaner side of the throttle plate, at idle! Maybe I should just come and watch that paint dry for you George, now during throttle while driving yes there is some vacuum at the fitting but not much. So , back to allowing time and driving the trip to Hamilton on Feb 28 to see if anything gets up the dirty line and into the separator tank.