catch can not "catching"

[northern piper]

So I installed a catch can as pictured here http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...03248450LHhzTd

It worked well for the first few days gathering oil that previously would drip onto the block beneath the intake. I removed the brass filter within the catch can reservoir thinking maybe it was getting clogged or something as per wiswind's suggestion. No real change. I'm wondering if maybe the height of the can (which is almost level with the intake end of the hose) may have something to do with it? I've seen designs as well that have a plastic mesh-like liner that helps the oil accumulate. It seemed to work great for the first few days and now doesn't seem to make any difference. When I remove the intake end of the hose, it's really tight (no vac leak) but the oil is easily felt.

Any thoughts?

[tripletdaddy]

I'm a little surprised Wiswind or someone else with personal experience with these things hasn't responded by now. Just off the cuff, I'd try to lower the catch can. With it lower, the oil in the line will be more likely to drain into the catch can instead of being stuck in the line. The oil may be only going in the line part way and draining back into the valve cover. In your pix, it looks like maybe you could reinstall it to the back side of the engine right off the back end of the valve cover and intake man and swap the two lengths of hose putting the filter closer to the PCV. If lowering and relocating it doesn't work or do enough, then I would install some sort of oil shield baffle inside your filter can to make the oil hit it on the way in and then fall to the bottom. I assume you hooked it up with the same airflow direction as indicated on it for an air line . Without the baffle, the airflow may not be slowing down enough to cut loose the oil. I would make the baffle out of sheet metal or a piece of pipe that can be jammed in tight in the center like a full height filter element with openings at the bottom to let the air in. When the lacking oil issue arose, did you confirm you had airflow (or vacuum)? And you are certain you have no leaks. Maybe try using a carb cleaner or like around the line to see if you have a leak.

Wiswind has said the catch can doesn't accumulate much when it gets warmer, but I have no idea what it's like with cool temps. That's my

[northern piper]

the oil drips out right at the junction of the pcv hose at the intake, between the hose end rubber adapter and the intake. Now maybe I'm expecting miracles but I was kind of hoping to eliminate this drip. It's really small, ie after a 30 mile drive if you run your finger around the bottom of the rubber adapter you'll get an oily finger but over time of course this creates a drip which runs like water on the block when hot. BTW, the fitting is tight on the intake. As it is at this location the oil drips I don't think the level of the filter will have that big an impact on it. Possibly the air flowing thru the filter isn't altered enough in direction and when it hits the rubber adapter at the intake this causes a collection point and thus the oil? I dunno. I think I'll add a sheet metal fin within the filter to change the direction of the air a bit and maybe the oil will collect there.

Piper

[wiswind]

The idea with a catch can is to provide a large enough of a "dead" air space for the oil vapor to condense and fall out of the air.
Cooler is better, and a large enough area for the air to be moving slowly is better.

Another thing that I did with my set-up was have a long length of hose going to and from my catch can.....so that any vapors that built up in the hose will drain down into the catch can when the engine is off.

My catch can is mounted up front.....passenger side.....between the coolant overflow bottle and the filler neck for the windshield washer fluid.

A link to a picture showing the location of my catch can
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2194...11220610sMWSny

A link that shows the catch can lines at the intake manifold.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2248...11220610nQqNdh


The long length provides more chance for the air to cool....
One needs to dress the lines so that they do not rub or lay on hot motor locations.