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Oil Catch Tank Emptied..."How Much"


AlexZ

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Evening all, couple of months back I fitted an oil catch tank for my trip across to Nurburg. I released I needed a tank after finding a oil leak and removing the plenium.

 

Well I drained the tank after visiting the Ring and it's been 3 month since. I was checking the car over today for a road trip down to Milton Keynes tommorow for a VW course and notice there was oil on my bumper carrier.

 

The catch tank looked full...so I whipped it out and found this amount of oil vapour lol...

 

Whats the normal amount you guys have found over what period? :shrug:

 

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Alex

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Haha, the car runs mint, its been round the Ring a few times and has never missed a beat lol. It does use a little oil but from what Ive read on here and the net thats normal in these engines.

 

Yeh I have done a compression test and the were all strong and very close to each other. :shrug:

 

This would be burnt like mentioned above if it wasnt removed lol.

 

The can sits just behond the bumper carrier and infront of the air con rad.

 

Alex

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Emm strange cause the car runs fine...I guess mosts people on the forum dont have catch tanks so theres no 100% reflection on the true amount we should be catching.

 

What else could be wrong if the car runs fine and its not been lost via head gasket or compression.

 

Could it be the build of the oil I'm using?

 

Alex

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Location might be the answer, mines in front of the rads so the catch tank is always cold from air flow...most others ive seen are in the engine bay were its a lot warmer.

 

The colder the tank itself the quicker and more oil vapour will condense equalling more liquid? :shrug:

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Could it be piped incorrectly?

 

Maybe mate, were are yours joined?

 

One pipe is joined to rocker cover? Yellow connector and the other pipe connect to the rear breather that normally connects to the air intake pipe.

 

If you look at the following thread you can see where mine are attached.

 

After ordering a Cusco catch tank I set about fitting it last we....my first idea was to slightly move the power steering fluid pot and bracket across. After a couple of hours I decided I wasnt happy with the tightness of the area and the tank hitting the water pipe...

 

The wilest place ever was then discovered but it works...theres a brakcet already there an waiting....

 

I've used hydralic air hose and a brass and alloy T piece. Theres a rocker cover filter attached to one of the unions on the tack so it can breath to atmosphere.

 

What you guys think??? :thumbs::thumbdown:

 

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Alexz

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agree with wayne theres probally a problem in there, we have the same ARC tank and iv never emptied it since fitted over a year ago now, always check it and never has much in there

 

Same here, never needed to empty mine either :)

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From the back of the engine and to the left of the plenum and vents back into the intake.

 

Mine is plumbed into the pipe for the air intake (underside), not sure were you mean for the other one. You can clearley see the yellow joint I have used on the left bank when standing in front of the engine bay.

 

If yours is connected to another pipe maybe this is what the difference is. Mine seems to be collecting more vapour so maybe you sould change yours to stop so much recycleation. :shrug:

 

Could you take a couple of images for me please?

 

Alexz

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mines filly at the same rate ! needs empting tbh but dont wann pull it as its not hard mounted soiw ill be a cut it out job . might drill a hole in the lid and pop a screw in when im done !

 

Does this mean you need to empty yours every couple of months...guess it all depends on the miles and speed you cover aswell rather than just time, the faster and further you go the more vapour given from the engine.

 

Alex

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I wouldn't be concerned, I'll wager that most of that is condensed water vapor with only a small amount of oil, do you do a lot of short journeys?

Even if not, where you have it mounted it will be subject to a lot of cooling ands so the hot vapor from the engine will rapidly condense into water.

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I wouldn't be concerned, I'll wager that most of that is condensed water vapor with only a small amount of oil, do you do a lot of short journeys?

Even if not, where you have it mounted it will be subject to a lot of cooling ands so the hot vapor from the engine will rapidly condense into water.

 

Thats what I thought mate to be honest.

 

Glad you agree, i'm sure it cant be anything major otherwise I would have seen other problems by now. :thumbs:

 

Alex

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The main thing is from the looks of It your venting to atmosphere. Venting to the plenum will reduce the catch can load. Most of the water and in condensed fuel/ oil vapour will still be pulled back into the plenum.

 

If it's still has lots of blow by then your piston rings my be worn.

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The main thing is from the looks of It your venting to atmosphere. Venting to the plenum will reduce the catch can load. Most of the water and in condensed fuel/ oil vapour will still be pulled back into the plenum.

 

If it's still has lots of blow by then your piston rings my be worn.

 

 

Surley if the rings were worn the compression would be down wouldnt it? The cars only done 56k.

 

Alex

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The main thing is from the looks of It your venting to atmosphere. Venting to the plenum will reduce the catch can load. Most of the water and in condensed fuel/ oil vapour will still be pulled back into the plenum.

 

If it's still has lots of blow by then your piston rings my be worn.

 

 

If the engine had significant blow by, there would be far more actual oil in the can, the reason for the amount will be the fact that you are not using positive crankcase ventilation, and the position of the can, the engine normally produces a lot of vapor, some oil but the majority is water vapor, this would be drawn at idle into the plenum due the the high vacuum and burnt in the combustion process, and at higher RPM/load by the intake pipe breather, which will be subject to more vacuum than the plenum at this point, and in effect takes over from the plenum breather which at this point is doing virtually nothing due to the low depression.

 

If you are concerned about no burning any oil vapor during the combustion process (which as we know can lead to a small amount of det, but is really only a worry in forced induction motors)

then i personally would put a sealed catch can between can cover and the plenum breather, and then fit another to the rear cam cover breather, and either run it back the intake piping, or vent to air as before, this configuration should lead to less condensed water in the cans.

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lol just emptied mine last night (cba take it out so i drilled a small hole in the lid and bunged witha screw after)............ about half a coke can of dark black OIL ! very glad ive got that there or it would be in my plenum etc so muhc so im gonna take the plenum apart soon and clean it up as id certian it will be oily as fook !

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