What do oil catch cans do

What a catch can aims to do is route the pressure to the intake manifold and send the oil or other junk within it to the bottom of the catch can. Next, Jason looks at if oil catch cans really do work.

The answer is yes. While a catch can won't stop every last particle of contaminant from entering the intake manifold and coating the valves in a direct-injection engine, the less unwanted buildup the better. Jason cites a study from the Society of Automotive Engineers that showed buildup on intake valves significantly decreased when contaminants were routed away from the intake manifold.

So, yes, a catch can isn't a bad idea. At a minimum, it's not a scam. Finally, Jason looks at the value factor of various catch cans. The only major difference Jason found was the the lack of a bronze filter in the cheapest option, which will do a better job of sorting out the contaminates.

Aside from the filter, size also increased the price significantly. For those who don't want to empty out a tiny catch can frequently, the larger units are helpful. Sign up to get the latest performance and luxury automotive news, delivered to your inbox daily! I agree to receive emails from Motor Authority. An oil catch can helps separate the oil from the air. It filters and traps the oil while sending the air back into the engine, where it can do some good.

This is just our quick layman's explanation. If you want the real scoop on what an oil catch can does, you're going to need to click play on the Engineering Explained video above. As usual, the host presents technical materials in a way that the average Joe can understand. If your name happens to be Joe, you can understand the material doubly well. Follow Motor Authority on Facebook and Twitter. Sign up to get the latest performance and luxury automotive news, delivered to your inbox daily!

I agree to receive emails from Motor Authority. I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy. Contribute: Send us a tip Contact the editor. However, if you do not install one, you have to take other steps to deal with the effects of blowby in your vehicle. One is the removal of the manifold in the DFI engine so the deposits can be cleaned off.

There are other preventive measures you can take to extend the life of your car. In addition to blowby, your engine can also leak oil.

You can spot oil leaks a number of ways, like your dipstick level dropping, blue smoke from the tailpipe, or a burning oil smell. A leak could have a number of causes, one of which is a deficiency in the oil seals. A product like No Leak actually works inside your car to condition the internal seals. That way, they are less likely to leak. No matter how you take care of your vehicle, you have options to keep it running efficiently.

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