Thread: How to: Make a catch can on your pcv for less than $30

First, take a trip to home depot and here's the ingredients you need:
1) Husky or campbell housefield water seperator for an air compressor.
2) 2x 1/4 NPT with 3/8" Barb adaptors
3) Teflon tape
4) Approx 2.5 feet of 3/8" fuel hose
5) Small 1/4" stopper




Step 1:
Unpackage water seperator. Now, the Husky seperator I bought ($24.99) has a pressurized lower portion. So you have to unscrew the plastic portion (being careful not to let the 'o' ring slip out and get lost) and use your mouth (you heard me) to blow into the tube thing. It will click shut and no longer let air out. Then nipple the bottom. The nipple isn't 100% necessary, but I like to ensure it's idiot proof.




Step 2:
Put teflon tape on the brass fitings, and attach to water separator. Keep in mind you're screwing into plastic, so dont overtorque with those big rippling pythons of yours.



Step 3: Go out to car and remove old n' worn out (and in my case, split) pcv tube.

Step 4: Cut a small amount of fuel hose to fit exactly the length of the barb, the pcv valve, and a fraction of an inch between.



Step 5: Route your long hose (don't cut it yet!) under your intake someplace to make it neat and tidy. Your choice where, this photo is just a suggestion.



Step 6: Once satisfied with hose length, cut hose.



Step 7: Clamp clamp a bamp!

Step 8: Fandangle up a mounting bracket for your new catch can (As you can see I haven't done that just yet).


And you're done!

I've used this kind of a catch can before. It works ok, It's plastic so it won't last long, it also leaks like crazy, even after I sealed it.

I used to have it on my NA motor, then when I did the engine swap I didn't install it because boost would blow it apart and leak haha.

I then was messing around with it, after it was off my car for 3 months, as soon as I picked it up the filter inside broke off. I said screw it, and will be making a much more sturdier design.

Sweet, but you can buy catch cans for like $25 to your door.

The ones off ebay? Those are a little to large for this. But they do look very appealing.

with those ebay catch cans, every one i've seen in person

the elbows that hold the view tube pivot pretty much freeley and alow the tube to become dislodged createing a vacume leak and dumping oil in the engine bay. is there a cheaper solid option? should jb weld be put on the elbows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Oil-Separator-catch-can-for-all-PCV-systems-and-HHO_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ46097QQihZ002QQitemZ120418717988QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

ha, that thing you can purchase at home depot for $8 less.

Did the o-ring slip out? I've vaccum/pressure tested it, and nothing leaked period. You just have to replace the O ring every 2nd oil change. Routine maitenence and this will last a good long time.

i ment the bigger ones like this

polished turbo oil catch can evo sti wrx supra rx7 :eBay Motors (item 300314490741 end time May-16-09 17:51:11 PDT)

where the 2 elbos can move freely and the clear tube can pop out

Thea reason they are so expensive on ebay is, because people read that Water 4 Gas article and the guy heavily advertised/suggested them.

I used it because it was cheap enough, now I know I need something better haha.

I've been looking at one like this:


Check the price tags on these guys...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PCV-Aluminum-Oil-Catch-Can-for-LSx-Engines_W0QQitemZ270333205102QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mustang-Engine-pcv-Oil-Separator-Catch-Can-GT-COBRA-V6_W0QQitemZ350195642034QQcmdZViewItem