Anyone fitted a catch-can to their diesel?

[Ryeman]

It's purpose is to filter out the oil from the blow-by gasses from the top of the engine in order to protect the expensive EGR valve from failure due to contamination.

There's room on the firewall, passenger's side, but at less than 30,000km I'm not sure if/when I will install one.

It's not a mod that would be seen as anything but beneficial for the engine EGR but for those who don't intend to keep there vehicle long term out of warranty probably not worth it.

As opposed to the DPF, long hot runs are the conditions to produce the most oily waste consumed by the EGR.

[yetiscot]

Haven't heard of these before---seem to be more common in the Antipodes possibly. Surely if they were all that good VW would spec them.

I have to say that I'm in the camp of leave everything well alone and as original-so I'm probably in the minority round here

[Ryeman]

VWWatercooled Australia diesel section has a thread dealing with this EGR contamination issue.

Higher temp long runs may be a contributor.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[yetiscot]

The problem, for me anyway, is finding any reliable and independent source that these things would do any good[or bad]

They would, I'm sure invalidate any vehicle warranty, so definitely leaves me out for the next 3 years or so, in any case.

I know we get on the case of the designers of the vehicles at times, but as far as engines go, there is a lot of time and money spent on research and development to make them reliable and economical

If it's your car and you are happy about the risks, I would say try it out

FWIW I note that the main use is in racing cars, getting properly thrashed etc and so get very hot.

Climatic conditions here are also markedly different to OZ 

[Ryeman]

They are (Provent200) a well engineered (not cheap) common fitment to many diesels to eliminate the buildup of contaminants that cause EGR failures.

It seems to be a diesel mechanics 'thing' and I will probably discuss it with the local service division.

[muddyboots]

Is EGR contamination still an issue on the CR engines ?

 

I know it used to be on the PDs, I did a stealth EGR mod on my previous PD130 Passat.

[g6zru]

Haven't heard of these before---seem to be more common in the Antipodes possibly. 

I think that's because they're upside down.  

I have some friends who are Air New Zeaand pilots an whenever they visit one of the first things they do is turn my World globe the other way up!

Fred

[Ryeman]

Is EGR contamination still an issue on the CR engines ?

 

I know it used to be on the PDs, I did a stealth EGR mod on my previous PD130 Passat.

All engines produce blow by gasses and the older the more oil there is.

On the Yeti there's a small pipe from the middle of the 'rocker box' towards the firewall which directs those gasses directly into the induction system just before the turbo.

It's the oil content in that recycled air that contaminates the EGR.

Decades ago now I had an Austin Kimberly 6 that had a poorly designed PCV system which caused asymmetric fouling of the 'front' three inlet valves which I fixed by piping the oil saturated gasses into a jam jar and piped it, oil free, into the two carbies.

As a result the pinging stopped after cleaning the carbonised head and was able to advance the ignition and get back ex factory power.

PCV to EGR eventually becomes an issue with age and critically with these high tech sensor laden modern engines with expensive bills.

If you're into constant replacement/update it's not an issue, but for higher, out of warranty ones, it eventually becomes an expensive problem.

So this ? is for long term owners really.

[bluecar1]

catch cans were a common topic on the mk1 vrs threads

 

have a look over there, there were some simple cheap and effective designs (stainless containers filled with stainless pan scourers), and some expensive retail ones

 

some had oil level gauges to allow the driver to know when to empty them as they do fill over time depending on the amount of oil mist in the engine

 

some also had the "elephant mod" which was venting the crankcase to atmosphere via a long pipe so even the output of the catchcan was not brought into to the inlet system

Edited 9 March, 2015 by bluecar1

[Ryeman]

catch cans were a common topic on the mk1 vrs threads

 

have a look over there, there were some simple cheap and effective designs (stainless containers filled with stainless pan scourers), and some expensive retail ones

 

some had oil level gauges to allow the driver to know when to empty them as they do fill over time depending on the amount of oil mist in the engine

 

some also had the "elephant mod" which was venting the crankcase to atmosphere via a long pipe so even the output of the catchcan was not brought into to the inlet system

Did they pass MOTs?

I'm looking for a commercial/retail installation with a solution to underbonnet access for draining of the carbon laden oil.

Having retired from dirty hands it's a matter for an 'installer' now.

[bluecar1]

do not remember any issues, but with MOT regs changing all the time might be worth a question if you know a tame MOT tester

 

I think if they are just an item in the pipe they should be ok, if they interfere with the operation of the emissions controls (EGR etc) then likely a problem

 

but most catch cans just remove the oil mist and do not stop blow by gasses being burnt as part of the emissions reduction

[Ryeman]

The 'elephant' mod sounds dodgy.

My desire is to make it easily accessible for draining off the oil rather than return to the sump.