Oil catch tanks

[cliosport-carl]

Iv read through a few posts and found "they look cool" and that's about it apart from they catch nothing apart from a drop a year unless there is some form of wire wool in them. The problem is when I take off my inlet to clean the engine there is a lot of oil in there. Oil in the fuel lowers octane but its probably not noticeable but what does every body else think???? The cars used as a daily and occasional track use thanks...

 

[Chip-mk1]

If your engine is used hard on track you are likely to find it breathes a little more than normal, in which case a catch tank is well worth having, especially if the engine is worn.
Like you say, oil can lower the octane rating of the fuel and hence cause det and a loss of performance or even engine damage in extreme cases.

Generally speaking a standard car with a very healthy doesnt need one IMHO, but there is no downside to fitting one really.

 

[cliosport-carl]

its on 80000 miles and its on track atlease 1 a month in season when i can and yeah gets pushed hard so might invest the cheep ones will do from ebay just for a while like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-ALL...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5894508395

 

[Chip-mk1]

I have a cheap one from ebay on my throttle bodies XE corsa.

It used to breathe a lot before I rebuilt the engine and I had to get the sight tube fittings replaced by a local hydraulics place as they were crap so when it filled up a bit it leaked. So budget for that too when weighing up what it will cost you versus a decent one.

 

[Pedro19]

A £5 oil breather on the end of the oil line that goes into the bend for the air box will do the same won't it. stops oil/oil vapour getting in through the inlet.

 

[Chip-mk1]

A £5 oil breather on the end of the oil line that goes into the bend for the air box will do the same won't it. stops oil/oil vapour getting in through the inlet.

Yes that is the cheapest way to stop oil getting into your engine, but bare in mind if you dont put it to a catch tank you may get black flagged from a racetrack as a result if they see it dripping oil.

I actually thought that had happened to use at llandow in fact with my mrs RS2 172 so we went and fitted a mocal catch tank just in case but it actually turned out to be a PAS leak when we looked into it, lol, still dont regret getting the catch tank though as if nothing else its actually a VERY good gauge of engine condition when you use it on track to see how much ends up in there.
On the corsa before I rebuild the engine it used to actually FILL the catch tank during a trackady, now it just ends up with a few drips and I havent needed to empty it even worse in 18 months or so.

 

[cliosport-carl]

this is all good looks like im going to be getting one

 

[Final Maxim]

im a complete novice with engines, but ive noticed that on my engine, where the oil breather is (like a small k&N cone filter??) its really dirty and oily? also think its leaking oil onto my engine. do i need a catcher tank? is it basically a box that catches oil and you empty it or does it have to be plumbed into your engine somehow?

is oil coming from the oil breather thing a bag sign?

 

[Chip-mk1]

You can get ones that run it back into the engine, but generally speaking you just catch it and then throw it away.

Yes if there is much coming out the breather its a bad sign, typically indicative of worn piston rings.

 

[cliosport-carl]

i know its ment to go into a catch tank to stop it leaking and doesnt go back into the engine but my old man has got a new imprezza and hes now got a special breather system what goes back into the head to presurise the system apparantly this stops oil starvation it was made for the Pro R time atack car and is now being made and sold by Pro R for it but i dont get it realy i think its just going to blow up lol

 

[Chip-mk1]

i know its ment to go into a catch tank to stop it leaking and doesnt go back into the engine but my old man has got a new imprezza and hes now got a special breather system what goes back into the head to presurise the system apparantly this stops oil starvation it was made for the Pro R time atack car and is now being made and sold by Pro R for it but i dont get it realy i think its just going to blow up lol

Normally a breather will come from the head, and go back into the sump if its running in a loop, but its important that there is a vent to atmosphere as well as the whole point is you WANT to allow the pressure out of the sump/crankcase etc.
If all you wanted was to stop oil leaking, you could just block the breather up, but it would be very bad for your engine.

 

[cliosport-carl]

thats what i thought but apparantly it works. pro r had a full season with it last year on the time attack car with no problems i dunno thought it looks good will get a pic of it soon lol

 

[Chip-mk1]

I suspect it works slightly differently to how you are describing TBH mate, so pics would be good.