Oil catch can....worth it?

KCee · 06-29-2020, 10:30 AM

I feel like I Googled this to death and still came away with a maybe. Is it worth adding an oil catch can to my 2016 328iX GT? And if so, do I spring for the nice machined Burger one or just an inexpensive one off eBay or Amazon? I don't drive the car hard, but it's my commuter and I tend to keep my cars at least 10 years.

Billfitz · 06-29-2020, 11:20 AM

Looking in the wrong places you were.
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...tch+can&page=2

KCee · 06-29-2020, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Looking in the wrong places you were.
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...tch+can&page=2

Great thanks! If I can make a $25 (plus the cost of better hoses) part work then it seems like a worthwhile add-on. I'm not super cheap, but $200 seemed a bit steep.

KCee · 08-31-2020, 02:31 PM

Update: I recently installed an inexpensive catch can. It was simple to plumb in, but mounting it was a bit of a pain for me. My background is electrical, not mechanical so I maybe should have sprung for the $200 unit that comes with its own special mounting bracket and I would have saved myself some time, but bending and drilling some metal was not all that hard.

My wife thinks I am crazy as I drove the TL for over 13 years and did next to nothing to it and now I'm playing around with a 4 year old BMW lol.

Billfitz · 08-31-2020, 04:13 PM

I drilled two holes to install mine, total time to drill the holes, screw the mounting bracket in place and attach the can to the bracket 10 minutes. I didn't bend any metal.

https://billfitzmaurice.info/images/BMW/Catch Can.jpg

I've got the feeling you made it a lot more difficult than you needed to.

KCee · 09-01-2020, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billfitz

I drilled two holes to install mine, total time to drill the holes, screw the mounting bracket in place and attach the can to the bracket 10 minutes. I didn't bend any metal.

https://billfitzmaurice.info/images/BMW/Catch Can.jpg

I've got the feeling you made it a lot more difficult than you needed to.

I probably did spend too much time looking to make a nice mounting like the BMS unit, but finally realized I didn't need to. I had some metal strips I used and mounted it off the heat shield screw and another existing hole (sort of like the BMS unit) Once I had the metal drilled and bent it took me maybe 1 minute to mount it

visionaut · 09-02-2020, 10:45 AM

Just a heads up to be cautious if your winter temps get to or below freezing on a regular basis if you’ve installed an oil catch can. If so, you should remove the catch can for the winter or be prepared to clean it weekly due to the much greater amount of moisture in cold temps and the risk of freezing. You can damage engine seals if it clogs due to being frozen.

Billfitz · 09-02-2020, 10:56 AM

I'd say the risk there is slim to none. What collects in the can in the winter is a mix of oil and water, the source of the water being condensation that collects in the oil pan and then makes its way to the catch can as water vapor and condenses there again. Once in the catch can it can't make it's way out to the PCV other than as water vapor, and in no greater volume than could go from the crankcase directly to the PCV as water vapor if the catch can wasn't there.

visionaut · 09-02-2020, 11:45 AM

My comments are directly from the installation instructions for the Turner N55 catch can kit.

Billfitz · 09-02-2020, 12:16 PM

My comments are from personal experience. After a full winter my can accumulates at best three eights of an inch of mixed oil/water sludge. That presents no threat to blocking the PCV or blocking the air flow to the PCV. Knowing what accumulates in the can in winter there's no way I'd remove it. I want that sludge getting trapped in the can instead of making its way to my intake valves. If you drive a lot in winter it's not that big a deal to check the catch can dipstick every few weeks and empty the can as required. It's a very big deal to have to pull your intake manifold and use walnut blasting to clean the intake valves. As to the Turner instructions, the lawyer in me says that they had one guy who failed to check the can for a full winter of driving in the Yukon and had a problem, so to cover their ass from possible litigation they put that in there. But it makes no sense. The can does the most good in cold weather. Between April and November mine hardly traps enough oil than a single paper towel will wipe clean.

KCee · 09-02-2020, 01:51 PM

I'm certainly no expert, but I find it hard to believe enough moisture could be in there to freeze and block air flow. It does get cold here in New England, but not as frigid as some places. I garage my car when not in use so it shouldn't freeze overnight. I appreciate the heads up though and will certainly keep an eye on it during the winter.

I'm now curious as to what things look like knowing my car went nearly 50K miles without a catch can installed since I bought it used.

06-29-2020, 10:30 AM	#1
KCee Private First Class 41 Rep 105 Posts Drives: BMW 328 GT XDrive 2016 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Hartford, CT iTrader: (0)	Oil catch can....worth it? I feel like I Googled this to death and still came away with a maybe. Is it worth adding an oil catch can to my 2016 328iX GT? And if so, do I spring for the nice machined Burger one or just an inexpensive one off eBay or Amazon? I don't drive the car hard, but it's my commuter and I tend to keep my cars at least 10 years.
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06-29-2020, 11:20 AM	#2
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8225 Rep 16,065 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	Looking in the wrong places you were. https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...tch+can&page=2
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08-31-2020, 02:31 PM	#4
KCee Private First Class 41 Rep 105 Posts Drives: BMW 328 GT XDrive 2016 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Hartford, CT iTrader: (0)	Update: I recently installed an inexpensive catch can. It was simple to plumb in, but mounting it was a bit of a pain for me. My background is electrical, not mechanical so I maybe should have sprung for the $200 unit that comes with its own special mounting bracket and I would have saved myself some time, but bending and drilling some metal was not all that hard. My wife thinks I am crazy as I drove the TL for over 13 years and did next to nothing to it and now I'm playing around with a 4 year old BMW lol.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-31-2020, 04:13 PM	#5
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8225 Rep 16,065 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	I drilled two holes to install mine, total time to drill the holes, screw the mounting bracket in place and attach the can to the bracket 10 minutes. I didn't bend any metal. https://billfitzmaurice.info/images/BMW/Catch Can.jpg I've got the feeling you made it a lot more difficult than you needed to.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-02-2020, 10:45 AM	#7
visionaut Captain 1306 Rep 880 Posts Drives: 2016 435iX GC & 1976 2002 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Mile High City, CO iTrader: (0)	Just a heads up to be cautious if your winter temps get to or below freezing on a regular basis if you’ve installed an oil catch can. If so, you should remove the catch can for the winter or be prepared to clean it weekly due to the much greater amount of moisture in cold temps and the risk of freezing. You can damage engine seals if it clogs due to being frozen.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-02-2020, 10:56 AM	#8
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8225 Rep 16,065 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	I'd say the risk there is slim to none. What collects in the can in the winter is a mix of oil and water, the source of the water being condensation that collects in the oil pan and then makes its way to the catch can as water vapor and condenses there again. Once in the catch can it can't make it's way out to the PCV other than as water vapor, and in no greater volume than could go from the crankcase directly to the PCV as water vapor if the catch can wasn't there.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-02-2020, 11:45 AM	#9
visionaut Captain 1306 Rep 880 Posts Drives: 2016 435iX GC & 1976 2002 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Mile High City, CO iTrader: (0)	My comments are directly from the installation instructions for the Turner N55 catch can kit.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-02-2020, 12:16 PM	#10
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8225 Rep 16,065 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	My comments are from personal experience. After a full winter my can accumulates at best three eights of an inch of mixed oil/water sludge. That presents no threat to blocking the PCV or blocking the air flow to the PCV. Knowing what accumulates in the can in winter there's no way I'd remove it. I want that sludge getting trapped in the can instead of making its way to my intake valves. If you drive a lot in winter it's not that big a deal to check the catch can dipstick every few weeks and empty the can as required. It's a very big deal to have to pull your intake manifold and use walnut blasting to clean the intake valves. As to the Turner instructions, the lawyer in me says that they had one guy who failed to check the can for a full winter of driving in the Yukon and had a problem, so to cover their ass from possible litigation they put that in there. But it makes no sense. The can does the most good in cold weather. Between April and November mine hardly traps enough oil than a single paper towel will wipe clean.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-02-2020, 01:51 PM	#11
KCee Private First Class 41 Rep 105 Posts Drives: BMW 328 GT XDrive 2016 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Hartford, CT iTrader: (0)	I'm certainly no expert, but I find it hard to believe enough moisture could be in there to freeze and block air flow. It does get cold here in New England, but not as frigid as some places. I garage my car when not in use so it shouldn't freeze overnight. I appreciate the heads up though and will certainly keep an eye on it during the winter. I'm now curious as to what things look like knowing my car went nearly 50K miles without a catch can installed since I bought it used.
	Appreciate 0 Quote