LS3 With No Catch Can - Long-term Results

[L99CAMA2011]

Originally Posted by blake-b

If you leave your car stock and never drive it hard, you don't need a catch can. You'd never know if it were working any way as you would never have any reason to take the TB or intake off to see the oil and/or residue inside.

If you modify your car (I'm talking cam, heads, blowers, turbos, etc) - more than just a CAI and headers. I think you need one.

Internet peoples get opinionated based on things they have read. Few people actually try various avenues and reach their own conclusions through experience, trial and error. I tried the RX Monster can and it didn't work for me. I still had oil pushing out the rear main with a Ysi setup. I went to a mightymouse can and all issues were solved with it. The MM can flat out works and I can say this from experience and not just anecdotally.

I also had an early Elite can but that is when I only had headers and a cai on it. I probably didn't need it and sold it before I ever tested it with FI. I have not tried any other brands nor did I need to because I found one that worked perfectly for me.

I am ordering a Mighty mouse catch can when I have funds.

[theragtopguy]

Originally Posted by VTSummit

If they got it right so often, why are there recalls and enough warranty claims to be half of my shop's hours?

I've personally dealt with countless direct injection engines from GM and other manufacturers where we had to take it apart to remove the deposits on the backs of the valves. I had a 3.6 Equinox apart with 80K on it and the buildup was staggering... and it had scheduled maintenance.

Unlike the 3.6, I don't think the LS3 is a Direct Injection engine, so the injectors can be cleaned with a cleaning agent put in the gasoline.

[el ess A]

Originally Posted by 1fastmf

If a catch can was needed they would have came that way from the factory

Then this might be of interest to you. Seems GM is doing something about it now with the LT1.

http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=424959

[Red2014SS]

Originally Posted by el ess A

Then this might be of interest to you. Seems GM is doing something about it now with the LT1.

http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=424959

The new LT1 is direct injected. Every direct injected engine really needs a catch can. Totally different from the LS3 or L99.

[CamaroCracka]

Originally Posted by theragtopguy

Unlike the 3.6, I don't think the LS3 is a Direct Injection engine, so the injectors can be cleaned with a cleaning agent put in the gasoline.

Injectors should be cleaned by disabling the fuel pump and running pure techroline or something similar through the fuel rail while it's running. Additives to gas help but don't do the trick over the long haul.

What direct inject lacks is fuel washing over the valves constantly cleaning off the oil mist and making them suceptible to build up much faster.

Of all the Gen5 engines, the LS3 needs the catch can the least. Running Seafoam or some other upper intake cleaner through the intake every 50k or so will do just fine for the vast majority of owners.

You don't want to run boost into your crankcase so SC and turbo owners frequently use vented catch cans that prevent this. Cammed cars that spin 7k+ or track guys pulling 1G also need them more because these situations increase the amount of oil getting into the intake.

[harner]

I have a '10, bought it in August '14 w/22xxx and have since did two oil changes. I installed the catch can at the first oil change.

I pulled the intake off at the first oil change (~25k) and had the intake modded by GPI and TB ported. The intake had a coating of oil on the bottom of the inside. Nothing super alarming, but it was enough to leak down through the air holes on the sides of the intake when it was sitting down. I know this because my truck seat was saturated and ruined a pair of my g/f's jeans lol.

Anyway, I checked the can at a few hundred miles and emptied out about 1/4 of a water bottle's worth of oil. 3k miles later at the second oil change, I had about 1/4-3/8 of a water bottle's worth of oil.

I think I'll keep my Elite catch can. It's doing a good job.

[GEN-IV]

Originally Posted by BigBlock69RS

Given your background maybe you can answer this - In an Ls3, for a street driven car, what is the harm of ingesting a few oz of oil through the intake, between oil changes? I'm curious because many seem overly concerned about this...

Oil in the combustion chamber can cause knock.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by CCMADONNA

this is what happens without a catch-can

So My cam shaft will migrate to the heads & multiply..... Oh my that is serious.

[2015_1LE_soon]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

So My cam shaft will migrate to the heads & multiply..... Oh my that is serious.

[CCMADONNA]

here's what else can happen without a catch-can :

[el ess A]

Originally Posted by Red2014SS

The new LT1 is direct injected. Every direct injected engine really needs a catch can. Totally different from the LS3 or L99.

It's not totally different. Don't blow smoke. (but you might without an oil separator).

So it's bad on an LT1, but ok with an LS3/L99? Bullsh*t. Oil in the intake is never a bonus no matter which type of induction system you have. It's just worse on the DI engines because you don't have the crutch of having fuel wash off some of the goo on the valves.

Actually, I think Pontiac had an oil separator from the factory before, so this has been a concern in the past.

[Tenring]

Originally Posted by el ess A

Oil in the intake is never a bonus no matter which type of induction system you have.

Agreed and well said!

[1989GTA]

Originally Posted by GEN-IV

Oil in the combustion chamber can cause knock.

Just what I was going to post. The less oil in the intake system the less chance for knock. More power can be had.

[JLSuperfly]

The bigger the catch can, the better.