[SFV1LE]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

Because you have to modify the stock valve covers for the 2650 to fit. It's no big deal really but some have decided to replace them instead.

I see, thanks.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by SFV1LE

There are a lot of CC threads with strong opinions about the need for it, warranty issues, which one is best,etc. I have a few of questions...

1. Is this mod primarily for modified cars running higher boost and +100 whp, or it it highly recommend for 100% stock cars as well?
2. If someone is emptying their cc every 1-5k miles, I assume that means that the blow-by exhaust gas would be causing noticeable oil consumption as it escapes past rings and burns the oil on the cylinder walls below piston ring or burns intake oil vapor in combustion chamber, is that correct?
3. If a car has zero oil consumption either during heavy track use or street use, does that mean they don't need a catch can?

I assume the answer is yes, if there is no oil disappearing from oil pan then it's not being burned by blow-by or vapor collecting in SC or other parts of intake tract.

1. Yes, no. Cans will void your engine warranty. So why bother stock as it's all risk no reward. See also #3.

2. Not necessarily as not all crankcase vapors are oil. For example, winter driven short trips make a LOT of water condensate: "chocolate milk" in the can. So weekly empties is entirely reasonable. Whereas long summer cruises down the interstate will make very little condensate in the can, and almost all of it oil (water and fuel will evaporate). Do CC's help keep water/gas out of the crankcase? Maybe, but remember they are stopping it from from being burned at this point, so do they REALLY help? IMO, a weekly Italian tune-up and changing your oil frequently will do more for your car than a catch can in this scenario.

3. My take: "Need" is a matter of opinion more than fact as there has been very little evidence posted anywhere of valve buildup on LT4s. Almost all of the "scare tactics" pictures that I've seen posted by the MFR's are old truck engines. So IMO, yes, unless you're over-boosted or running high horsepower mods, you don't need one on the ZL1.

[Camaro1973]

Originally Posted by Gunkk

1. Yes, no. Cans will void your engine warranty. So why bother stock as it's all risk no reward. See also #3.

2. Not necessarily as not all crankcase vapors are oil. For example, winter driven short trips make a LOT of water condensate: "chocolate milk" in the can. So weekly empties is entirely reasonable. Whereas long summer cruises down the interstate will make very little condensate in the can, and almost all of it oil (water and fuel will evaporate). Do CC's help keep water/gas out of the crankcase? Maybe, but remember they are stopping it from from being burned at this point, so do they REALLY help? IMO, a weekly Italian tune-up and changing your oil frequently will do more for your car than a catch can in this scenario.

3. My take: "Need" is a matter of opinion more than fact as there has been very little evidence posted anywhere of valve buildup on LT4s. Almost all of the "scare tactics" pictures that I've seen posted by the MFR's are old truck engines. So IMO, yes, unless you're over-boosted or running high horsepower mods, you don't need one on the ZL1.

Bud you ever pull off an Lt1 or lt4 head after 10k miles? They are gunned to hell and back and any shop that does engine work will tell you the same exact thing.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by Camaro1973

Bud you ever pull off an Lt1 or lt4 head after 10k miles? They are gunned to hell and back and any shop that does engine work will tell you the same exact thing.

LT4 evidence?

[Camaro1973]

A quick search on google will yield you results. Start with the corvette forum....
Or even better, pull your intake/sc off and look for yourself.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by Camaro1973

A quick search on google will yield you results. Start with the corvette forum....
Or even better, pull your intake/sc off and look for yourself.

So no evidence.

Your opinion, my opinion... we all have 'em.

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by Camaro1973

Bud you ever pull off an Lt1 or lt4 head after 10k miles? They are gunned to hell and back and any shop that does engine work will tell you the same exact thing.

Originally Posted by Gunkk

LT4 evidence?

100% the case on LT4 as well. My brother pulled his blower off with 3000 miles on the car (Z06) and it was looking like crap in the intake runners already. I pulled my LT1 heads off for new Mast ones at 5000 miles and looked equally crappy.

[Z OH 6]

Originally Posted by Gunkk

So no evidence.

Your opinion, my opinion... we all have 'em.

That's a very ignorant way of looking at things.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

100% the case on LT4 as well. My brother pulled his blower off with 3000 miles on the car (Z06) and it was looking like crap in the intake runners already. I pulled my LT1 heads off for new Mast ones at 5000 miles and looked equally crappy.

I don't doubt your personal opinion of "looking like crap." Got pictures of what good and bad are in your opinion? Got a picture of that head's crappy intake?

Originally Posted by Z OH 6

That's a very ignorant way of looking at things.

3rd post with no hard evidence. Now devolving to an ad hominem attack. When you point a finger at someone there are four more pointing back at you.
C'mon bro, keep it civil.

So before we devolve into a race to the bottom of the internet IQs, here's some evidence for you all to consider. Not the first time around this argument for me, as you will see below.

After a bit of time on google and forums this morning. I found next to nothing on google for 2016+ LT4's came up. If you take out the "2016 LT4" in quotes from the search you will get a mountain of scary pictures. Most of them of early 2010's GDI cars (BMW is notorious for this). But the only forum pictures I've seen on camaro or corvette forums of unmodified LT4 head intake runners have been fairly clean IMO.

https://www.google.com/search?q=%222...biw=2180&hl=en

One I found of a 2014 LT4 via google search was this:

https://www.stingrayforums.com/threa....12271/page-11

TLDR: the word "spotless" was used in the post, daily driver, no catch can was used. Yes there's a picture.

"2016 LT4" head intake carbon buildup on google shows nothing.


A couple urls below containing 4 examples of corvette LT4 engines: Lots of irrelevant pictures, but a few of actual LT4 engines with relatively very clean valves. I say relatively to the other random photos of BMW, etc. engines from the early 2010's.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...he-valves.html

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-coking-3.html

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-at-10k-5.html

And the only pictures of a LT4 on this forum:
https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showp...4&postcount=34

So after all this, in my opinion it is still not worth a) the expense and hassle of a catch can (OP's post), and b) voiding the warranty. If you go big HP or heavy in boost w/ mods, then sure add a CC to your build list. But for stock? no way.

Your mileage, as they say, may vary.

[L78toLT1]

Here's what my intake valves looked like at 16K miles.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by L78toLT1

Here's what my intake valves looked like at 16K miles.

LT1 with mods? Or LT4?

EDIT, nevermind, found it in your history. LT1 with mods added at 13k miles. 3k miles on the engine with the mods:
https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showp...42&postcount=1

Thanks for sharing!

Did you get the pics of when you removed the heads after mods + can? I'm curious to see what they looked like, relatively, after several k miles with the can and more mods.

[Camaro1973]

Originally Posted by Gunkk

LT1 with mods? Or LT4?

EDIT, nevermind, found it in your history. LT1 with mods added at 13k miles. 3k miles on the engine with the mods:
https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showp...42&postcount=1

Thanks for sharing!

Did you get the pics of when you removed the heads after mods + can? I'm curious to see what they looked like, relatively, after several k miles with the can and more mods.

So he shows you proof and then you question his proof... LOL.


Take a trip down to your local performance shop and ask them to let you see heads off any lt1 or lt4 cars. There's your proof.


And as i said, its all over the corvette forums as well.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by Camaro1973

So he shows you proof and then you question his proof... LOL.

Actually no, I thanked him for sharing. He validated my position twofold. First, his engine is not a LT4. Second, that on modified and boosted engines catch cans are worthwhile. The picture is from a modified LT1 engine, and his claim that a can improved results after mods I am not disputing, just asking if he took pictures to further make my (and his) point.

And as i said, its all over the corvette forums as well.

I gave you several links to support my position directly from these forums and the corvette forums.

So you do some work now. Prove it with evidence. Do so and I will give you credit.

But so far it's all crickets. Not a single person has posted evidence from a stock LT4 that I would consider worth the risk of voiding the warranty by adding a catch can. Especially when broken valve springs and failed oil pumps seem to happen with much greater frequency to stock LT4s than coked up valves.

[Camaro1973]

Originally Posted by Gunkk

Actually no, I thanked him for sharing. He validated my position twofold. First, his engine is not a LT4. Second, that on modified and boosted engines catch cans are worthwhile. The picture is from a modified LT1 engine, and his claim that a can improved results after mods I am not disputing, just asking if he took pictures to further make my (and his) point.




I gave you several links to support my position directly from these forums and the corvette forums.

So you do some work now. Prove it with evidence. Do so and I will give you credit.

But so far it's all crickets. Not a single person has posted evidence from a stock LT4 that I would consider worth the risk of voiding the warranty by adding a catch can. Especially when broken valve springs and failed oil pumps seem to happen with much greater frequency to stock LT4s than coked up valves.

Look pal, i really don't have time to banter back and forth over whether you want to believe LT1 and LT4 DI engines have an issues with caked valves. Apparently you don't know anyone at any engine shops or understand the concept is not my problem. Just because you don't see "proof" of caked valves on the internet doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I've already told you, if you want evidence, go walk into a shop. You say a CC is worthwhile on modified and boosted engines.... Did you forget the LT4 is boosted?? lol I really don't care if you think its worthwhile or not. If you don't want to void your warranty then don't add one. I dont care, and im sure no one else cares either.


Btw. Your very first corvette link talks about a guy with his zo6 and caked valves, oil all over his supercharger. Maybe learn how to read a bit too before you respond.