[00 Trans Ram]

Guys - especially for us that are going to have our cars on the track, why even go with a catch can at all? Just eliminate the PCV system. Put a small filter up top, and vent the bottom tube under the car. Voila! No oil in the intake tract.

[mjk3888]

Originally Posted by seanblurr

the X-Clean 5w-40 is a diesel formula. ...

I suppose I meant it didn't say desiel all over the bottle like the american oils do. I'm sure its very similar but it made me feel better. LOL!

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by SS 1LE

As for the oil, I wonder if this applies to a few autocross events too, or if this is more so for full track days/weekends? I'm thinking just for longer, more involved track days only...

Increased viscosity oils are intended to help combat the heat soak in the fluid, which causes a reduction in viscosity (oil gets less viscous as it gets hotter), and therefore less protection of components.

So...no, just necessary for full track days. You'll never put that much heat into the oil at an autocross, unless there's many opportunities to accelerate on the track, or you run a great many heats in a row.

Originally Posted by MAGAUSA

Catch can to try to mitigate carbon build up? How difficult is it to get to the intake valves to clean them? This issue is widely prevalent in today's cars.

With today's GDI systems...there is no fuel to spit on the back of the valves and clean off oil residue and carbon build up from PCV vapor ingestion...the only cost-effective method that techs have been using to clean the valves is to blast the ports and the valves with crushed walnut shells, similar to sand-blasting. (Yes, serious...)

Originally Posted by MAGAUSA

Catch cans in freezing weather can be a disaster when there is water mixed within.

5th gen 1LE's came with an accessory clean-side oil separator that drained the excess oil vapors back through the filler cap. It came with a huge warning stating not to use it when freezing temperatures were possible......frozen water vapor could ice up and clog the separator, which clogs the PCV system, which is not good....

Originally Posted by 00 Trans Ram

Guys - especially for us that are going to have our cars on the track, why even go with a catch can at all? Just eliminate the PCV system. Put a small filter up top, and vent the bottom tube under the car. Voila! No oil in the intake tract.

I'm sure the tracks want your oil vapors and drips all over their pavement...

I'm fairly certain a few tracks I've been to require your PCV system to be in good working order (among other checklist items).

Originally Posted by glamcem

Nope, I didn't know that so there you go, no need to fix anything..

it seems like GM already put a lot of thought into these cars when they built them whereas we have to take some precautions (catch cans, oil coolers, brake ducting, big brake kits ..etc) for other cars for track use..so there's that

The integrated "catch can"...I believe GM refers to it as an "PCV oil separator" drains back into the engine, and reduces oil vapor ingestion FROM THE VALVE COVERS. There is still a PCV port that sucks oil vapors up from the valley of the engine.

PCV system has two "sides" to it, but it's all "PCV"...the valve covers are sometimes referred to as the "clean side", and the valley as the "dirty side". So, some people feel its necessary to add a oil catch can, anyways.

[Mountain]

Originally Posted by SS 1LE

Those diagrams are hard to see clearly on my phone, but I am pretty sure I have read multiple times the catch/drain is not on the PCV side...

Originally Posted by SS 1LE

I've known this as well, but as you said, it is on the clean side, not the PCV side...still wonder why they choose just that side, not both? And C7's don't have either, go figure...

I have personally seen with my own eyes two intakes off of these cars, one with only a few thousand miles on it, and it had oil residue of the inside of the intake. The other had 5000 or so miles, catch can on it since about 800 miles, it had hardly any oil residue. Also, the two guys I personally know running these cars in various SCCA events also are running catch cans. So take that for what it's worth...

Good to know, but how bad was the residue?

Originally Posted by 00 Trans Ram

Guys - especially for us that are going to have our cars on the track, why even go with a catch can at all? Just eliminate the PCV system. Put a small filter up top, and vent the bottom tube under the car. Voila! No oil in the intake tract.

Better oil control and performance from a slightly [negative] pressurized system.

[Mountain]

Being a "diesel" oil isn't really a negative thing. They typically just have slightly higher zinc and phosphate levels, along with more/robust detergents and other addatives.

[SS 1LE]

Originally Posted by Mountain

Good to know, but how bad was the residue?

Not terrible by any means, but you could wipe it with your finger. And it would obviously continue to get worse if nothing was done...

[DFW1LE]

Originally Posted by Mountain

Being a "diesel" oil isn't really a negative thing. They typically just have slightly higher zinc and phosphate levels, along with more/robust detergents and other addatives.

Perhaps some of those Dexos2 additives help mitigate valve carbonization.

[Ls6larry]

I've done , Watkins glen, Pocono. And pittsburgh international race complex, I'm my 2ss. I ran Mobil 5w40 but I also added an oil cooler. Oil temps never goes over 220 and water is 195. You need to watch oil temp more then anything with track days, I strongly sugest an oil cooler. Sure you can run you oil at 280 or 300 deg, but I'm not , 240 is on high end of recomonded for most all oils. In nascar oil getting to 270 and there in the radio with the engine builder biteing his nails

[seanblurr]

We have oil coolers from the factory, so that isn't an issue.

[MatthewAMEL]

Originally Posted by seanblurr

Track day oil swaps:

Just like the Vette, the performance supplement calls for an oil change to 15-50 for track days, and then back to 5-30 for street driving.

Just to be clear...it doesn't actually say that. Unless there is a new revision.

The Performance Supplement says the preferred oil for track is 0-40 or 5-40. The 15-50 is listed only if the 1st two are unavailable.

A switch back to 'street' oil is only required if you used the alternate viscosity.

As for DI build up, the quality of oil and fuel are of huge importance. Using good 93 and a top oil will dramatically reduce carbon deposits.

[seanblurr]

In terms of oil it looks like Motul X-CLean 8100 5W-40 will be good to go, as well as Mobile 1 ESP 0w-40 when it shows up on U.S. shelves, as they are both Dexos 2. I will most likely run one of these full time once I change at 1500miles.

Originally Posted by MatthewAMEL

Just to be clear...it doesn't actually say that. Unless there is a new revision.

The Performance Supplement says the preferred oil for track is 0-40 or 5-40. The 15-50 is listed only if the 1st two are unavailable.

A switch back to 'street' oil is only required if you used the alternate viscosity.

As for DI build up, the quality of oil and fuel are of huge importance. Using good 93 and a top oil will dramatically reduce carbon deposits.

This is correct and an oversight on my part. However, a 0-40 and 5-40 that are Dexos 2 are few and far between.

[MatthewAMEL]

Originally Posted by seanblurr

In terms of oil it looks like Motul X-CLean 8100 5W-40 will be good to go, as well as Mobile 1 ESP 0w-40 when it shows up on U.S. shelves, as they are both Dexos 2. I will most likely run one of these full time once I change at 1500miles.



This is correct and an oversight on my part. However, a 0-40 and 5-40 that are Dexos 2 are few and far between.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JMCCE6U?th=1

This is all I have run in all my cars for 5 years. It's offered in a 0-40.

[seanblurr]

Originally Posted by MatthewAMEL

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JMCCE6U?th=1

This is all I have run in all my cars for 5 years. It's offered in a 0-40.

Sure, but I dont think it's Dexos2.

[MAGAUSA]

I've been battling the catch can DI question for some time now. In the end with previous cars, worse case, I had the intake valves cleaned. Catch can won't capture everything, aren't cheap, require periodic servicing, and you'd still need a valve cleaning eventually. I doubt I'd put a catch can on. Let's face it, the fricking lawyers and people who have chosen to worship the environment over God have for some time now caused a lot of downstream issues for everyone due to their obsessions. I'm probably going to do what I've done with all my previous cars - drive it and enjoy it. What's the worst case? You get the joy of taking the top of your engine off, cleaning it, and having the satisfaction that you've done something for your car and yourself. How is this any different than shelling out $300 or whatever a CC costs, installing it, then dumping the thing every month or so? Well, the difference is the frequency in which you do the maintenance.