Oil Catch Can from Ebay Installed

Observations:
a. Quick install of catch can completed in about 45 minutes where I also changed the spark plugs;

b. Catch can install involved: i.) unbolting fuse block from fire wall, ii.) unbolting the airbox from the motor, iii.) removing coil packs for spark plugs, and iv.) removal and replacement of PCV valve, and iv.) original hose from PCV valve to throttle body was reused (to connect catch can and throttle body).

c. When catch can was installed, the oil level was down about 1/2 quart after 2500 miles since last oil change. I then traveled about 500 miles by interstate and drove around in that northern locale for about 500 miles. At about 3500 miles (since last oil change), oil-catch-can-dipstick was checked (and oil was changed). At this point, the oil-catch-can-dipstick showed about 3/4" inch from bottom of dipstick.

d. After the oil change (the dipstick showed oil at the second dot on dipstick - IOW full but NOT overly full), I then drove about 500 miles back home at about 75mph most of the way (on the way up on this trip I traveled at about 65 mph). When I returned home (500 miles of driving and 500 miles since last oil change), I found that the oil-catch-can-dipstick showed about 2 1/2" inch from bottom of dipstick.

Observations:
1. Clearly the oil-catch-can is working (because I am capturing oil from the PCV blowby).

2. Significantly more "spoils" is being captured by the oil-catch-can-dipstick when driving predominantly at 75mph versus when driving predominantly at 65mph.

3. Fact that the oil level was down 1/2 quart at the beginning of the journey may have helped to reduce the oil-catch-can "spoils." I will likely experiment with spoils accumulation rate versus mph average on future long strips say more than 200 miles.

4. Back of envelope quantification of "spoils": 3" diameter of oil-catch-can gives us an area of approximately 6.75in2 (3"/2)^2 x pi). Further, it appears that we have a "spoils" volume of 16.875in3 (6.75in2 x 2.5in*). Using water as the benchmark for number of volume ounces when compared with cubic inches gives the following formula (I know water weighs more than oil but for a back of the envelope calculation it should be good enough):
1ft3=12in x 12in x 12in= 1728in3 >>>>> 1ft3 of water= 64lbs >>>>
1gallon of water = 8lbs >>>>>>1/8ft3 water (volume of 1 gallon water) = 1728/8in3 water (volume)= 216in3 water (volume)/128oz (volume) >>>> 1.6875in3 water = 1.00oz water.

Thus, I should have captured about 10 oz. of spoils (16.875 spoils x 1.0oz/1.6875in3). The spoils are highly aerated just what you would expect from blow by. Thus the actual oil volume captured in the "spoils" is likely significantly less than the "spoils" volume. My best guess is that the spoils volume is inflated by about 100%. Meaning that 10oz. of "spoils" would be generated by about 5oz. of actual oil (I will have to weigh the "spoils" to get a better handle on the actual oil volume).


*- depth of spoils in oil-catch-can.

 

Thanks for the feedback and input. Your statement about the 1/2 quart low seems to be on target. I am especially happy that these "spoils" are not getting fed into my expensive catalyst.

Finally, what color are your spoils?

PS I have not sniffed the "spoils" yet. The point that you make about removing fuel and water also is an important point that I did NOT initially focus upon.

 

Funny that you should say that about the clear hose. My reference to a quick install (above) was in large part to using the included clear hose (rather than obtaining automotive hose). Many thanks for providing the specifications for the replacement hose.

PS If I have time I will make up a set of steel tubes to give a factory look for the oil-catch-can. I am thinking of using 3/8" (or perhaps 10mm) steel tubing welded to two brackets which attach under the airbox bolts. IOW, the two steel tubes would run from one end of the motor (near PCV valve) to the front of the motor. The last couple of inches would utilize the correct hose and attach to PCV valve, catch-can and throttle body. I will likely also replace the worm screw clamps with springy band clamps (similar or identical to Toyota hose clamps).

 

I emptied the spoils a couple days ago. And, I only had 5 ounces (rather than the ten ounces that I predicted above - oh well I will have to see where I went wrong). I poured the spoils into my garage measuring cup and let the spoils stay exposed to the atmosphere for more than two days. Over two days of atmospheric exposure, volume of spoils reduced to about 3.75 ounces. Which makes me believe that about 25% of spoils were composed of liquids that evaporate readily such as fuel (and to a lesser extent water). I have included some pics below so that all can see what I avoided passing back through the motor, exhaust and catalyst.

 

Kaptainkid1, be happy that the gunk pictured in the catch can (in your posting above) was NOT sent back through your engine. Similarly, I have seen a lot more spoils in the catch can when I drive fast 75mph as compared with 65mph.

 

I failed to timely empty my oil catch can. As a result, the dreaded CEL came on with P0420 code (Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold - catalyst is not working efficently/properly). My catch can is very small say 6 ounces maximum. However, once the catch can gets to say 5 ounces (about 85% capacity), the catch can loses its effectiveness (and spoils begin to be introduced into the engine) which ultimately, in my case, causes the P0420 code being triggered. It appears that those spoils are being successfully burned off after the catch can is emptied.

I cleaned out the catch can, reset the code and my Gen2 is again running like a champion.

 

Yes, spoils can mean booty from war or hostilities.

Before Gen2 Prius, I liklely would have used the word "spoil" to mean waste material removed during construction (or mining). See: Spoil tip - Wikipedia

================================================================

Also see: spoils defintion - Yahoo Search Results

Clearly, I am referring to definition #2 for the noun "spoil". While, ML is using noun definition #1.

spoil /spoil/ verb

• 1.diminish or destroy the value or quality of:"I wouldn't want to spoil your fun"synonymsmar, damage, impair, blemish, disfigure, ... moreantonymsimprove, enhance
• 2.harm the character of (someone, especially a child) by being too lenient or indulgent:"the last thing I want to do is spoil Thomas"synonymsoverindulge, pamper, indulge, mollycoddle, cosset, ... moreantonymsneglect, treat harshly, be strict with

noun

• 1.goods stolen or taken forcibly from a person or place:"the looters carried their spoils away"
• 2.waste material brought up during the course of an excavation or a dredging or mining operation.

Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
==================================================================

English is a wonderful language. A language where words that are often pronounced similarly mean exactly the opposite such as:

1.) "raze" and "raise"; and

2.) "except" and "accept".

Yes, I know in many places the second example has distinct pronunciations for the two words. However, in the NYC area, many pronounce "except" and "accept" in an identical manner.

In this instance, the same noun "spoil" can mean garbage or treasure. I am happy I am a native speaker (these types of words are very confusing to those trying to learn English).

Kind of like mud-grass-horse in Mandarin which is pronounced roughly as ni-cao-ma (which means a very bad word when strung together without working on word intonation).

 

06272020 update: it is now summer and I am now capturing about a TBSP of spoils every 4000 miles (oil change interval).

In addition, oil consumption has been reduced to almost nil between oil changes. I attribute oil consumption fix to: i.) oil catch can, ii.) 4000 oil change interval with 40W detergent oil (thereby decarbonizing oil control rings), and iii.) limiting oil change quantity of oil to 3.5 quarts (rather than Toyota recommended 3.9 quarts of oil) thereby eliminating windage issues.

 

Most recently, changed oil and filter last week after 4500 miles. Total oil consumption over 4500 miles (approximately) was 1/2 quart. IOW, at this rate I no longer need to add oil between oil changes. I am now using Shell Rotella 15W-40 T4 (Shell designation for their synthetic oil) rather than Shell Rotella straight 40W.