This thread details my method of baffling greddy's catch can design for greater efficiency without ingesting steel wool into the engine. If someone did this before me, I apologize but i've never seen the plates done like this. Should work for most rectangular catch cans that have a removable lid. This method is intended for Vertically mounted cans, but horizontally mounted cans could use a similar method.
You will be using power tools when you do this mod. Don't get too drunk and lose an eye or something.
Use at your own risk. I'm testing this can mod as we speak. You f*ck your stuff up, it's your fault.
Imagine yourself as a Mopar engineer for this project....and don't act like a bloody ricer just doing what you saw on the forum. Make design decisions based on your best judgement...however impaired it may be
Materials:
.025" thick 6"x18" aluminum sheet from Lowes (about $10)
36"x84" Aluminum Screen Wire from Lowes (about $6)
"Quickie and its...clean" Wire Mesh Scourers (1 pack, $2 at Wal-Mart, near mops)
Dremel w/ Cutoff Wheel
150 grit Sandpaper...Finer if you prefer.
Drill Bit that fits in Dremel chuck. Or a drill w/ bit about 1/8" diameter.
Sharpie/Fine Point Sharpie.
Allen Wrenches or whatever you need to open your catch can up.
Everclear and Mountain Dew. Made this project a lot more fun for me. And might be why the drill holes are crooked and it doesn't fit perfectly.....
Time: About 6-8 hours. Less if you're talented. More if you aren't mechanical.
Step 1: Open up your catch can
Mine took 3mm keys for the top, 4mm for the bottom. Figured it was made in china or something so it would be metric.
Step 2: Look at the top plate(the one with fittings). Take off your fittings and add teflon tape/thread sealant if you haven't. Mine leaked from the barb fittings until I taped them up. Cut and press fit aluminum screen wire to lay against the top of the cap. This acts as a filter to (hopefully) prevent the stainless wool from flying through the outlet and playing happy-fun time with your engine internals.
If you wish, cut another layer of screen wire and stagger it against the first. I think this makes the wire filter a little more effective. Don't worry about tacking it down with anything. The aluminum plates we will make in the next steps will hold this against the catch can's "roof".
Figure 1: Screen Wire filter installed in Can Cap.
Step 3: Cut a plate of aluminum that bisects the catch can in such a manner as to "separate" the two hose barbs completely from top to bottom. For my can I used a 16.5cmX5.1cm section of plate and trimmed it to fit.
Figure 2: Baffling Plates. For this step we are making the one on the right.
Pay special attention to the top of the can. The area on the "roof" will have to be notched to allow the can to be bolted down on top of this plate. The corners may also have to be notched because the recesses in the "roof" and "floor" don't match the size of the body. The plate doesn't have to perfectly seal, but keep it very close to the edges....if you are concerned about perfect flow control that's another matter. There is a place at the bottom of the can where the "spine" of the catch can does not extend all the way to the bottom. I chose to ignore this section because it will quickly fill with oil, and the catch can should have plenty of baffling besides that itty bitty section. Try to make this and the other plate just "barely" fit, where they wedge in just a little bit without warping.
Cut another plate of aluminum, this one will go perpendicular to the last metal plate we cut, as viewed from above the can. See Figure 2, above, this plate is the one on the left. For my can this was about 16.5cmX5.1cm, and trimmed to fit. Make sure you measure because....every can is different, especially with ebay manufacturing tolerances
This one should be easier to notch because it doesn't bump against the area where the fittings come into the can or against the "spine". Make sure it fully separates the halves of the can from top to bottom.
Now that you have two plates, cut a vertical line in each, in the middle. One should go from top to bottom, and the other from bottom to top. This allows our plates to interlock, and make a + sign as viewed from the can's top.
Figure 3: Interlocked Baffling Plates installed in Can.
Oh noes! our interlocked plates look like they might not allow any flow through the can. Don't panic...that's where your trusty drill bit will come in. Mark off 3 vertical columns of lines on each side of each plate. Keep these lines spaced so your drill holes won't bang against each other. Make sure you allow for your own error in aiming the bit. There should be 6 columns on each plate. Mark horizontal rows to intersect these columns, once again keep in mind your drill bit size/drill skill and space them appropriately. The total number of holes is up to you it really depends on bit size and how much flow you want.
Use a board behind the plates to help prevent tearout and stabbing yourself with a drill bit. I used a "pencilish" motion and slowly pushed the bit into the intersections. Keep it steady, even on the "medium" setting the bit will want to jump all over the effing place. Use a drill press if you've got it....makes things much easier than my way. Don't overheat the metal, break the bit, etc. Keep going...after a few hundred holes you'll be done...
Figure 4: Finished Baffling Plates before cleaning.
By now your arm is sore and you've inhaled a lot of metal and wood dust. It's probably in your shirt too. Take a smoke break and a shot of the Everclear. the hard part is over!
Sand the plates to remove the flashing from the drill holes/dremel cuts. If you still have sharpie marks, you can douse a rag in everclear and wipe them away. See, the booze is not only fun but practical!
Interlock the plates and test fitment in the can. Bolt it down with gaskets in place. Make sure everything clears properly yet isn't too loose. Fixing this after you put stainless wool in the can will be a bitch.
Step 4: Skip this step if stainless wool in a catch can gives you waking nightmares. Remember those Steel Wool Scrubbers? We're going to use them now to add more baffling to the can. Take them out of the package. if you look really close, they look a lot like <surprise> a condom....they unroll in much the same manner. Clip the strand holding the "tip" in place, and unroll the scrubber. Cut off the tip. it seems to make unraveling the thing a lot easier. Cut the scrubber lengthwise, the result will look like a steel mesh sheet. From the opposite end of the tip, grab a strand and untangle it carefully from the others. Keep pulling strands and make yourself a pile. Roll a breadstick shaped wad of these strands together that will fit in one of the four compartments made by the plates. Don't make it really tight, we want a little flow through the can. Stuff the compartments till they look full. Take special care to keep the wool from interfering with the gaskets or the can will leak when you close it up. I didn't fill mine past the top of the uncapped can since i have no drill holes at the top of the plates: Vapor will be forced into the wool by the plates so no more is really necessary.
Figure 5: All ready for closeup. Note the errant strands that must be tucked before installing cap.
Step 5: Seal up your can carefully. Test it for leaks. Install in your preferred location and get ready to catch more oil!
How-To: Baffle a Greddy Catch Can
Linear Mode
