Does anyone know if, in states with smog checks, the Catch Can install might be considered altering the emission controls?

 

Bump

 

Did some googling, seems that anything done to modify the OEM PCV is illegal.
That's what the catch can does, but I seriously doubt any inspection station would ping you.

 

Thanks

 

It just so happens I was investigating catch cans over the past week. It made sense to me and thought I really wanted one. There are many youtube videos on them. What I found is they do work in capturing oil and crude, but the benefit varies on a number of factors. Cars with direct injection benefit the most as the added crude is not cleaned from the valves as no gas passes by them. As my three Crossfires are hobby/toys I don't put a lot of miles on them and the recycled fumes, to me, would not have that big of an impact, so I decided not to install any at this time.

The PCV system was intended to recycle the fumes back into the engine and not into the environment. With a catch can the fumes are still going into the engine, but the oil and crude are intended to be captured in the can for later disposal. The design of the can internals will impact how efficient it is in capturing the oil and crude. Anyway, I could be wrong, but I doubt a competent inspection mechanic would ding anyone for having catch can as the recirculating function is still there.

Related to inspections, I bought a car off a coworker that was relocating over eight years ago to use as a commuter car for trips to my employer head office in NY city. I had the car inspected two years in a row without incident. On the third year a shop was going to fail the mechanical inspection for tears in frame holes when the car was pulled on a frame alignment machine from a prior car accident. They happened to have welding equipment to fix that at a charge of course. I said no thanks and took it home and welded them to avoid any problem in the future. My point is some car inspection places have financial incentives to find problems that others may not. I recall hearing a long time ago about a Chrysler dealer failing a Crossfire inspection for having the clear European front side markers instead of the yellow ones. In 10 years I've never had a problem with them on my roadster. Even so I kept the originals in the trunk in case I had to make a quick switch.

 

there is a solution that isn't visible. Here's what i did. I took the valve covers off, located the opening into the rebreather covers using an old filter i cut a piece from the old filter to fit the opening and carefully pressed it into place. I used some liquid silicon to make a seal around the edge. Now any splashed oil or crud is picked up by the piece of filter vapors go right through. Voila no oil and crud into the intake, vapors are recycled. Nothing visible!!!.

 

OK, I think I understand you. What do you do when the filter gets crudded up with the stuff the catch can traps? Wouldn't that line then be unable to pass those 'vapors'?


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Has no effect here in MA.
Bill T.

 

Agreed. They don't even look here in MA