9 replies to this topic

[Simo94]

Hello all. I am looking at installing an oil catch can to my 2000 Mpi. I have found a lot of oil residue in the inlet manifold and the piston tops have a lot of carbon but a fair bit of oil. My mini is only used through summer so the annual mileage is low. I am planning on fitting a can between the breather metal pipe on the back of the engine and the breather inlet on the throttle body. Has anyone done this before?

[brivinci]

Interesting as I was just thinking about this. I have an SPi (I'm sure there are slight differences) and am running a catch can...but I am not sure it is piped in correctly/effective.

 

Before all of that, it would be a good idea to start with why there is so much oil/carbon in your motor. I'd imagine if the motor was less healthy, that a catch can could just be a band aid to a much larger problem. Have you done a compression and leak down test on this motor? Might be good to find out if there is a lot of oil getting past the rings OR if compression is being lost into the crank case, causing excess pressure.

[Simo94]

I’ve taken the head off and apart from the piston tops it all looks good. The head gasket was perfect and the honing marks on the bores are spot on. The engine has never smoked or had any running issues either. The pistons cleaned up no problem and are now shiny and clean again. I’ve bought an oil catch can and I’ve made a mounting bracket. I guess I will only find out if it is working after a few hundred miles and have a look in the can and the inlet manifold.

[brivinci]

The issue I had was finding a location. Sooo tight in these bays. I believe it was MED that recently said that the can should be as high as possible. I assume higher than the motors venting is ideal....mine is not! I fabbed up a bracket that builds off the existing coil bracket (again, this is an SPi). I will try and attach a picture of my setup, with arrows so you dab more easily follow the flow. Would LOVE to hear what others think. Might show you what not to do. Haha.

Attached Files

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Edited by brivinci, 02 December 2020 - 03:09 AM.

[Simo94]

Hi brivinci. It looks like I have bought the same can as you have! I am planning on mounting the can on the bulkhead to the left of the brake servo. The breather hoses will be a bit longer than I would really like but it should be ok. It still amazes me how many pipes and cables there are in the SPi and MPi engine bays compared to the early minis. It does make it challenging to find the space for any addition. Has your can caught much oil vapour since you fitted it?

[brivinci]

Hard to say how many miles I have on it really. Installed and then pulled the motor a bit later. Lets say I have 100 miles on it. I have not caught any oil at all. The motor is back in and freshened up so as I pour on the miles, I'll be keeping an eye out

[Midas Mk1]

Mines where the charcoal canister is , have a valve on the drain plug, coke bottle works a treat with wheel on full lock.

Edited by Midas Mk1, 02 December 2020 - 04:02 PM.

[Simo94]

Brivinci I see on your picture you have blocked off the other breather pipe from the steel pipe to the manifold. The MPi mini has a similar set up to the SPi. I also have a smaller diameter pipe which runs from the steel pipe to the inlet manifold rather than the throttle body. I was not sure if I should block it off. I’m guessing the smaller pipe has vacuum while the engine is running where as the larger one only has vacuum whist the throttle is open.

[nicklouse]

I believe it was MED that recently said that the can should be as high as possible. 

But MED don’t do an oil separator. They just do a catch can that can hold enough fluid as required be the racing rules.

 

an oil separator catch can can be anywhere really. You just need to see the fill level and be able to drain it easily if needed.

[brivinci]

Nick, great point! Catch can and separator are doing different jobs. Thanks.

So, does the setup I came up with seem to be ok...or is it a waste of time? Only have about 10 miles on this motor so I guess if I don’t see anything actually being captured, wondering if I’m just over complicating things.