Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: E36 Oil Catch Tank Project Was EZeeeee !

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Hot AZ Hell
    Posts
    860
    My Cars
    1998 BMW 323is

    E36 Oil Catch Tank Project Was EZeeeee !

    Ok, so I have helped a bunch of other guys, but I never got myself to make some time for my own car, so I finally made some time and just did it.
    So, understanding that a catch tank isn't going to gain you HP by itself, but it will help protect your gains by minimizing the carbon deposits and helping to maintain your octane levels, it is not a bad idea, considering how easy it is and relatively affordable.

    So, for my NA 323is, here is how the oil catch can project it went:


    Step 1 locate your hose, remove cruise control and filter box


    Step 2 undo the hose at the top



    Step 3 undo the hose at the bottom cyclone separator, it will help alot to remove the air intake hose on the alternator. You can see the firewall clip on the right. That is what I am going to use to mount the catch tank, since I have no other use for it ?




    Step 4 once you have your valve cover hose off, remove the ends, you might need to use a heat gun to make this a little easier



    Step 5 reinstall the hose barb back into the valve cover side




    Step 6 reinstall the hose barb back into the cyclone separator




    Step 7 fabricate the adapter bracket for the firewall mount



    Step 8 fabricate the catch tank (this is a long process, so let's just say some magic happens right here)



    Step 9 Tah dah! Here is the tank and the bracket painted stealthy black




    Step 10 had to buy some metric screws, seem to be M6x1



    Step 11 mount adapter bracket to the firewall clip



    Step 12 bolt the catch tank to the adapter plate



    Step 13 install the lower hose to the cyclone separator and the catch tank



    Step 14 install the upper hose to the catch tank and the valve cover barb



    Step 15 now both hoses are connected, not sure if hose clamps are needed or not.



    Step 16 Ok! All done, alternator intake reinstalled, filter box reinstalled with cruise control box, everything is done.



    Went pretty easy actually !

    Thx! For looking ! Mr. Saikou
    @ Saikou Michi Co.
    Last edited by MrSaikou; 09-20-2011 at 01:56 PM.


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    TX!
    Posts
    3,834
    My Cars
    2009 BMW 335i E90
    LOL!
    This is easy for ppl with the skill and tools to do it, otherwise, nice DIY. Almost tempted to do it myself.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Reno
    Posts
    1,091
    My Cars
    E46M3, S52T E30, E21T
    Cool. I've gotta install mine. Have you noticed any oil in the catch yet? Mine is never missing a drop come oil change time, but I'm curious still.
    CURRENT:
    Racecar: '81 e21 320i Group2. GT28 @ 25psi, MS2, e28 M5 suspension/brakes underneath, forged, cammed, 400bhp, 2190lbs, etc, etc...
    Daily: '95 e34 540/6. DUDMD tuned, vogtland/koni, Schnitzers, other minor touches.
    Project: '94 525iT. S50 swapped, supercharger in the works, manual swapped, Airlift supsension, Mpars, Brembo's, clean machine.
    New daily: e60 530i sport package. Stock.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    ann arbor, mi
    Posts
    297
    My Cars
    1994 e36
    That is a nice one. I did this for a different car using a water separator for compressed air. It works great. It is full at each oil change. It has some oil and also water in it. The water comes from the condensation when a motor heats up. It has kept my intake manifold completely clean for over 50k miles. It was an easy mod and cheap the way I did it.


    This is the intake port on a motor with 12k miles on it without a catch can.
    Last edited by xdgt03; 10-20-2011 at 11:18 AM.
    1994 325i Auto
    2014 Mazda 6
    2014 Ram 1500 4x4
    2003 Nissan Sentra
    2003 Nissan Frontier
    1994 Jeep Wrangler
    1968 Mustang Convertible
    1927 Model T Sedan

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    miami
    Posts
    3,436
    My Cars
    1996 328is
    i have mine venting out to air.(no catch can) just a filter. and some oil does drip out at wot

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Reno
    Posts
    1,091
    My Cars
    E46M3, S52T E30, E21T
    Quote Originally Posted by SethuM View Post
    i have mine venting out to air.(no catch can) just a filter. and some oil does drip out at wot
    Really? Why?
    CURRENT:
    Racecar: '81 e21 320i Group2. GT28 @ 25psi, MS2, e28 M5 suspension/brakes underneath, forged, cammed, 400bhp, 2190lbs, etc, etc...
    Daily: '95 e34 540/6. DUDMD tuned, vogtland/koni, Schnitzers, other minor touches.
    Project: '94 525iT. S50 swapped, supercharger in the works, manual swapped, Airlift supsension, Mpars, Brembo's, clean machine.
    New daily: e60 530i sport package. Stock.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
    Posts
    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    There any recommendations for an ebay catch can?

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/BILLET-ALUMI...BV4JEJ&vxp=mtr

    Maybe this one?
    mine's venting to atmosphere right now and it stinks
    I also don't have a CCV anymore, so I need to figure out how to run the hoses for this.
    At this point I'm thinking I can go from the top vent and just run it to the oil catch can and empty the catch can at oil changes.
    Last edited by Chapel; 07-14-2016 at 09:04 AM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    31,073
    My Cars
    2004 330 vert 2004 X5
    This is the one I bought for my m3. I did the m50 manifold and eliminated the cyclone separator.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Oil-Re...VWBZUB&vxp=mtr

    I ran a hose from the valve cover to one of the barbed fittings on top. I left the filter on top. This can has a plug in the bottom. I installed a barbed fitting in the bottom that drains to the hose port on the obd2 dipstick tube. It's a little hard to see but look at the pics of those barbed fittings. You'll see one end can be fitted with a small tube. I cut a short piece of tube and attached it then inserted that into the bottom of the can. This allows water to separate from the oil in the bottom of the can.

    Works great.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    692
    My Cars
    Nil BMWs as of 2020
    Is this modification meant as a replacement for the CCV system on the later E36's (with that dreaded cyclonic separation unit?), or for the earlier-model E36's that had no PCV control whatsoever, and used two breather hoses for the intake boot and ICV respectively?

    Seems like a nice modification to avoid the CCV and its associated maladies, and perhaps useful on the earlier models with no control over how much/little goes through the PCV. My only concern is whether you have to manually empty the system, or whether the dipstick is modified so as the system is hassle-free?

    What would also be interesting is whether the intakes still gunk up as badly with more frequent oil changes or whether that makes zero difference.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
    Posts
    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    Do you have a picture of how you put the drain to the pan in?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Ca
    Posts
    3,255
    My Cars
    1993 325is
    I have 2 -8 lines coming off the top of the VC. The OEM port is plugged. The can is home made with the VC going into the sides of the can at the top, then down through 5-6 layers of aluminum window screen, and back up the inside of a 3/4" aluminum tube out the top of the can. There is a drain on the bottom of the can that goes to a 20oz plastic bottle down in the bumper. It collects a lot of water (12-15ozs every couple weeks in the winter time, PNW and all, a lot less in the summer). I originally ran the top of the can with the breather (like photos) but got tired of the oil vapor smell. I then ran a -12 line back to the breather inlet on the bottom of the TB boot. I have checked that tube at the TB boot many many times now and it is bone dry, not a speck of oil.

    If you drive your car a lot on really short trips (10-15 minutes or less) you want to avoid draining the can directly back into the engine/oil pan. All that water/condensation won't get the chance to boil off on short trips and goes directly back into your engine oil.







  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia
    Posts
    355
    My Cars
    1996 328i
    Where did you get that front end/radiator cover from?


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Ca
    Posts
    3,255
    My Cars
    1993 325is
    Quote Originally Posted by Bleary View Post
    Where did you get that front end/radiator cover from?
    If you're asking me, that's the Euro M3 cover. No alternator cooling duct. I've been running it for 4 years. No alternator issues, But then I rarely drive in stop and go traffic and the temps here almost never go above 90. Got it from ECS Tuning.
    Last edited by jakermac; 07-19-2016 at 01:15 AM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
    Posts
    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    Quote Originally Posted by jakermac View Post
    If you drive your car a lot on really short trips (10-15 minutes or less) you want to avoid draining the can directly back into the engine/oil pan. All that water/condensation won't get the chance to boil off on short trips and goes directly back into your engine oil.
    so if I do a lot of short trips, just get a bigger can and drain it more often?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Trumbull CT
    Posts
    1,615
    My Cars
    1998 M3 Vert, 1992 318i
    Quote Originally Posted by Chapel View Post

    so if I do a lot of short trips, just get a bigger can and drain it more often?
    That's it. Check frequently until you know how fast it fills then drain a bit sooner than that.
    Caprica Junkie

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
    Posts
    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    makes installing it a heck of a lot easier. yay laziness!

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •