Finally Jumped on the Oil Catch Can Bandwagon

[Sam Harris]

You likely would start seeing blue smoke at some point, maybe a code for random misses for oil fouling the plugs (but that likely would be quite a ways down the road).

My catch can has a petcock on the bottom. I empty it about every two weeks and check the oil while I am in there. The most I have gotten was about a teaspoon, when I went about a month.

I empty mine each oil change. Usually have around 3-4oz in there. Mine had the petcock, but swapped it with a small ball valve. Much easier to drain.

 

[wsteele]

I empty mine each oil change. Usually have around 3-4oz in there. Mine had the petcock, but swapped it with a small ball valve. Much easier to drain.

At this point I am pretty sure oil change intervals for emptying the catch can would work for me as well.

I just wish I had installed one when the truck was new. I was one who had a worst case scenario with the down rev valve cover and no AFM pressure relief valve deflector. At like 95K miles, after trying to free up stuck rings with solvent, the dealer ended up replacing the pistons and rings. GM stepped up with free parts and fluids and my dealer did me a good turn on the labor, but had it been 101K miles, it would have been a really big bill.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

wsteele experience is just like mine.

The first mod I did when we bought our 130k mile Denali in the fall of 2018 was install a cheap amazon catch can. Back then it would catch 1 oz per 100 miles. So I installed the updated driverside valve cover, GM# 12570427, and performed the TSB 10-06-01-008M. Now, w/167,000 miles on it, it collects only 1 oz per 5,000 miles and I never need to add any oil between changes.

Here's a thread I did about the valve cover etc:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/thr...tor-oil-consumption-tsb-10-60-10-008m.108493/

*NOTE* I also replaced the engine rear main seal because it was leaking.

Here the latest pic of my inexpensive catch can and the 2 oz of oil it caught in the last 10,000 miles.
View attachment 274314
View attachment 274315

I appreciate this post. I've got the updated valve cover installed now, and really didnt have much oil in my intake manifold, and have never had any issue with significant oil consumption so I never got around to installing a catch can. I think at this point my truck is ok without one.

 

[rdhogg]

If it makes you feel any better, I bought a Moroso for about the same price. The good news is it looks good and came with the pot scrubbers (air/oil separator section). It's my baby, so...


View attachment 273911

Moroso , here as well on my 2013 Tahoe 150,000. Put mine in a different spot attached to brake booster and ran the hose on the firewall into the back of the engine.

 

[Caligirl]

I tried to jump on the catch can bandwagon after deleting the AFM on the ECM on my new to me 2007 Tahoe as a stop gap until oil spray happens eventually and causes issues (hey, maybe I already have the new cover and it's not gonna happen???).

But after purchasing an inexpensive one and my husband checking the oil multiple times and losing absolutely no oil and still clean in the first 2000 or 3000 miles we have owned, he's not too keen on installing it... if something isn't broken why fix it type of thing, ya know? So I guess unless I start having issues, we are not checking to see if I have the new valve cover and no catch can :/ *crossing fingers* But he said he is willing to change the oil sooner like many of you recommend.

Anyone benefit from it when there is no apparent oil loss?

 

[gooffeyguy]

I have one on my 2012. I didn't suffer from any oil loss between changes, or at least any noticeable oil loss. The catch can collects about a shot glass amount of oil between changes.

I don't think the benefit is keeping you from using oil, but keeping oil, even a small amount, from getting into the intake and gunking up things or leaving pools of oil in low spots inside the intake.

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[Caligirl]

I have one on my 2012. I didn't suffer from any oil loss between changes, or at least any noticeable oil loss. The catch can collects about a shot glass amount of oil between changes.

I don't think the benefit is keeping you from using oil, but keeping oil, even a small amount, from getting into the intake and gunking up things or leaving pools of oil in low spots inside the intake.

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And if the oil looks clean (to the eye at least) how do I know if the catch can would "catch" anything detrimental? That is the tough part...doing preventive "just in case" projects is more my style, not the hubby's....

 

[gooffeyguy]

It catches the oil vapor/mist. You don't want oil in the intake, it will build up, gunk up, make it's way to the combustion chambers and cause more carbon build up

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[Caligirl]

It catches the oil vapor/mist. You don't want oil in the intake, it will build up, gunk up, make it's way to the combustion chambers and cause more carbon build up

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This is the part that I have a hard time understanding...do all engines have this oil vapor/mist build-up? If that is the case, then should all vehicles have this can? Or is this buildup specific to this particular engine setup because of the faulty cover/AFM system? I'm sure this has been explained multiple times on here, but please forgive my obtuseness, as I'm only able to pick up bits and pieces of it since I haven't done any mechanical work myself and trying to fathom all the info without firsthand experience is difficult. But I've owned many vehicles since I've been driving and I've never known of this to be something that is needed.

If I have the new valve cover (which I don't know) and if I have the AFM turned off (which I do) how do I KNOW if the catch can is something that is really going to be that much of a preventative measure? Or is it overkill? I understand that if you can't get the valve cover replaced and IF that is causing some of the buildup, than the catch can can help until you can stop the the cause of the build up. Bottom line... what normal, regular maintenance that would be done to this engine would give us an idea if we are having any buildup that requires the use of this can? I'm just having a really hard time convincing the husband to add another item onto this engine without having any idea whether or not what it's designed to prevent is even an issue in my engine. Or is it really just a piece of "insurance," so to speak...

Again, I apologize to those of you who have already explained this in multiple posts, but I'm still needing something more concrete to give to the husband to convince him this is something that is needed, rather than "just in case."

Otherwise, I have an inexpensive eBay knock-off that I can sell to you haha

Are there some people that have never used the catch can on their 2007s who have not had any problems with this buildup?

 

[Sam Harris]

This is the part that I have a hard time understanding...do all engines have this oil vapor/mist build-up? If that is the case, then should all vehicles have this can? Or is this buildup specific to this particular engine setup because of the faulty cover/AFM system? I'm sure this has been explained multiple times on here, but please forgive my obtuseness, as I'm only able to pick up bits and pieces of it since I haven't done any mechanical work myself and trying to fathom all the info without firsthand experience is difficult. But I've owned many vehicles since I've been driving and I've never known of this to be something that is needed.

If I have the new valve cover (which I don't know) and if I have the AFM turned off (which I do) how do I KNOW if the catch can is something that is really going to be that much of a preventative measure? Or is it overkill? I understand that if you can't get the valve cover replaced and IF that is causing some of the buildup, than the catch can can help until you can stop the the cause of the build up. Bottom line... what normal, regular maintenance that would be done to this engine would give us an idea if we are having any buildup that requires the use of this can? I'm just having a really hard time convincing the husband to add another item onto this engine without having any idea whether or not what it's designed to prevent is even an issue in my engine. Or is it really just a piece of "insurance," so to speak...

Again, I apologize to those of you who have already explained this in multiple posts, but I'm still needing something more concrete to give to the husband to convince him this is something that is needed, rather than "just in case."

Otherwise, I have an inexpensive eBay knock-off that I can sell to you haha

Are there some people that have never used the catch can on their 2007s who have not had any problems with this buildup?

It’s definitely preventative. It’s also something that some engine designs are more prone to than others. The LS engine is known for this, in varying amounts for different generations of the LS.

If you really need to see, you would need to look in the intake, to determine if there’s any oil buildup in there.

Personally, knowing it’s a common issue, even though it’s less of a problem on my GMT800, I’m more than happy to take measures, to ensure less (or hopefully no-) oil is being sucked into the intake manifold.