Oil Catch can and condensation

[SnowDrifter]

I've heard of bad PCVs causing all sort of trouble by means of failure cascade... But not directly against well... Anything.

Usually it'll manifest itself as oil usage, then progress to seal failure - particularly around the spinny bits. I honestly can't really fathom why it would have any direct influence on lifters / tapping...

The only thing I could rationalize, and it's a realllllll long shot, is some sort of buildup on top of your intake valves that's clearanced *just* right so when the engine is warm(and expands), it doesn't strike anything. And that by filtering your crank gasses, you're preventing a regenerative buildup and allowing the detergents in the fuel to clean/degrade them.

 

[Larryjb]

I decided to ditch the catch can. Perhaps it was because it was a cheap one, or its the climate here, but I was having to empty water out from it daily. Furthermore, there was so much moisture it was collecting in the PCV itself. That means that there would be moisture under the valve covers that wasn't getting removed.

Just to clarify, I'm not losing coolant, certainly not enough to equal the amount I was dumping each day from the can. The moisture must have been condensation.

It was a nice idea while it lasted, but at the moment it will be doing more harm than good so out it comes. I may try a more expensive one in the future.