bgoetz

I seem to be utilizing a decent amount of oil in my 01, which from what I understand is fairly typical and likely due to the PCV valve location. With that, would a catch can be a decent thing to add, especially if I am thinking of using it for some light track/autox duty? If so would just any ebay can work just as well as a more expensive one? From what I can tell unless they are baffled, which most are not, they are really just a can to collect oil and other crap.

Ian300D

Cheap one will prolly work out just fine. But how I knew I needed one is when pulling serious G's, 255 square tire setup on many right hand turns in a row at my track I puffed out a giant cloud of oil smoke. Define using a lot of oil. Also before this, rent a compression check gauge from your local auto parts store and make sure your doing good on your engine. Also weight of oil can affect amount of oil burned too.

stupkid

I bought mine off ebay for 15 bucks. No problems at all.

bgoetz

I am part of the 1 quart/1K club I would say. Although I just bought the car and the previous owner was using Mobil 1 0w 30, I intend to switch. I checked the compression and it was 235 across the board, actually the most consistent of any of the Hondas I have owned to date. Since I intend to track the car I suppose I should buy one.

iamxpl

To the OP, are you getting the smoke screen of clouds behind you during track days ? or are you losing oil 1q per 1k when daily driving? cause thats pretty alarming. my catch can fills up quickly in autocross but it would have to be a pretty violent course with many heavy transitions and some crests.

vtec9

Catch can doesn't prevent oil loss per say. It's still going to leave the engine through the crank ventilation system, you just catch it before it re-enters the intake for re-circulation. It will keep your intake and throttle body much cleaner, and you can empty the catch can back into the engine.

bgoetz

AP1s lose oil. I would guess I am around 1qt every 1k. I just picked it up and have not yet tracked it, but I am guessing like lots of other AP1s I will throw a smoke screen. As others said, my guess is I lose it through the PCV and really just want to avoid having it re-enter the engine. Compression is perfect and the motor runs strong, so I am not really alarmed. Also the previous owner was using Mobil 1, which guys seem to have issues with burning oil.

MR.T

I'm in that club too....Maybe even more than a qt every 1k. My comp numbers were great and so was my leak down(ranged around 5%)
It's an 03, 90k and I've had it for 2+years now. Still runs strong.

I've installed a new Pcv. When I got the car it had 2 Pcv's???.... I guess to help with that same problem. It seems that if I stay out of v-tec that my oil loss tapers off a bit, but who wants to do that??

If say your car is fine, but don't expect any miracles from changing oil. I didn't see any. And I've switched back and forth between different weights and brands. Currently running amsoil 10w-30.

vtec9

krankvents are strong aftermarket pcv valves in both vent lines from the crank case -- the rear one with the oem pcv that enters the manifold, and the front larger diameter hose that goes back into the intake -- which make it much more difficult for oil to exit and cut down oil loss to nearly 0 by negating much of the positive crank ventilation. You probably had some type of these installed (frequently done with inexpensive supra turbo pcv valves). The downside is they in-turn pressurize the crank case since it can't freely exit through the breather hoses as easily as before. The pressure has to go somewhere and it can leak through the spark plug tube seals and let little bits of oil down the tubes through the opening when air escapes, or worse it can damage other seals in the head. I ram them for many many miles, but have since restored the system to stock and I'm back to 1-1.5qt every 1k miles. I just live with it. Engaging vtec is the main culprit, as it whips up the oil under high rpm and the tiny particles get sucked out the breather hoses. The oil then recirculates through the intake and gets burned.

MR.T

krankvents are strong aftermarket pcv valves in both vent lines from the crank case -- the rear one with the oem pcv that enters the manifold, and the front larger diameter hose that goes back into the intake -- which make it much more difficult for oil to exit and cut down oil loss to nearly 0 by negating much of the positive crank ventilation. You probably had some type of these installed (frequently done with inexpensive supra turbo pcv valves). The downside is they in-turn pressurize the crank case since it can't freely exit through the breather hoses as easily as before. The pressure has to go somewhere and it can leak through the spark plug tube seals and let little bits of oil down the tubes through the opening when air escapes, or worse it can damage other seals in the head. I ram them for many many miles, but have since restored the system to stock and I'm back to 1-1.5qt every 1k miles. I just live with it. Engaging vtec is the main culprit, as it whips up the oil under high rpm and the tiny particles get sucked out the breather hoses. The oil then recirculates through the intake and gets burned.
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Yes, that's exactly my case. I've come to terms with eating oil and puffing smoke every time I go wot, Though my Pcv's were just installed back to back from the vc to the return on the intake. They weren't helping at all though. Burned oil then and still do.

Someone suggested that it may be from a former FI install, but I see no other signs of tampering.