DIY | Radium Catch Can | Video | Full Technical Info
 

Radium Catch Can Install DIY
Subaru BRZ | Scion FR-S
Vendor: http://radiumauto.com


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351646970

DIY VIDEO INSTALL
http://youtu.be/tqNGzATpia0
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351646311




SAE Toyota Journal About the Importance of PCV Systems in Modern Engines Summarized by Dezoris:

What does the PCV System Actually Do?

The PCV system is designed to recycle engine blow by gasses back into the intake for emissions purposes.

However to do so it requires a variable PCV valve because the amount of blow by gas coming out of the engine down the PCV hose is not always equal to the amount of vacuum at the intake manifold.

So the PCV valve is opened and closed based on the amount of vacuum at the intake manifold and the amount of blow by gasses being vented. This helps to equalize the vacuum and gas pressure to insure smoother engine operation. The air to fuel ration and the tuning for that system takes into account PCV vacuum and air flow.

1. Full Throttle and high RPM = Lower Intake Manifold Vacuum, High Engine Blow By.
In this condition the PCV Valve is forced full open. If there is too much blow by then the breather hose will also be used to vent into the intake hose. This will only occur under high load situations.

2. Lower Throttle, Cruising = Moderate Intake Manifold Pressure, Lower Blow By.
In this condition PCV Valve is half open

3. Idle or De-Acceleration = High Intake Manifold Pressure, very low blow by.
In this condition the PCV valve is virtually closed.

Side Effects and how to Test for Issues:

PCV valve and PCV Hose:

PCV Valve is engine specific to engine tuning, if you use the wrong valve or it becomes clogged the air/fuel ratio computation tends to run rich. Rough Idle, stalling or performance issues could also occur.

Testing for blockage or faulty PCV Valve:

First you want to plug in your OBDII scanner and monitor engine RPM.
Once the car is fully warmed up or your coolant reaches 170 Degrees or higher, clamp off your PCV tube from the PCV valve to the intake manifold. Once blocked engine RPM should drop 50-100RPM.
If it does not you may have a damaged PCV hose or bad PCV valve or the system is clogged.

In this case you may see issues with rough idle or some drivability issues. The PCV line is under vacuum, not the breather hose.
A plugged PCV line will cause higher oil consumption in the crank case.

Breather Hose:
Its primary design is to vent excess blow by that the PCV valve and hose can't pass. Usually only under high load.
If the breather hose is clogged or blocked it will cause higher pressure inside the crank case which can cause higher oil consumption and or more unburned fuel which can contaminate the oil. However a leak in the breather hose wont generally cause any issues.

Used Oil Analysis:
Sending out used oil will help to show if there is a higher level of fuel in the oil which could also track back to a faulty PCV system.

Oil in Intake Tube:
Usually is caused by a faulty PCV valve stuck open restricted PCV hose which will cause more oil in the breather line.




Installation Preparation

Purpose: To prevent oil, oil mist and moisture flow back into the intake manifold and intake valve train.

Long Term: Prevents oil build up on valve train and intake manifold that will bake on and cause massive carbon deposits, which can cause performance and efficiency issues prevalent on direct injected engines. (Large discussion about the issue in direct injected Audi's http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...up-Megathread?)

Difficulty Level: Easy

Time to Install: 1 Hour if you are not making a bracket 3 Hours if you are making a bracket 12 hours if you use narcotics

##################################################

Parts Needed:

HOSES:
2 Feet of 1/2" ID PCV Tubing (Gates Safety Stripe II - Fuel Line/PCV/EEC Hose Part # 2700 6)
2 Feet of 11/32" ID PCV Tubing Goodyear PCV (65119)

OTHER PARTS:
QTY 2: 11/32 - 3/4" Hose clamps of your choice
QTY 1: Radium Universal Catch Can
QTY 1: 0.5" OD Barb
QTY 1: 0.425" OD Barb OR 90 Degree 2 Piece 0.425" (Both Barbs are slightly larger than the hose.)
QTY 1: Aluminum Strip (Cut down to 10" length)(Home Depot) (Crown Bolt 1 in. x 48 in. Aluminum 1/8 in. Thick Flat | Model Number: 44660)

QTY 2: Pan Head Screws to secure bracket to aluminum
QTY 2: Pan Head Fastening Nuts QTY 1: Loctite 6-ml Threadlocker 242 (Blue)

Tools List:

• Flat Head Screw Driver
• Phillips Head Screw Driver
  
• Needle Nose Pliers
  
• 3mm Allen Key for Radium Screws 10mm Socket with Extensions
• Bench Grinder (if you cut your own bracket)
  
• Sheet metal Sheers, Bolt cutter, Band Saw, Jig Saw (Whatever you have to cut Bracket)
• Vise to help bend your aluminum
• Pliers (To tighten Barbs)
• Vise grips (To bend aluminum to shape)
• Spray paint, or vinyl (or nothing if you want your bracket silver)
  

Optional Accessories: A phone or notebook to write down all the digits you get after this install.

Women love it. Forget dropping your pants to score a date, that's so '96, install a catch can, when you corner one of the randoms you have been stalking outside a playground or high school, tell them all about your catch can. Then the magic begins.

Preface:

FULL TECHNICAL DETAILS: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...3&postcount=75
SAE ARTICLE ON HOW PCV SYSTEMS WORK BY TOYOTA: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...3&d=1355781670

I chose the Radium can for a few reasons.

1. I used to own a Lotus and Radium was one of those companies who put quality over quantity.
2. I already had the can from my previous car and knew it worked.
3. I want an OEM looking piece that will last the life of the vehicle.
4. Most importantly, there was engineering behind it, design, flow testing race testing and more. It's not a generic product.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351647206

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351649890

Installation:

1. layout contents of can.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351647741

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351647741


2. Attach the .5" Barb to the outlet port (Middle of Can)

3. Insert 3 stainless steel filters in top port of can.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351647739

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351647739

4. Attach the .4" Barb to the inlet port (Top of Can)

5. Attach can to supplied Radium bracket to assure it fits and then remove it from the bracket.

6. Cut your aluminum strip down to roughly 16"

7. Scribe the marks on the aluminum piece.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351647739

8. Drill holes into bracket using the correct drill bit for the screws you purchased.

10. Spray your bracket black or cover with vinyl. (OPTIONAL)

11. Secure your bracket the the Radium can bracket. (Ignore bracket length in picture)

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351647739

12. Remove the two 10mm screws on the air pump/noise generator bracket.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351648845


13. Test fit the length of the aluminum so you can bend the metal to shape to fit.

14. Remove the aluminum from the Radium bracket and bend to shape, using small vise and vise grips.

15. Drill hole at end of aluminum to fit the 10mm mounting screw from air tube.

16. Test fit your custom bracket make sure you have enough clearance and the can sits level.

17. Secure the Radium Can to the bracket with supplied Allen Screws using blue thread lock on the screws.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351646311


18. Finish final assembly making sure you use thread lock on all your bolts. (NOT THE BARBS)

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351287031


19. Snaggle the bracket into place and re-tighten the two 10mm bolts back into the air hose/noise generator bracket. Bend your aluminum as needed.

20. Remove the top plastic cover from the engine that says Toyota, Subaru.

21. Underneath remove the PCV hose. (The one on the left with no hose clamp)

22. Follow the PCV hose down and remove it from the PCV valve. (Just pulls off, don't complain)


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351646311


PCV VALVE AND HOSE

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351646311


23. Grab 18" of 1/2" PCV hose and connect it from the intake manifold and then to the outlet of the catch can push it on there, use hose clamps if you want to.

24. Grab 18" of 11/32" PCV hose and connect it from the PCV valve to the catch can inlet. Don't be a chud, if it feels loose use hose clamps.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351646311

25. Check tightness and all hoses.

26. Re-install plastic cover.

27. Look at that you installed it!!!!

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1351287031

FINAL NOTES SHUT UP AND LISTEN!!!

• If you drive for economy drain the can every oil change 3000-5000 miles
• If you drive agressive street only, check the can level every 2000 miles.
• If you do auto and aggressive street driving check every 1000 miles.
• If you track the car, check after each session.

Q&A


Q. What no breather tube can?


A. You don't need a can for the breather tube unless you are on the track all day every day or you use I forced induction. The PCV system is where 95% blow by goes. Still concerned? Check the intake tube at thethrottle body. If there is oil there, well you need to get a can for the breather tube.


Read the PCV info first post for more details.

Change in Barbs FYI - Choose the standard or 90 Degree Two Piece Barb.

Well done sir. You have me thinking about purchasing this! I must admit be tired...it wasn't obvious to me the size of the hose ends that go into the car. Have to pay more attention

EDIT, the 2nd post magically appeared.

I fixed the parts needed as well ;)

Saw the Hyundai thread as well. This seems legit. Placed order, cannot wait. Thanks again

Any reason you didn't go with any AN sized fittings? I know -8AN is equivalent to 1/2" ID

I already had several barbs from other cars so if I did it again I would do it different.

Good luck, also feel free to provide any feedback to improve the DIY. I try to cover everything but someone always can do better ;)

Wilco on the feedback. I just ordered the barbs you listed. Will probably get extra clamps just to be certain.

Good looking system. I just don't like the location of the install. I wish they had a better location and brackets to install it.

For PCV you want the shortest run possible to maintain vaccum. Also dont want the can in a cold location. Basically I tried to mirror the oem run and location as close as possible. I looked for a better spot and could not find one without making the can very hard to reach :(

Been looking forward to this DIY, but every catch can kit I look at for this car the hoses connect to different locations????

Are some ppl just stupid or is there more then one way to connect up a catch can up????

Nice!

I don't know about stupid, but maybe confused about how a PCV system works. I saw the Cusco install online and they seem only concerned with the breather hose which is not where primary blow by is directed.

The FA20 engine has one PCV valve. (I have triple checked and confirmed with the service manual) And a breather tube just like most cars. Using a single port catch can on a naturally aspirated car is very basic.

Seems simple:
PCV VALVE > CATCH CAN > INTAKE MANIFOLD

Radium does a dual catch can kit, is there any point catch canning both locations, or is there going to be no blow by on the cusco catch can location???

Oh yeah I like this:

https://radiumauto.com/images/produc...ew/20-0005.jpg

anyone have these?
http://www.saikoumichi.com/index.html

Canning the breather tube is a waste IMO unless you spend all your time on the track.
You just wont see any oil in the intake tube. The PCV valve to intake manifold is where almost all blow by occurs. This all changes if you are running a turbo or supercharger, the increase internal pressure. Two cans would be needed to keep your

Those are also excellent cans.

I ran a moroso on the breather but didnt catch more than a few drops of condensate.
got rid of it and cant say I am finding lots of oil in the intake, just a little, and thats only after hardish drives.

are you catching much with this thing?

I will report back, on my previous car it was always half full at 2000 miles and full at 4500 miles on a DI motor.

I have the can! just need to fab a bracket. I was thinking about using D3PE's design where we wedge a 90 degree steel/alu plate under the battery.

Detailed pictures to come when the install happens!

Looking forward to it!!!

Here you go about 350 miles of moderate driving, no track days or autox.
29MPG the can is already doing it's job.

I can't imagine how much oil blow by it would see under hard driving.
So far looks like this is an important addition, namely with running 0w20 the oil mist is like water.

Better yet would you want this blow by oil back in the crank case like how Crawford does it?

Dezoris- I am going to supercharge the car down the road. Would the can and plumbing you have work well for a supercharged application? Or would I want a different configuration for that application?

Well if you decide on the Radium, you can order one can now set it up per the DIY. If you decide to to go SC and Intercooler you would want a second can to make sure you are not coating the intercooler and pipes with oil. Blow by increases greatly under boost where you would see more oil being pushed through the breather tube.

Whether you choose the radium can or not you would definitely want two for SC or Turbo applications one for the PCV Valve to the manifold (per DIY) and one for breather tube from block to intake.

Per picture they would just sit side by side.

Perfect. Thanks.

Updated: I switched the PCV to Inlet Barb to the 90 Degree 2 Piece Barb at 0.425"
See here:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1352864497

Does this com with an instruction manual? LOL! I interested in getting the dual catch can coz im thinking of slapping in an SC on january.

Technically I think they do. I just installed mine, never opened the little booklet with it though. Since they are universal it's not going to be step by step like this DIY is :thumbup:

Would you prefer this over the crawford AOS? I just dont like the idea of recycling the dirty oil.

Yes. I am running a radium can currently. Need to adjust some of the hoses and maybe change the bracket up but it's working for now. I also would prefer not to recycle blow-by oil.

single or the dual?

Single. For the second one would go between the block under the AC compressor and the intake tube.

and the dual one would be the better option if i decided to put an SC later on? or should i do single now and buy the dual later on? im sorry for all the noobish questions. im still new to all these engine bay tinkering.:(

If you are definitely planning on running two, I'd buy the dual now and save the $50 difference in cost, even if you didn't use both cans right away.

Agreed. if you are for sure doing an SC just bite the bullet and get the dual can up front and save a bit of money. Even if you don't use the second can right away you have it. Just make sure the measure the breather hose ID so you get the correct barb size.

So its OK to keep the 2nd can "unhooked" to the system while i dont have the SC installed yet? Which one is the breather hose, if you dont mind me asking?:)

Yes you can keep the 2nd can unhooked or leave it off the bracket all together. but if you wanted to hook it up the attached picture is the breather tube.

Sorry for the crap picture

OK, ok! Thanks a lot! The pic helped, not crappy at all.:w00t:

The crappy part is where it connects to on the block ;)

I know! I checked it earlier and it'll be a tight squeeze or i'd have to remove the AC. Sheeesh! Hopefully i dont screw-up on where to connect the hoses to which place. and i wonder if the dual would fit to the strut bar section. coz if i put it to where the OP did, im gonna be running a very long hose from the breather tube to the secondary can, then from the can to the block. my engine bay would look like the back of an office desk.