Do I need an oil catch can ?

[9D6snake]

Hey everyone this is my first post other than my introduction. I bought my first ford, 96 cobra. I was lost in the LS motors for 8 years. I joined my dad and bro in the mustang family.

On to my question. I bought this car with a Vortech V2. Last fall when I put it into storage it smelled what seemed like burning oil. I was wondering could this be blow by ? Is an oil separator a must have ? Thanks

 

[Michael Plummer]

On to my question. I bought this car with a Vortech V2. Last fall when I put it into storage it smelled what seemed like burning oil. I was wondering could this be blow by ? Is an oil separator a must have ? Thanks

As your piston rings and/or cylinder walls age you'll have problems maintaining everything in the combustion chamber and some of your A/F will be forced past your rings into your crankcase. Not sure how well your car is maintained or tuned but excessive deposits and soot can buildup over time and collect on the rings and can contribute to blow-by. A leak-down test is probably the best test to determine if you have excess blow-by. Quick check you can do is to open your oil filler cap when the car is running (engine hot) to see if excess oil vapors are escaping.

You can also check for oil leaks, valve covers leaking on to your headers, oil leaking from lower intake to bell-housing, etc.

Good luck

 

[96blak54]

Good info ^^ but most reason for a catch can on a modular is residual oil suspended in air with in the valve cover such as windage from the cams. The pcv vacuum draws this into the intake track, ultimately tracking the entire intake with oil. Just like Plummer stated about removing the oil cap to check vapors, another good check is to run your car hard, park it over night, and fisrt thing before start up, check for moisture under the oil cap. This is an excellent indicator of unseated rings or rings about shot.

 

[9D6snake]

Thank for the good info guys ! The previous owner said he pulled the motor and replaced all the rings before he put the blower on. The car was in a heated and cooled garage every night. There almost no rust on the car, it seems to be really well taken care of. Although just because he said he did....you know how that goes.