Saiku Michi open loop oil catch cans

[R'elise Me]

FYI - installed a single Saiku Michi oil catch can upstream of a Canton Racing breather catch can and I'm happy to report that all that crappy oil that MUST be blowing back into your intake is not blowing back into MINE! About the only thing that isn't ideal is that you have to dump the catch cans every 1 hour of track time or you will likely get some mild overspray creeping through the Canton can breather filter. But even that's not a problem.

I have an accusump in the trunk along with the Canton can bolted to the trunk firewall. The saiku michi is attached to the aft wall of the engine compartment immediately behind my water res. It's a bit of a pain to drain the saiku michi, but after attaching a couple inches of rubber hose to the valve and using a small clear water bottle, I get the job done without burning myself (anymore).

The folks at Saiku Michi hooked me up to experiment with this approach and since it worked well, I'd say they deserve a plug. Frankly, if they could get their second catch can outfitted with a breather cap and tie the drain valves into one tube for a one shot drainage operation, then that would be ideal IMO.

[ZJChaser]

I'm testing a new setup with mine right now as well. I have breather filters on the cans and I have them draining back into the oil pan.

[R'elise Me]

Nice! I want to know how you accomplished that. I was thinking the same thing, but have had other priorities. One thing I found was that when all I had was the breather can, a LOT of oil spewed out the breather filter. Something about the baffling wasn't working out if there was any significant amount of oil in the can. Try to put them in the trunk - much easier to clean than the motor.

Also - would be nice to have a way to see the oil level in the cans.

[ZJChaser]

Originally Posted by R'elise Me

Nice! I want to know how you accomplished that. I was thinking the same thing, but have had other priorities. One thing I found was that when all I had was the breather can, a LOT of oil spewed out the breather filter. Something about the baffling wasn't working out if there was any significant amount of oil in the can. Try to put them in the trunk - much easier to clean than the motor.

Also - would be nice to have a way to see the oil level in the cans.

yup...I know quite a few cars having issues filling the cans and dumping the oil out the breathers....mine included. I have the saiku michi dual can setup. I added breather filters instead of the return hoses. I removed the drain valves on the bottom and put barbed hose fittings. The lines then T together and then run down to the turbo oil return port in the moroso oil pan. I just did it this week so I'll see at SM in a couple weeks how it works.

[apk919]

Originally Posted by ZJChaser

yup...I know quite a few cars having issues filling the cans and dumping the oil out the breathers....mine included. I have the saiku michi dual can setup. I added breather filters instead of the return hoses. I removed the drain valves on the bottom and put barbed hose fittings. The lines then T together and then run down to the turbo oil return port in the moroso oil pan. I just did it this week so I'll see at SM in a couple weeks how it works.

Remind me to take a look AJ... sounds interesting!

[ZTEC]

Originally Posted by ZJChaser

yup...I know quite a few cars having issues filling the cans and dumping the oil out the breathers....mine included. I have the saiku michi dual can setup. I added breather filters instead of the return hoses. I removed the drain valves on the bottom and put barbed hose fittings. The lines then T together and then run down to the turbo oil return port in the moroso oil pan. I just did it this week so I'll see at SM in a couple weeks how it works.

I really like this idea - If you have the opportunity please post up some pics, I am hoping to get the "pan" soon and would like to do this mod at the same time! Draining the cans at the track was a pain in the Arse!

[MaineLotus]

AJ, did you need a one way valve to prevent oil flowing back into the cans from the return line?

[turbophil]

AJ, et al,

Should give some thought to relocating the breather port. A lot of systems return the oil back to the oil pan, which is nice a touch on systems that collect lots of oil (which you should be able to mitigate by relocating the port as per below).

Generally speaking clockwise tracks seem to be the culprit to filling up catch cans, which means all that oil used to go in the intake... doesn't that make ya feel good!

If you relocate the breather port to a more neutral spot on the valve cover or simply over by the timing gears, which has infinite drainage area (rather than the left side of the engine that is absent a drain), you'll stop filling catch cans with oil... While you're at it, make the port/breather tract bigger. The stock breather port is about 0.470 inch diameter as I recall and was designed for an NA, street duty application-- not a forced induction and sustained high revs like we subject the engine to... My *guess* is that the 0.47 inch breather is too small and allows pressure to build in the crank case (even if somewhat minute, pressure is just not cool in the crankcase to any extent), so I went with a single -12 (which 0.750" ID or about 60% bigger) breather tube on my system and ofcourse relocate it...

I've been meaning to datalog the crankcase pressure with the stock system to test my "stock is too small theory", but haven't found time yet... In the meantime, -12 is nice peace of mind

couple more pennies for the well,

Phil

[ZJChaser]

Originally Posted by turbophil

AJ, et al,

Should give some thought to relocating the breather port. A lot of systems return the oil back to the oil pan, which is nice a touch on systems that collect lots of oil (which you should be able to mitigate by relocating the port as per below).

Generally speaking clockwise tracks seem to be the culprit to filling up catch cans, which means all that oil used to go in the intake... doesn't that make ya feel good!

If you relocate the breather port to a more neutral spot on the valve cover or simply over by the timing gears, which has infinite drainage area (rather than the left side of the engine that is absent a drain), you'll stop filling catch cans with oil... While you're at it, make the port/breather tract bigger. The stock breather port is about 0.470 inch diameter as I recall and was designed for an NA, street duty application-- not a forced induction and sustained high revs like we subject the engine to... My *guess* is that the 0.47 inch breather is too small and allows pressure to build in the crank case (even if somewhat minute, pressure is just not cool in the crankcase to any extent), so I went with a single -12 (which 0.750" ID or about 60% bigger) breather tube on my system and ofcourse relocate it...

I've been meaning to datalog the crankcase pressure with the stock system to test my "stock is too small theory", but haven't found time yet... In the meantime, -12 is nice peace of mind

couple more pennies for the well,

Phil

already thought of that as well. taking it one step at a time. Will see how this works first then make adjustments if needed. There are some others that will be trying that out pretty soon I believe as well.

[fpitas]

Originally Posted by turbophil

AJ, et al,

Should give some thought to relocating the breather port. A lot of systems return the oil back to the oil pan, which is nice a touch on systems that collect lots of oil (which you should be able to mitigate by relocating the port as per below).

Generally speaking clockwise tracks seem to be the culprit to filling up catch cans, which means all that oil used to go in the intake... doesn't that make ya feel good!

If you relocate the breather port to a more neutral spot on the valve cover or simply over by the timing gears, which has infinite drainage area (rather than the left side of the engine that is absent a drain), you'll stop filling catch cans with oil... While you're at it, make the port/breather tract bigger. The stock breather port is about 0.470 inch diameter as I recall and was designed for an NA, street duty application-- not a forced induction and sustained high revs like we subject the engine to... My *guess* is that the 0.47 inch breather is too small and allows pressure to build in the crank case (even if somewhat minute, pressure is just not cool in the crankcase to any extent), so I went with a single -12 (which 0.750" ID or about 60% bigger) breather tube on my system and ofcourse relocate it...

I've been meaning to datalog the crankcase pressure with the stock system to test my "stock is too small theory", but haven't found time yet... In the meantime, -12 is nice peace of mind

couple more pennies for the well,

Phil

If you offered a reworked valve cover with an AN fitting attached in a strategic spot, some of us just might buy it

[spectre]

Anyone use the new lotus sport versions?

[turbophil]

Originally Posted by fpitas

If you offered a reworked valve cover with an AN fitting attached in a strategic spot, some of us just might buy it

How about I just write up detailed instruction on how to do it and you can do the mod for free (minus parts of course)

Seriously, All the parts needed are right out of Jegs or similar, can be purchased for pretty cheap and there are no special tools required short of a drill and drill bit...

I'll try to scratch some time together with my plastic spoon and put a tutorial together

PV

[fpitas]

Originally Posted by turbophil

How about I just write up detailed instruction on how to do it and you can do the mod for free (minus parts of course)

Seriously, All the parts needed are right out of Jegs or similar, can be purchased for pretty cheap and there are no special tools required short of a drill and drill bit...

I'll try to scratch some time together with my plastic spoon and put a tutorial together

PV

Fair enough, thanks. I figured you need to weld a threaded bung on the cover, or something along those lines.

[kverges]

I am gonna guess Phil will recommend drilling and tapping about a 1/2 NPT hole and then threading in a nipple or AN adaptor, but perhaps it is more elegant than that.

[turbophil]

Originally Posted by fpitas

Fair enough, thanks. I figured you need to weld a threaded bung on the cover, or something along those lines.

Don't get me wrong, this is one of those mods that one of the local buddies usually brings over a 6 pack and we knock out together... IN otherwords, I WILL WORK FOR BEER!

That said, the trick part is actually not a NPT fitting. It's a fuel bulkhead AN fitting... A quick search came up with something like this (in ahurry so I didn't double check part numbers, but you get the idea from the pic)



The cover is a bit too thin to feel real warm and fuzzy about an NPT fitting, IMO... In the NPT case, I would add thickness, then tap and drill. A -12 or size of your choosing with a bulkhead fitting is super clean and efficient though--- and requires no special tools are skill....

Best,

Phil

[Certified Lotus]

I had the dual Saiku Michi oil catch set up on my 2zz engine before I blew the engine (fuel starvation) and when the engine came apart it was very obvious how much oil was going thru the intake......even with the dual catch can.

On my new engine I decided to buy Lotus' aluminum catch tank (which they very recently changed the heading to a "water" catch tank in the Sept. '09 Lotus Sport brochure) and have both valve cover hoses running to this tank (part no. ALS3EO317F). I plugged the intake fittings.

So far (4500 miles later) everything seems to be working fine with a small amount of oil blow-by coming out the vented cap (orange cap in the picture) on the catch tank. A nominal amount of oil in the tank. No other leaks from too much pressure under the valve cover. The tank has a sight line which I really like. Installed the tank where the windshield washer tank was located and moved the WW tank to the boot area.

I'm sure I'll get some input as to why this should not be a closed loop system. Would like to hear it, as this is an experiment and would be interested in feedback.

Yes, that's BOE's swirl Pot and pressure regulator installed (also did V2's fuel cell mod......taking NO CHANCES on fuel starvation again).

[ZJChaser]

Originally Posted by Certified Lotus

I had the dual Saiku Michi oil catch set up on my 2zz engine before I blew the engine (fuel starvation) and when the engine came apart it was very obvious how much oil was going thru the intake......even with the dual catch can.

On my new engine I decided to buy Lotus' aluminum catch tank (which they very recently changed the heading to a "water" catch tank in the Sept. '09 Lotus Sport brochure) and have both valve cover hoses running to this tank (part no. ALS3EO317F). I plugged the intake fittings.

So far (4500 miles later) everything seems to be working fine with a small amount of oil blow-by coming out the vented cap (orange cap in the picture) on the catch tank. A nominal amount of oil in the tank. No other leaks from too much pressure under the valve cover. The tank has a sight line which I really like. Installed the tank where the windshield washer tank was located and moved the WW tank to the boot area.

I'm sure I'll get some input as to why this should not be a closed loop system. Would like to hear it, as this is an experiment and would be interested in feedback.

Yes, that's BOE's swirl Pot and pressure regulator installed (also did V2's fuel cell mod......taking NO CHANCES on fuel starvation again).

If you aren't pulling the gases back into the intake then you at least need to vent them. You are likely building up lots of crank case pressure. I wouldn't run it like that.

[Certified Lotus]

Originally Posted by ZJChaser

If you aren't pulling the gases back into the intake then you at least need to vent them. You are likely building up lots of crank case pressure. I wouldn't run it like that.

You have a good point, which is why I thought the vented cap would be a fairly good solution (although I end up wiping some oil residue off the tank after every track day). I guess I could tap a fitting into the tank and run a line to my Morroso oil pan and vent it there.

[ZJChaser]

Originally Posted by Certified Lotus

You have a good point, which is why I thought the vented cap would be a fairly good solution (although I end up wiping some oil residue off the tank after every track day). I guess I could tap a fitting into the tank and run a line to my Morroso oil pan and vent it there.

you cant "vent" it to the pan. The pan sees the same pressure that you are trying to vent.

[Certified Lotus]

Originally Posted by ZJChaser

you cant "vent" it to the pan. The pan sees the same pressure that you are trying to vent.

Ok, but putting a breather filter on the tank causes oil to come out of the filter?
Wonder what do the GT3 cars do for this?