Catch Can Poll

[txquailguy]

Since we have been discussing Catch Cans quite a bit in here and one of the issues seems to be a fuel odor in and around our Rangers, I figured I'd post this poll to see what everyone is experiencing on the odor front.....

 

[db_tanker]

Its not present all the time however every now and then I'll get a slight smell walking in front of my truck.

There are no leaks and no moisture noted on anything under the hood so I'm not too worried about it. I've also been checking my oil level regularly and have had no consumption OR addition.

Just got done with a trip from Texas to FLA. 37 or so hours total on the road and 24.6 mpg average with no issues.

 

[TJC]

Had a problem with odors, but I think I have it solved. If it is still present it is much much less, 95% less. I no longer smell it with the hood down, and just faintly around the can. Could be residual from prior to my fix.

 

[txquailguy]

I know more than 8 people have catch cans of some sort installed on their Ranger in here. Would be great to know what you are experiencing with fuel odor. It makes sense that the UPR system should be less likely to have an odor just by design.....

 

[Sign1941]

Had a problem with odors, but I think I have it solved. If it is still present it is much much less, 95% less. I no longer smell it with the hood down, and just faintly around the can. Could be residual from prior to my fix.

What did you do to resolve the issue? Also what catch can configuration are you running?

 

[Racket]

Had a problem with odors, but I think I have it solved. If it is still present it is much much less, 95% less. I no longer smell it with the hood down, and just faintly around the can. Could be residual from prior to my fix.

I followed your thread on this and wonder if you've turned out some potential escape point for fumes.

Maybe it's just because all catch cans replace the short hose with longer ones and add more connections.

I recall you added some o-rings and maybe that snugs stuff up.

From another thread discussing catch cans someone posted a video that mentioned ecoboost engines have ventilation that draws air into the crankcase - something I haven't looked into, although there is definitely pressure at the oil cap port while the engine runs. That pressure has to equalize at some point when the engine turns off.

The UPR setup utilizes check valves in it's vacuum lines.

 

[TJC]

What did you do to resolve the issue? Also what catch can configuration are you running?

I noticed that my quick release fittings had some play in them so I added an additional oil ring to the top of the rib in the can fittings to insure that the seal was being made.

I still have some odor but not a strong.

- Tony

 

[TJC]

I am running the UPR dual vacuum source kit. It is very well engineered. The install instructions are rudimentary and could use work. They assume too much automotive knowledge from the customer. Mishimoto excels in this area. Their kit seems to have the same vapor problem problem and they use simple compression clamps on the can connections. This seems to rule out both loose connections and the air intake track vacuum source in the UPR kit as the issue.

I think the O rings helped. They do not act as seals directly, more like spacers to keep the seal in the quick release adapter up against the bottom of the rib on the outlet tube. The red lines shows where I added the O rings. There is no longer any play in my fittings.

I do not think that the vapors are coming from the air intake track via the secondary vacuum source as UPR suggested.

I have noticed that the odor grows stronger the longer the truck sits in the garage and it seems to becoming from the hose/can location near the battery.

I see no oil dampness anywhere indicating seepage or leaks. I have checked the hoses, all connections, and the catch can.

I am beginning to suspect that the hoses are permeable. Ford used a specific and unique hose for this connection. It seems to be soft metal based in nature. But I am now relegated to grasping at straws! If the problem is not the can, and not the connections, that leaves only the hoses.

I have not looked at the 2.3l block design close enough to the determine and understand the crankcase ventilation system. I do know that keeping crankcase pressure low is very important to boosted engines. It is very easy to blow out front and rear main engine crankshaft seals with high crankcase pressures. A clogged PCV will do it on a boosted engine. Using a PCV from an NA engine on a boosted engine will do it too.

On our catch can systems, a malfunctioning check valve will do it (that is why I went with the upgraded stainless steel check valves).... and I suspect that an overflowing catch can will do it too!

FWIW, the PCV check valve is incorporated in the Air/Oil separator that bolts on the block below the intake manifold. The red crankcase port (that we removed the hose from to install our catch cans) goes directly to the embedded PCV valve.

To remove and replace is going to be a hell of a job, requiring the removal of the intake manifold to get to it. I own a spare plate and just checked it out.

Tony

 

[Tito]

A few weeks after I installed my Mishimoto can, I could smell the fuel/exhaust/whatever odor you want to call it. To me it smells of fuel. My wife, who knows nothing of cars, came into the house from the garage and told me one of the cars was leaking fuel since it smelled very strong. After I made sure neither vehicle was leaking, I had to try and explain why the strong smell was permeating everything in the garage. I have towels/rags in the garage for cleaning and they smell. Its that bad! After alot of poking and prodding to make sure the hose ends were not leaking, I've narrowed the smell to the hoses themselves. I agree that the hose is permeable and it smells of fuel. I am going to contact Mishimoto about the rubber hoses. If I cant find an alternative hose, I will remove the catch can and revert to changing my oil every 5k.

During the summer in north Texas, I got only about .5oz of fluid, no water, just oily fuel smelly liquid. During the winter, I have to check every 800 miles because the can gets full and the stink is really bad. (thats my indicator) Temps in the morning at or below 40, including a trip to Colorado, the can was full of clear oily fuel smelling thin liquid in 800-1000 miles. I did my unscientific test of pouring onto dirt and lighting it. There wasn't a flash ignition but it lit easily as soon as the flame hit the oily dirt. Next, hold my beer, I am lighting the can to see what happens.

The Mishimoto can does its job but the odor from the hoses is terrible. The can needs to be larger too. sorry for the long post. I will report back whenever Mishimoto responds.

 

[txquailguy]

A few weeks after I installed my Mishimoto can, I could smell the fuel/exhaust/whatever odor you want to call it. To me it smells of fuel. My wife, who knows nothing of cars, came into the house from the garage and told me one of the cars was leaking fuel since it smelled very strong. After I made sure neither vehicle was leaking, I had to try and explain why the strong smell was permeating everything in the garage. I have towels/rags in the garage for cleaning and they smell. Its that bad! After alot of poking and prodding to make sure the hose ends were not leaking, I've narrowed the smell to the hoses themselves. I agree that the hose is permeable and it smells of fuel. I am going to contact Mishimoto about the rubber hoses. If I cant find an alternative hose, I will remove the catch can and revert to changing my oil every 5k.

During the summer in north Texas, I got only about .5oz of fluid, no water, just oily fuel smelly liquid. During the winter, I have to check every 800 miles because the can gets full and the stink is really bad. (thats my indicator) Temps in the morning at or below 40, including a trip to Colorado, the can was full of clear oily fuel smelling thin liquid in 800-1000 miles. I did my unscientific test of pouring onto dirt and lighting it. There wasn't a flash ignition but it lit easily as soon as the flame hit the oily dirt. Next, hold my beer, I am lighting the can to see what happens.

The Mishimoto can does its job but the odor from the hoses is terrible. The can needs to be larger too. sorry for the long post. I will report back whenever Mishimoto responds.

You pretty much hit the nail on the proverbial head....I'm not sure I'm getting as much odor as you are. I will say there is a slight smell of fuel in my garage sometimes. It is directly related to how much liquid is in the can. I don't seem to catch very much liquid unless it gets below freezing and we have precipitation. When it does get cold I have to really watch it that I don't fill the can up quick. I do empty the can after each fillup to keep the odor down(every couple of days, I commute a lot). Also, Mishimoto makes a drain kit for your can with a petcock and hose. They also offer an XL sized can that holds 7.5 oz or I think twice as much as your regular can. It runs $48. I'm pretty sure it will fit but one of the intercooler pipes is right below our catch can location so I would measure from the specifications on that can. Hope you get that odor under control. You can always go with a UPR can setup. They pull a constant vacuum so the odor is none to very minimal from what I understand....

 

[createaneutron]

Had a problem with odors, but I think I have it solved. If it is still present it is much much less, 95% less. I no longer smell it with the hood down, and just faintly around the can. Could be residual from prior to my fix.

What was your fix?

 

[Racket]

This may be obvious but for any application that uses check valves we need to be sure they are oriented correctly. I'm pretty sure screwing that up would throw some codes.

 

[createaneutron]

Does anyone know if adding a catch-can type of system can invalidate the factory warranty? I have an open Ford Warranty Claim currently due to fuel dilution and I wouldn't want to add something to my truck that would give them an excuse in the future.
Thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[Randy ranger]

I know more than 8 people have catch cans of some sort installed on their Ranger in here. Would be great to know what you are experiencing with fuel odor. It makes sense that the UPR system should be less likely to have an odor just by design.....

Hi how’s it going how do you post pictures of my truck on here just got mine a couple of weeks ago thanks

 

[Tito]

The Mishimoto can does its job but the odor from the hoses is terrible. The can needs to be larger too. sorry for the long post. I will report back whenever Mishimoto responds.

So Mishimoto sent me new hoses for my catch can but I completely removed the can. First, I have no idea how they make it seem so easy to remove the hoses from the factory ports; I do not have huge hands. Second, after about an hour of wrestling and cutting my hands, I finally removed the old Mishimoto hoses. They had a light coating of a brown "powder/residue" on them. A quick sniff confirmed that the hoses stink of exhaust/fuel, just like the old days working on cars. To make sure, I put the wife up to the sniff test since I had been exposed to it for over an hour. Same conclusion, smelled of fuel to her. So I made the decision NOT to reinstall the catch can since it was extremely difficult to remove the hoses from the factory port.
Took the Ranger out to run errands, 30 minutes of drive time, parked her in the closed garage, no odor. Yesterday after an hour trip home from work, parked in the closed garage, 30 minutes later, voila', NO smell. Its the hoses! If they had some kind of hard shell like the factory pipe, nonpermeable, that would kill the odor. I have a slightly used catch can with brand new hoses for sale, cheap, if anyone is interested?