I bought a used WRX a few months ago and immediately took it to a Subaru dealer for an inspection. They found some problems and more than 2 months later I finally have my car back. It seems to be running well, but I've noticed a few things that I have questions about.
One of my primary issues with excessive oil blow-by. I've decided I would like to install a catch can to monitor how much blow by I still have. I think I have located where the PCV line runs to the intake. Can one of you confirm these are the two hoses I need to remove to run to the catch can? (To black plastic connections beneath the blue clip).
Essentially I extend those two tubes to fit into something like: Black Oil Reservoir Catch Can Tank Breather Filter Baffled Aluminum | eBay , correct? The oil will then collect and any vapor will come out the top - right? When I get said catch can is there any reason why I can't/shouldn't mount it on the firewall in front of the passenger? Would there be heat issues that close to turbo/exhaust?
Also - I've noticed what appears to be a ton of rust on my turbo. I am hesitant to go spraying anything down there - is there anything I can do to prevent it from rusting further?
I know that the exhaust has been modified, and from what I can tell it just appears to be an axel-back "muffler-delete" type of job. Can anyone confirm that the exhaust is stock all the way back passed the Y to where the "new looking" pipe is?
I'm also confused as to what this is... It appears to be some kind of overflow for coolant, but I noticed an overflow in the regular position by the radiator. Is this some kind of secondary? The dried up coolant has been there since I bought the car and there hasn't been any fresh leak/spills there, is this something I need to worry about? I know the water pump was replaced before I purchased the car.
Any thoughts/opinions would be highly valued. Thanks!
For the catch can you go from the 2 valve cover vent ports an the crank vent port an run to a catch can then run back to a port pre-turbo. You will fin where everything goes once you pull the lines an follow them. But yes I believe from the look the one you have taken off is for the valve covers. Basically remove all tubing. Run lines to catch can. Run one line from catch can back to pre-turbo intake. Block off the other open port left. Like this thing I made real quick
The rust on the turbo just happens. If you want to stop that from occurring the best way is to bring your exhaust housing to get a high temp ceramic coating. The shop I work at specializes in that. PM me if your interested.
Looks like a plain axle back but I don't have that model to really confirm.
That is your Upper coolant expansion tank. It gives you a high point to burp/add coolant. Looks like someone didn't have the cap on tight and it started leaking. Or The cap is faulty. You should keep an eye on that.
That coolant looks like it leaching from the top seal.
Defenitly something you should swap out the cap form. Also best stuff to clean that gunk up is simple green. Dilute it 1:1 and use a soft bristled brush to clena up the gunk.
As for the turbo rust you can have it ceracoated if you feel like pulling it apart and sending it to a shop or you can do what everyone else does, not stress about the outside of an iron part rusting and cover it up with a nice turbo blanket to keep the heat where it belongs.
GSMNZ is right on the money with the catch can, If you dont want to add another component and you live in a warm climate there are also a few nice options for air oil separators. They perform the same function but they dump the oil they collect directly back into the crankcae so you dont have to worry about empting them.
The "front" (closest to the front of the car) hose is the passenger valve cover port, correct? I tried to highlight it the best I could with my flashlight.
I was able to find these same set of ports on each head... Now to find the crank case vent... Can I just re-use the current hose or do I need to run a new one from the crank vent? I intend to T the two valve cover ports together and run the crank separately, like this: EJ255 catch can routing - NASIOC
Am I going to have to remove the intercooler to get to the crank case vent?
Haha, well either way - is there a benefit to putting the T between one of the valve cover ports and the crank port?
What do I block the intake ports with? Was I correct that it is the hose on the right of the two I had my flashlight on? Is there any reason not to try to just take the hoses off the intake and then add the T / extend the hose to make it to the catch can?
And is mounting the catch can to the firewall a bad idea due to proximity to the exhaust/turbo?
Its how I have seen countless set-ups an was encouraged to route it by a few shops. I don't think the way you were going to do it was wrong per-say. Others might say your right and im wrong lol. Just my 2 cents on how I have it set-up and its working perfectly.
Intake caps you can find at like autozone, napa, etc.
Yes those ports on the valve covers are the ones you need.
People mount it to the firewall all the time. Just make sure it isn't on top of it literally or touching and you should be fine. I mounted mine on the side of the strut tower.
Don't be sorry for the questions. That's what we are here for man!
Its how I have seen countless set-ups an was encouraged to route it by a few shops. I don't think the way you were going to do it was wrong per-say. Others might say your right and im wrong lol. Just my 2 cents on how I have it set-up and its working perfectly.
If you have it set up that way and it's working I'm inclined to do it the same way. I've got the catch can ordered, I should be able to start working on getting it installed this weekend. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me, haha.
Also - are both of those tubes I highlighted with my flashlight breathers? Should I bung off one and use the other to go to the catch can? Or T them together first?
This is the only part where I don't knoe. My 05 has only 1 port. I am not sure why there are 2. But it looks like there is a sensor or something on the other one... I will do some research for ya.
Ok so the big ports on the heads need to be route to each other (so literally 1 hose from big port to big port on the heads). Then the use the small ports on the heads for the catch can. The large ports don't have a baffle which allow a crap load of oil by an will fill it up to the point it will such through into your intake.
Thanks GSMNZ, I owe you a case of beer or something.
Interesting. I wonder why having the two heads connected like that would be beneficial? To keep the pressure the same on both sides maybe? Anyway, here is my plan:
Do I need to worry about those sensors? Am I going to be screwing with the ECU in any way by adding this catch can?
I mean you can leave the bigger ports alone. I believe they already go to each other and then you don't need to worry about sensor issues.
But yes I do believe them connecting is supposed to help blow by in equaling out the pressure. The bigger Ports aren't baffled where the smaller ones are.
There are a variety of ways to install a catch can. There's one right way, two sort-of right ways, and some would argue that at least one common installation method which is wrong.
Sort of right ways:
1) Disconnect the hose which runs between the PCV valve and the turbo inlet pipe. Run a line from the PCV to the catch can, and another line from the catch can to the turbo inlet hose.
2) Disconnect the hose running between the crank case breather lines and the turbo inlet pipe. Run new hose between the breather line and the catch can and another hose between the can and the inlet pipe.
Right way:
Use two catch cans. Configure one as discussed in option one and the other as described in option 2. For optimal effectiveness, this is the way to go.
Wrong way:
Disconnect the PCV<->Inlet line as well as the Crank Vent<->Inlet line. "T" the PCV and Crank vent lines together, and run the remaining end of the "T" to a single nipple on the inlet pipe. Cap the remaining nipple on the inlet. You'll be sending boost into places that definitely shouldn't ever see any. Bad idea.
I'll be going with a dual catch can setup for my engine rebuild. In that article there are reports of people doing it the way you suggest (although from your diagram it's not quite the same) and blasting oil seals out. I'm not convinced that's true, and I'm sure it would work, but I'm just sharing the research I came upon because it outlines what's considered the right way to do it.
Here's a diagram for a dual catch can setup. Keep in mind it requires a check valve (or two check valves if you want to remove the PCV valve) and it's hard to tell in the image where they are located.:
splurge for the IAG AOS. its heated for that very reason. i think the perrin unit is heated as well. uses the engine coolant. also serves as an extra heat soak for your coolant thus helping to manage engine temps.
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