But would that set a check engine light? Is there a hands on way to check the PCV valve?

 

pull it out...see if you can blow through it...it's basically a little ball-bearing valve thingy. Forget that....just go buy one from Autozone or Advance Auto, they're like 5 bucks....then you don't have to worry about if its working or not.

 

Thats a really good idea! I have a 5.5 and I've also had my intake off and it's really obvious how much oil is dumping on the valves. My mechanic told me that i would eventially burn a valve. I'm gonna get started on this right away, It will be an easy mod. Thanks to whoever thought this out!!!

 

I burn through a good two to three quarts of oil every 3000 miles. I have no oil leaks either, I don't think that much is going in the intake but a good portion of it is. Think my driving style eats the oil, been like that in most my cars

 

the brass fittings that screw into the inlet and outlet sections on the reservoir, are they 1/4 inch npt fittings? or soemthing else?

 

You'll generally find two different sizes of air compressor filters at Lowes or Home Depot. One size has 1/4'' NPT (Female) ports and a small reservoir while the other size has 3/8'' NPT (Female) ports and a larger reservoir. If you go to Walmart, you will only find small ones. I can't tell for sure, but from the pics it looks like Irish is using the smaller filter. The first setup that 2002 Maxima SE posted is also using the smaller filter (he has switched his setup to a catchcan with a larger metal reservoir).

I went out and bought the parts to build my own catch can setup tonight. In fact, I just finished mine about twenty minutes ago, and it works fine. The parts list that I'm posting below may not be the same list that some of the other guys have used, but it's the simplest combination of fittings that I could scrape together from what was on the shelves at my local Home Depot and Lowes. It is ENTIRELY possible that there is a way to do this with fewer fittings, but not with what I had available to me at my local hardware stores.

If you buy the smaller filter with two 1/4" NPT (Female) ports, you'll need two fittings on each port for a total of four fittings. The fittings you'll need on each side are a male to male 1/4'' NPT connector and a 1/4'' NPT (Female) to 3/8'' hose end connector.



If you buy the larger filter with two 3/8'' NPT (Female) ports, you'll need three fittings on each port for a total of six fittings. The fittings you'll need on each side are a male to male 3/8'' NPT connector, a 3/8'' NPT (Female) to 1/4'' NPT (Male) reducer, and a 1/4'' NPT (Female) to 3/8'' hose end connector.



You may be wondering why anyone would go to the extra trouble and extra cost of using the larger filter and extra fittings if you're just going to end up with the exact same internal diameter on each of the hose ends. The answer is that I did not choose the larger filter for better flow (the stock tube wasn't that big to begin with). I chose the larger filter because it has a larger reservoir, so it shouldn't need to be emptied as often.

 

I didn't see any larger filters (and I looked at several places)...could you provide a pic of the filter/packaging?

 

Ive never really seen any oil in my intake, but i will check it out. I have changed my pcv last month and i dropped the old one down below the engine and intake manifold so i couldnt get it out!! I hope it just melts a little from the heat and falls out of there! Great mod tho, ill give it a try if i feel up to it.

 

I need to do this on my 04.

 

CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Both were available at Home Depot. It also turns out that Husky brand filters are manufactured by Campbell Hausfeld, so if you buy the Campbell Hausfeld filter at Walmart (they only have the smaller one), you're getting the same thing as the Husky.

The larger filter's reservoir is bigger and it's a metal reservoir with transparent polycarbonate windows instead of a completely transparent polycarbonate reservoir. The larger filter also has a large valve on the bottom that you can twist to drain its contents easily (not that the small filter's valve is hard to use).

 

No problem. Again nice setup, and it is very nice to look at. I like that pipe strap setup also.

Good luck with your new intake / car,
Gears

 

I just did this mod and I have a question for those who have done it on a 4th or a 5th gen. Did you guys noticed a more prounced hissing sound? My hoses are farther off then most that I have seen in this thread so I dunno if that has to do with it? My idle seems fine and everything runs good. Any feedback will be great.

 

^^ Yup, mine hiss. I thought I had a leak.

 

I haven't noticed any hiss......

 

still looks like a great mod for saving your engine

 

By the way, I did see that large filter the other day at Home Depot...that thing is pretty freaking big.....and was like $30.....may have to "upgrade" eventually to the big one

of course, I'll have to paint it chrome and gold so it will look "bling"

 

I hear a very faint noise that I guess can only be described as a light hiss. I don't think it's a problem. It's just that you're now running the output from the PCV through a much longer hose and a filter element (it used to run through a straight tube that's only a few inches long).

 

LOL^

No dude, you have to paint that thing blue and put some "NOS" stickers on it. Then tell those slow Honda street racers that the reason your car is faster than theirs is because you found a new way to inject Nitrous into your engine. Call it the Super Shot direct engine port fogger system.
I can hear you scam them now: " Its an experimental system thats on loan to me from Nitrous Oxide Systems." " I like this system a lot, but when you hit the button the power hits so hard... I'm on my second set of CV joints!!!"


Just kidding of course,
Gears

 

I'm thinking of putting some radioactive stickers on it, and then I can tell them either:

- it's a small nuclear reactor that gives me WAAAYYY more boost than a turbo or NOS...or...

- it's my "flux capacitor" (anyone here younger than 20 will probably not get the reference)

 

Cool, thanks for the response everyone. Also 2002 Maxima SE, I got the same catch can you did off of ebay.

 

1.21 GIGAWATTS?!

 

That's amazing. Is this something everyone should do?

 

it can't hurt, it can only help (oh, and it's nice and cheap)

 

I have had mine installed for about a year now. Today I changed some plumbing but it looked like this .
Now its hidden behind the intake mainfold.

According to the SRT4 write up, taking out the filter catches more oil. Ill have to try that.

ALSO: be advised, the catch can states that bowl failure may occure with synthetic oils. I have been keeping an eye on it since I use mobil 1 synth. No problems yet.

 

Updates from the newly inducted?

 

subscribed

 

Will a broken PCV valve still shoot out oil to the catch can? I have about 42k miles and was wondering if my PCV valve is still okay or not....After pulling off the hoses, does the PCV Valve just come off with a small tug? What signs do I look for in a broken PCV valve?

 

just shake the pcv and it should rattle. that means its working.

 

since my warranty is just about over this doesnt apply to me, but if a dealer saw this would it void a warranty? i guess it would be pretty quick to remove the whole set up before taking it to a dealer....

also does anybody have any pictures of a crankase breather filter setup?

 

I've had my catchcan on for over a thousand miles now, and I've had no problems with it. I've only had to empty it once, and it's half way to full again (I'm using the larger inline air compressor filter rather than the small one that many others are using).

I'll post pics later.

 

So whats the final word on which is better - Catch Can or Air Compressor Filter? No problems with damage from heat so far? The catch cans from ebay do not have filters in them correct?

 

I have an in-line compressed-air filter and it works fine. Will try to post a pic later this evening on my set up...

 

i took out my filter and it catches more oil

 

Just currious, which filter have you taken out?

 

Thanks to Irish's help and as promised here is a photo of my setup. The oil separator is on a slight angle to ensure that the oil stays in:

 

i got big Husky filter from home depot. my setup was a bit more expensive ($65) ...cdn. funds and all.... but it was really easy to install. thanks Irish for the pics and write up. I'm still running the stock air box so finding a place to mount the big husky is proving to be a challenge...

 

Since I re-installed my factory air box I didn't have room either, so I re-mounted it on the other side of the engine, using the bracket that used to hold the under-the-hood horn (it's now behind the grille), and a piece of metal extension and c-bracket. Had to get longer hose though....

 

the one inside the water separator for an air compressor.

 

I went there too, but you can get a much cheaper filter at Princess Auto. I got mine there for CDN $12 and is smaller and easier to install. See my photo above...

 

Holly smokes... How difficult was that?