ebay oil catch can

[Dmak]

Saw a bunch of oil catch cans on ebay that looks just like the bms can. Anyone try it yet? Just the can alone is under 80bux. Its a lot cheaper then bms

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231530732389?redirect=mobile

[Freon]

If I didn't already have a BMS can and I was in the market I'd probably give it a go.

Take one for the team?

[PA135i]

Don't take one. Don't take any. Did much research on this site and the OCC does very little or nothing to improve your vehicle. I'm not saying it's smoke and mirrors but not enough proof for me to install one. JMHO....

[MuNkY6913]

i would look into getting one, specially if your tuned. when i removed my intercooler and charge pipe they were coated in oil after 50K miles. you could see the oil drip if i held it up long enough. i think it all depends on your car. seems that each car is different. from what i've been hearing most N55's dont really need it much, but i'd spend $200 or less if its used, just to not have to clean my valves again. I have a DIY on valve cleaning and you can see how they looked. you can also read some other peoples takes on the subject here, http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...an+worth+it%3F and here http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=969175. This is my valve cleaning thread, http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...valve+cleaning as you can see my valves are pretty dirty. car was tuned around 30K miles and that was at 55K. if a $200 part, or cheaper if you go that ebay route, will make me not have to do this again then totally worth it. i got a used BMS occ for cheap this past winter so i have to install that. curious what i'll catch in it this summer.

[cristopher1014]

I bought this one because it included the hoses. I made an offer on it which knocked it down a couple bucks too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-135-1m-3...18376b&vxp=mtr

Fit and finish is great. Only issue I had was that the mounting strap is not correct for our brace... I messaged them and they said it was tested on an e90. They offered to take it back or give me a credit (~$20). I took the credit and made a strap from some metal strapping and heat shrink.

Here are the pictures I sent to them explaining the issue.

[PA135i]

I don't know ..the thing could catch a little oil over a 12 month period and how would you know if carbon is building up or not? You would have to pull the manifold in order to check that. Not worth it for me. I'm getting my second blast next month. I'll have around 92K then. For $500 once and done clean intake. I have spent enough money on this car to spring for another $200 - 300 on a product that "might" work. I need more Proof!

[MuNkY6913]

Originally Posted by PA135i

I don't know ..the thing could catch a little oil over a 12 month period and how would you know if carbon is building up or not? You would have to pull the manifold in order to check that. Not worth it for me. I'm getting my second blast next month. I'll have around 92K then. For $500 once and done clean intake. I have spent enough money on this car to spring for another $200 - 300 on a product that "might" work. I need more Proof!

Pulling the manifold isn't that hard. Its the hours of scrapping And whatnot that gets me. And at 400+ whp I think the cleaner I can have the valves the better. $500 is a lot of money if I have to do it every 50k miles. I'vE done it myself and saved that once. $150 on a used one is worth it if it saves you the $500 bill right? Yes you would have to pull the manifold but think of it this way, someone is saying I'll give you $500 if you pull the manifold and they're still clean. Then you would know. After seeing my piping I know I need it.

[darkrom]

Originally Posted by PA135i

I don't know ..the thing could catch a little oil over a 12 month period and how would you know if carbon is building up or not? You would have to pull the manifold in order to check that. Not worth it for me. I'm getting my second blast next month. I'll have around 92K then. For $500 once and done clean intake. I have spent enough money on this car to spring for another $200 - 300 on a product that "might" work. I need more Proof!

When you say "work" are you expecting any kind of performance or something? A catch can will catch some/most of the oil being blown the hell around. I know on my N54 the chargepipe was fully coated in oil on my 40k miles at the time car. Are you N54 or N55? Are you running stock boost or something? Those of us running 2x the factory boost and more certainly have oil going everywhere.

[PA135i]

Originally Posted by MuNkY6913

$500 is a lot of money if I have to do it every 50k miles.

I don't agree with that statement.

50K is 4 1/2 years for me. 5 or 6 if I get a winter beater, which I plan on doing soon. I don't think I'll be keeping the car forever. I'll ask my indy shop what they think, They seem to be very knowlegable about these cars. I'll let you know. I drop the car off with them May 4 for the blast and shocks.

[MuNkY6913]

Originally Posted by PA135i

I don't agree with that statement.

50K is 4 1/2 years for me. 5 or 6 if I get a winter beater, which I plan on doing soon. I don't think I'll be keeping the car forever. I'll ask my indy shop what they think, They seem to be very knowlegable about these cars. I'll let you know.

I'm going to keep my car until it goes to the junkyard. That's about every 4 years or so for me as well. I drive extremely aggressive almost every time I drive it. All you have to do is pop off the charge pipe and run your finger in there and see what you get. If there's oil and occ will help. If there's no oil you don't need an occ. Don't need an Indy shop to tell you that. I've heard it can very from car to car. Let us know what your shops opinion is about it.

[Dmak]

Originally Posted by cristopher1014

I bought this one because it included the hoses. I made an offer on it which knocked it down a couple bucks too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-135-1m-3...18376b&vxp=mtr

Fit and finish is great. Only issue I had was that the mounting strap is not correct for our brace... I messaged them and they said it was tested on an e90. They offered to take it back or give me a credit (~$20). I took the credit and made a strap from some metal strapping and heat shrink.

Here are the pictures I sent to them explaining the issue.

How does the catch can look and feel in person? Looks like a well build part? Did u check for any leak? I m thinking just the can. Imo for the price with hose at 144 vs can only at 82. The money I saved I can get some nice hoes and clamps already.

We get pretty cold winter here. A catch can should also help with catching condensation in crankcase also and not just oil in summer. For the price of this ebay catch can, it would be cheap insurance. That's what I think.

[loesch]

Please don't buy this. This part was developed and tested by BMS so it should be purchased from them. They deserve the credit for this. It's not a lot of money to just buy it from the guys that designed the thing. You'll get it in 2 days and you'll know you can call on BMS with any problems, install questions, etc. Don't be cheap asses.

[PA135i]

What are we looking at?

[Cavpilot2k]

I have the BMS OCC but I haven't installed it yet, partially because I am not yet sure my car needs it (I'm an N55, so I just need to check for residue when I get a chance).

I will say, however, that the build quality on it is absolutely top-notch. It's actually a beautiful hunk of metal with amazing fit and finish.
I don't know if the same can be said for a knockoff.

So, if you are going to get an OCC, I would suggest springing for the BMS one. Look around at some of the other vendors like x-ph and such, you may be able to get a slight price break on the BMS can, but that is the one to get.

[e36addict]

From what I've seen with OCC on an N55, it just collects watery rusty looking stuff, not really oil. I had my manifold off around 65k to do my oil filter housing gaskets and there was zero buildup on the valves. The ports were black, but none of the crusty buildup like you see on N54s.. That's why I didn't spend $$ on an OCC. My .02

[Cavpilot2k]

A question on OCCs in general:
Most of us (at least the one who mod) are obsessive about reducing restrictions to the car's breathing system. We add intakes, better charge pipes, DPs, etc.
it seems to me that an OCC is adding an additional restrictive element in the airflow system, and given the design (lots of small holes in a plate) it seems like it would create turbulent airflow in addition to a physical obstruction.

Thoughts?

[loesch]

Originally Posted by PA135i

What are we looking at?

That's the crud collected from a BMS N55 catch can.

[///Makis]

Originally Posted by Cavpilot2k

A question on OCCs in general:
Most of us (at least the one who mod) are obsessive about reducing restrictions to the car's breathing system. We add intakes, better charge pipes, DPs, etc.
it seems to me that an OCC is adding an additional restrictive element in the airflow system, and given the design (lots of small holes in a plate) it seems like it would create turbulent airflow in addition to a physical obstruction.

Thoughts?

The OCC is taking and filtering blow by gasses from The crank case that would normally be vented straight into the intake (emissions requirement).

So it's basically wasted gasses and oil/gas residue, it's not robbing the intake or creating a bottle neck in the intake or exhaust side per se. it's a completely separate system if you want to call it that.

[ferocity02]

The BMS catch can is only in use when the car is "in boost", or in other words when there is positive pressure inside the intake manifold. This only occurs during medium-heavy acceleration or powering up hills, which, depending on your driving habits, is likely no more than 10% of the time the engine is running.

The real benefit is to run the vacuum side through a catch can which will be in use the other 90% of the time and will catch a hell of a lot more. On my N54 it was easy enough to "externalize" the vacuum side PCV system out of the valve cover and route it through a catch can and back into the intake manifold. Not sure about the N55 though. I bet it can be done if it hasn't already.