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Homebrew Condensator
https://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36511		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Jopapa [ Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Homebrew Condensator
Just built one for my truck out of an air/oil separator I bought from Home Depot and installed it. After just a 40-mile round trip commute, there's already a bit of sludge in the bottom of the bowl. It's just an experimental setup, and the performance gain (if any) was so small it was likely just psychological. Will know if it affects my economy at all in a couple weeks, but just knowing that what it catches isn't ending up in my intake manifold and combustion chambers makes the installation worth it, IMHO. Here's a pic of what I have so far. I'm going to design and build a more factory-looking and permanent unit for the Duster once I finish with the heater box R&R.

Image

I know some of you have been curious about the Condensator and if it works or not. Honestly I don't buy into the claims of higher performance and economy, but the fact that these things DO catch crap from the PCV system makes me think that they'll help any engine prone to sludge and carbon buildup maintain its power and economy by keeping the intake manifold and combustion chambers cleaner over time.
Author:  Reed [ Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
Interesting. WOuld you be willing to post instructions of how you built it?
Author:  Jopapa [ Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Interesting. WOuld you be willing to post instructions of how you built it?
I posted a writeup in a Toyota forum that I frequent, but I figured I'd wait until I have a solution done up for my Duster before doing one here. I just wanted to post my results so far since I've seen the Condensator discussed here before. I have a few things I want to change on my truck's setup as well, so what you see in the pic won't end up being the final product.
Author:  Jopapa [ Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
Update: I've only driven 80 miles with this installed and it's already collected just under a tablespoon's worth of gunk from the PCV system. The more it catches, the more that's NOT making it into my intake manifold, awesome 8)

Very curious to see how much it'll catch when I get one installed in my Duster, and how much of a difference there will be between the engines. I've gotten the slant as clean as I possibly could without tearing it down (synthetic oil comes out looking fresh when I change it) thanks to Dan's engine oil "flush" soup recipe and fogging the engine with Sea Foam. I also know my truck's engine is prone to carbon and sludge buildup from the not-so-effective EGR system and the PCV system.

Very curious to see long term results. So far it looks well worth the work, though.
Author:  slantsixlancer [ Fri Jul 31, 2009 3:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
A great idea put into action...
Author:  Aggressive Ted [ Fri Jul 31, 2009 3:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
Nice work! Thanks for posting. :D

I would be interested in seeing how it works on the SL6. Please post your basic items, part#s, general info and costs.
Author:  Jopapa [ Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:34 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Nice work! Thanks for posting. :D

I would be interested in seeing how it works on the SL6. Please post your basic items, part#s, general info and costs.
Hopefully that'll be done soon. Once I get my heater box resto finished and get a new glove box ordered I'll get one installed and see how much it catches. I've finally kicked myself in the butt to get motivated on it again since I haven't even driven it since December (to move it off the street and into my driveway when the snow started). I've taken an embarassingly long hiatus from working on the car :roll:
Author:  Jopapa [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:59 am ]
Post subject: 
Update:

My average fuel economy from the last five fillups since I installed the catch can has gone up 2 MPG from 12.5 to 14.5. Outstanding, considering most people with these trucks get only 11-13 MPG at best. Tractor motors, y'know :lol:
The truck also feels a bit gutsier when going up long hills and feels like it has a bit more pulling power off the line. Still though, like I said before it's small enough that it could just be psychological. The numbers don't lie about the economy though. Very awesome.

Also, after running it for 1000 miles the bowl had just a bit over an ounce of fluid in it. Just very dark oil. The oil on the dipstick is still clean as a whistle, too, so I'm wondering if the darkness in the PCV catch can is being caused by carbon still in the combustion chambers being picked up by minute amounts of oil sneaking passed the rings. I fogged the engine with Seafoam (and flushed out a LOT of black crap) the other day so we'll see if the catch can still keeps getting dark oil in it.

Overall, I'm labeling this experiment a success and will be setting one up in my Duster as soon as I finish the heater box rebuild.
Author:  Pierre [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Is the PCV on the toyota baffled? If it's not that may be a reason why it's picking up that much oil.

Also be careful with those polycarbonate bowl air compressor filters - synthetic oil will attack it and will eventually break. That's why many of the clear bowls you see for air compressor filters come with a metal cage just in case it shatters. Granted this isn't a high pressure application, but still.
Author:  00spy [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Looks very nice!
Wouldn't kind of a large clear plastic fuel filter work also ?
just to test ,if you want to see.

Dave
Author:  Jopapa [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Is the PCV on the toyota baffled? If it's not that may be a reason why it's picking up that much oil.

Also be careful with those polycarbonate bowl air compressor filters - synthetic oil will attack it and will eventually break. That's why many of the clear bowls you see for air compressor filters come with a metal cage just in case it shatters. Granted this isn't a high pressure application, but still.
You're exactly right. The system is under vacuum though, so if I notice that the bowl starts getting soft or forms a crack in it, I can easily replace it. All I've got to worry about is a messy leak rather than catastrophic failure since there's no pressure on it.

As far as the baffles, I know the OEM cover on my Toyota's 6cyl is. Honestly not sure about other Toyota engines. I would imagine they are as well. I've still got an OEM baffled cover for my slant as well, so depending on how much oil leaks past the rings and valve seals (shouldn't be much, since it doesn't burn any oil at all), I could end up with very little in the bowl in my Duster.
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