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      11-02-2016, 07:22 PM   #1
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Dual Catch Cans - BMW Z4 E89

I spent a lot of time doing DIY posts for my 535, then took a good long break to do some home improvements, then fell head over heels for my 2011 Z4 35is and bought it used 1 year ago.

My first DIY contribution on this forum will be a dual catch can installation.

I prefer to get the job done, then edit and post the relevant information to keep the DIY thread clean but this forum is pretty quite as we all know so I will document as I go and if there are any big mistakes they will get sorted out as we go along. Plus, it will be some fun conversation if anyone is interested.

Parts list, etc. will wait until this is all over and working properly.

What is a dual catch can?

If you have read about the need for doing a walnut blasting to clean the valves... that is what this is all about. I plan to do a walnut blasting myself (maybe another DIY but I am sure there are plenty of those) but before I do I want to minimize the cause of the problem. The cause of the dirty valves is due to the CCV dumping oily, yucky, blow-by sh$t back into the intake, across the valves and back into the engine to be recirculated instead of vented into our precious atmosphere.

Many enthusiasts install a single catch can on the high pressure side only. There are a few points to be made here:

1) This is done because it certainly helps the problem
2) This is done because the high pressure side is accessible and is "easy"
3) What about the low pressure side? This is typically skipped because in our engines it is an internal system that is not readily adaptable to a catch can but is in fact the primary cause of severe fouling especially in cyl 4,5,6.

So... the low pressure side is where the second catch can in a "dual catch can" goes to trap some of the sh$t before it fouls up the valves.

Edit 11/5/2016: Now that I have installed the low pressure side external conversion PCV valve, I can say it is an excellent part and I have no problem referring others to Rob Beck (rob.rbturbo@gmail.com) for this part. This is not a commercial part with large distribution - Rob designed this part and had it custom made for this application. Well done Rob!

Last edited by NoQuarter; 11-05-2016 at 04:21 PM..
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      11-03-2016, 12:51 PM   #2
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A catch can should be as cool as possible in order to get the oil and water to condense and stay in the can as the cleaner air continues on.

I chose the location on the fire wall near the window washer tank where there is a lot of room and is protected by the heat shield.

This is what we are doing:



I marked the area with tape for the center of the mounting bracket and used a punch (by hand not a hammer) to create a hole through the foam where the bolt hole will be drilled.





I did only the center hole and mounted it so I could set it to level



Then did the remaining holes and mounted the bracket







Made sure it was level then mounted the cans

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      11-05-2016, 10:22 AM   #3
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looking good ! roll on the updates
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      11-05-2016, 02:38 PM   #4
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This is where the crankcase ventilation system is.

The low pressure side has the internal PCV valve and the high pressure side is where the flapper hose assembly connects (I have already removed it in this pic)



This one has some notes to help see what is what. Note #4 should say cyl 4,5,6.



This is the flapper hose assembly that needs to be removed and disassembled. Use a heat gun to warm up the ends then they just pull right off with little effort. The right is the flapper and the left piece is a heater element that is used in freezing weather.



This is the flapper and heater parts. Top left is the internal PCV that is getting replaced with the part below. That replacement part is what makes the low pressure side of this project possible and it allows us to direct the dirty air into our catch can to try and clean it up some before we return it to the intake manifold.

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      11-05-2016, 04:09 PM   #5
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Here the internal PCV for the low pressure side has been replaced with the external PCV. The #6 fuel line needs to be removed.



The External PCV is in place, the flapper assembly for the high pressure side, and #6 fuel line back in place



Here is top view of everything ready to be connected together with hoses and fittings


And if you can follow my professionally designed graphic overlay, you will see how everything gets connected. At the moment, I am unclear what to do about the U shaped bend I will need in the hose to go from the flapper back to the catch can and I am undecided how I want to connect into the Intake manifold for the low pressure side.

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      11-05-2016, 06:48 PM   #6
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Ok ... this is officially getting interesting :-D ... keep it coming!

Filippo

p.s. Photos are great, but unfortunately reading is a bit tough on the text. You have these online somewhere, that we can click and enlarge?
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      11-05-2016, 07:47 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fmorelli View Post
Ok ... this is officially getting interesting :-D ... keep it coming!

Filippo

p.s. Photos are great, but unfortunately reading is a bit tough on the text. You have these online somewhere, that we can click and enlarge?
Do you mean the photo with the text overlay? There is only one of those. I can load up a better one. It seems to come across fine on my monitor.
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      11-05-2016, 08:51 PM   #8
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I'm good ... thanks.

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      11-07-2016, 12:10 PM   #9
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OP, for PVC are you planning to upgrade to the Rb PVC valve?

http://www.rbturbo.com/rbpcv
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      11-07-2016, 12:50 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jts1981 View Post
OP, for PVC are you planning to upgrade to the Rb PVC valve?

http://www.rbturbo.com/rbpcv
That valve is stronger for higher levels of boost but is still an internal PCV valve that works just like the stock one.

This new valve from Rob is required in order to externalize the PCV valve and route it through a catch can.
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      11-07-2016, 07:59 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoQuarter View Post
That valve is stronger for higher levels of boost but is still an internal PCV valve that works just like the stock one.

This new valve from Rob is required in order to externalize the PCV valve and route it through a catch can.
I upgraded mine at the same time as the catch can. Just curious if you were planning on doing the same...

Edit: sorry I missed that you said you did this in 1st post...carry on...
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Last edited by jts1981; 11-07-2016 at 08:11 PM..
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      11-07-2016, 08:18 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jts1981 View Post
I upgraded mine at the same time as the catch can. Just curious if you were planning on doing the same...

Edit: sorry I missed that you said you did this in 1st post...carry on...
Seems like we are misunderstanding each other

The part highlighted in yellow is the part we are talking about right?



Robs original upgraded PCV valve doesn't work for this scenario. We need his external PCV valve adapter.
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      11-07-2016, 09:16 PM   #13
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I was confused at first but after some digging I realized that you plan to plug the head.

I'm running the RB PVC valve + BMS OCC. I see that these are on the high pressure side only. Here some videos so we're on the same page...

pvc install


occ install



But we didn't do the external version w/ the plugged head...

The d.y.i. I read up...
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1293291

RB External PVC head plug pt1


RB External PVC head plug pt2
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Last edited by jts1981; 11-07-2016 at 10:18 PM..
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      11-07-2016, 11:08 PM   #14
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Now we are on the same page for sure. Thanks for adding in the videos!
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      11-10-2016, 11:46 AM   #15
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This is what I am going to try for connecting the low pressure side to the Intake.

I have previously tapped the intake cover for 1/4" fitting to use as a dedicated vacuum source for the BOV. The point of course was a dedicated fitting...

But I am going to use that also for the PCV return to the Intake. Potential problems with this is I am taking the PCV line and reducing it from 3/8" to 1/4" at the intake AND I no longer have a dedicated line for the BOV.

If this turns out not to be ideal, the plan is to tap a new 3/8" fitting when I have it all removed for intake valve walnut shell blasting another time.

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      11-10-2016, 03:40 PM   #16
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Are there no spare vacuum bungs on the E89 intake? Maybe underneath? If there were, they would have rubber caps (and realoem would show those parts available ;-)

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      11-10-2016, 04:01 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fmorelli View Post
Are there no spare vacuum bungs on the E89 intake? Maybe underneath? If there were, they would have rubber caps (and realoem would show those parts available ;-)

Filippo
Not that I am aware of. I didn't see any when I had the intake off previously and REAL OEM doesn't show any.
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      11-18-2016, 07:49 PM   #18
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Last pic. It is done for now.



Not fully tested of course until I get some miles on it. I think it looks as nice as is it is functional. Time will tell.

I will be ordering what I need to do the intake valve cleaning and get it done over the winter months. I have 2 of these engines so it will be $ well spent to do it myself. My local BMW shop won't even do it anymore. They insist on doing some sort of other process I am not familiar with but it does not seem to involve actually looking at the intake valves!

There are lots of DIYs out there already but I will still post some pics and info here for those that are just getting started and maybe have not heard of such a thing.


and... if you notice the area where the vacuum canisters are supposed to be I don't have any! I didn't do anything special other than remove them. Again, testing will tell for sure but there is enough evidence to suggest they are not necessary. If it works and I have simplified some of the plumbing then great!

Cheers!
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      11-20-2016, 04:51 PM   #19
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Awesome. It would be nice to see some interim photos if you have any. Seems like quite a leap to the final product.

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      11-20-2016, 07:26 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fmorelli View Post
Awesome. It would be nice to see some interim photos if you have any. Seems like quite a leap to the final product.

Filippo
I did snap a few more pics here and there. I'll sort through them and put up anything that looks helpful.
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      07-13-2023, 09:01 AM   #21
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NoQuarter not only did I have to walnut blast my valve stems and intake manifold, I'm getting oil squeezed out due to high pressure from my lead foot

I want to upgrade my PCV and do the dual catch can at the same time. Your images no longer load. Any chance you could repost them? Or if not, feel free to send them to me and I'll do it as I do the job. It's a shame the servers don't hold the photos for us, because then they'd always be there.

Thanks for all the work on this writeup!!
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