[2016eq]

2.4L 2014 Terrain

chose this can cause I could open it to add steel wool for condensing, and a 'straw' to either suck it to the bottom so fumes have to rise through steel wool, or suck it down through the steel wool and up straw. I didnt keep track of which hole i had the straw in. It was 3/8" nylon water line I drilled several holes in bottom half.
It slip fits inside either fitting in the lid. I put silicone all around the line before final insert.
This lid was also nice as I could remount it with a better choice of orientation of the inlet/outlet fittings.

Cheapest can on amazon was welded, so this was best 2nd choice for me.

Toughest part was the #8 x 1/2" self drilling screws I used to mount to vehicle.
Put masking tape on screw head so it stayed put in the 1/4" socket I used my hex impact with a hex to 1/4 drive adapter to spin them in.

I used the brass plumbing inserts to keep the original 'pipe' from crushing with the clamps.
Personally, i dont feel the clamps are required. The supplied blue hose was a very firm press to get over the original pipe. I would use the clamps at the fittings on the can though.

reverting, just use the supplied blue line as a coupler to rejoin the original pipe.

Ill need to add some 1/2" peel and stick foam insulation strip on back of can to keep can from jiggling.

Otherwise - allow a half hour/1 beer install once you have everything together.

Occurred to me to blow air through it first to ensure no bits loose getting sucked into engine.
Pulled the blue lines off and blew 90psi through inlet/outlet. Nothing came out but ymmv.
reassembled with peace of mind.

 

[JayTee2014]

I doubt you will see much collected in the catch can the way you have it installed on a 2.4L. . . unless you do a lot of WOT or driving down steep inclines (high vacuum conditions).

The 2.4L engine has an internal PCV valve that allows air and blow-by vapors to be drawn from the crankcase into the intake manifold. That is the "dirt side" where a catch can is most useful and traditionally installed. It also is the source of valve coking and carbon build up.

The place you installed that catch can is the "clean side" which may catch some moisture in cold weather with a bit of oil vapor occasionally. But will not prevent intake manifold oil contamination, valve coking, and main oil seal blow out if the internal PCV valve freezes like it is prone to do.

 

[2016eq]

the line I cut has oily residue with fuel smell inside.
drops came out of the line after I cut it
will see I guess what comes of it over the next weeks.

sucks if it doesnt do something

thanks for the heads up.

 

[JayTee2014]

the line I cut has oily residue with fuel smell inside.
drops came out of the line after I cut it
will see I guess what comes of it over the next weeks.

sucks if it doesnt do something

thanks for the heads up.

EDIT: - - BTW . . the thread you were reading "PCV Valve Locations" is old and applied to the older 2.4L I4 and older 3.0L V6 engines. Disregard that as it no longer applies to your 2.4L. The PCV path has cahnged since that thread was posted. There really is no PCV "valve. . but an orifice now in both I4 and V6 engines.

No worries. It just is not where a catch can needs to be installed. There will be some amounts of water vapor especially in cooler or cold weather as well and some minimal oil vapors. But the real stuff is happening via the internal PCV orifice allowing stuff into the intake manifold.

Read Page 5 - -the thread in link as it applies to the 2.4L engine PCV routes from about 2013 onward. LINK:- http://www.equinoxforum.net/10-general-tech-section/19745-interesting-find-crankcase-vent-5.html#post219273


The picture below is the 3.6L LFX engine that has been used in Equinox/Terrain and cars like the Camaro roughly from 2010 to 2017. The Blue line and arrow indicates the "Clean Side" fresh air supply into one of the valve covers on this engine and supplies metered and filtered air into the crankcase. This is the equivalent path where you installed the catch can.
The upper Red line and arrow represents the "Dirty Side" flow of crankcase blowby gases and vapors which are routed from the other V6 valve cover to the 90 degree fitting shown on the top of the intake manifold in the picture. Those blow-by gases and water vapor from combustion products are what contaminates the inside of the intake manifold and then passes those vapors onto the back side of the intake valves and into the combustion chamber to burn up and reduce pollution, instead of venting them to atmosphere as was done with the "Oil Breather" pipe on older engines.

The place you installed the catch can is the clean air side allowing air into the 2.4L valve cover and eventually the crankcase. Yes, there may be some nominal back flow that occurs there under some conditions.
However, the Red path shown in the picture below on the 3.6L LFX is what is internal on the 2.4L engines and the place a catch can could really do the job had it been accessible.

Current 2.4L Four Cylinder PCV Orifice Location - - -

 

[JayTee2014]

I cut it
will see I guess what comes of it over the next weeks.

.

Keep us posted. ..

 

[2016eq]

Well. Absolutely nothing. Can and hoses are totally clean.
$10for a new and clean OEM pvc pipe, and the catch can will be coming out.

Just had a p015a code, slow upstream o2 sensor response. Poss bad o2 sensor.
Doubt it’s related. Will clear code after removal and address the o2 sensor if the code returns after.

Will update if there is anything new, but suspect this is it.

 

[EricJ]

I recently installed a catch can on my 2012 Equinox w/ 2.4L w/115,000 miles. The hook up from the OPs pics looks right, BUT you need to put the catch can lower than than the outlet coming from the valve cover. How you have it set up isn't going to fix anything. When your engine cools, all the condensation is going to run right back down into the intake PCV passage. I installed my catch can so it's a down hill run from the valve cover to the can. I checked it after 3000 miles and it was nearly FULL of an oil/water/gas mixture. So I'm going to start checking it every 2000 miles.

The stock air box has what you might call a catch reservoir built into it (right where the PCV hose goes in), but it can fill up and seep right back down into the valve cover (which I suspect is the main problem with this design). Remove the air box, sit it on its side and see how much crap drains out. I did this before I installed the catch can, and cleaned it out.

 

[Tankmalone]

I recently installed a catch can on my 2012 Equinox w/ 2.4L w/115,000 miles. The hook up from the OPs pics looks right, BUT you need to put the catch can lower than than the outlet coming from the valve cover. How you have it set up isn't going to fix anything. When your engine cools, all the condensation is going to run right back down into the intake PCV passage. I installed my catch can so it's a down hill run from the valve cover to the can. I checked it after 3000 miles and it was nearly FULL of an oil/water/gas mixture. So I'm going to start checking it every 2000 miles.

The stock air box has what you might call a catch reservoir built into it (right where the PCV hose goes in), but it can fill up and seep right back down into the valve cover (which I suspect is the main problem with this design). Remove the air box, sit it on its side and see how much crap drains out. I did this before I installed the catch can, and cleaned it out.

Agree on that. I have yet to install mine.
Reason for quoting your post was about the reservoir built in, if an aftermarket intake is installed, there is no longer a factory catch in place, a catch can as you described, installed BELOW the inlets/outlets would be a must assuming gm put one in the intake for a reason.

 

[JayTee2014]

I recently installed a catch can on my 2012 Equinox w/ 2.4L w/115,000 miles. The hook up from the OPs pics looks right, BUT you need to put the catch can lower than than the outlet coming from the valve cover. How you have it set up isn't going to fix anything. When your engine cools, all the condensation is going to run right back down into the intake PCV passage. I installed my catch can so it's a down hill run from the valve cover to the can. I checked it after 3000 miles and it was nearly FULL of an oil/water/gas mixture. So I'm going to start checking it every 2000 miles.

The stock air box has what you might call a catch reservoir built into it (right where the PCV hose goes in), but it can fill up and seep right back down into the valve cover (which I suspect is the main problem with this design). Remove the air box, sit it on its side and see how much crap drains out. I did this before I installed the catch can, and cleaned it out.

If you are getting that much in the air inlet side of the PCV path, it may be an indication that the PCV orifice in the cylinder head is clogged with carbon as shown in an earlier posting here. The picture with a drill bit being used to clear it.There is a TSB on this. If you are collecting that much, then PCV air flow may be pressurized from blow-by and moving in the wrong direction. A catch can in a normally operating PCV path needs to be installed downside from the PCV valve or orifice. Not upstream in the fresh air inlet side. That is where you installed it.

If that PCV orifice is clogged or reduce in it's opening size, it could cause a main seal to blow out on the crank shaft.

With 115,000 miles on it, I would bet the PCV orifice is at least partially clogged. There should not be that much oil/water vapor flow in that direction to the catch can you installed. That line is an air Inlet to the crankcase via that line. Not a PCV vapor Outlet to the air plenum.

 

[Tankmalone]

I recently installed a catch can on my 2012 Equinox w/ 2.4L w/115,000 miles. The hook up from the OPs pics looks right, BUT you need to put the catch can lower than than the outlet coming from the valve cover. How you have it set up isn't going to fix anything. When your engine cools, all the condensation is going to run right back down into the intake PCV passage. I installed my catch can so it's a down hill run from the valve cover to the can. I checked it after 3000 miles and it was nearly FULL of an oil/water/gas mixture. So I'm going to start checking it every 2000 miles.

The stock air box has what you might call a catch reservoir built into it (right where the PCV hose goes in), but it can fill up and seep right back down into the valve cover (which I suspect is the main problem with this design). Remove the air box, sit it on its side and see how much crap drains out. I did this before I installed the catch can, and cleaned it out.

If you are getting that much in the air inlet side of the PCV path, it may be an indication that the PCV orifice in the cylinder head is clogged with carbon as shown in an earlier posting here. The picture with a drill bit being used to clear it.There is a TSB on this. If you are collecting that much, then PCV air flow may be pressurized from blow-by and moving in the wrong direction. A catch can in a normally operating PCV path needs to be installed downside from the PCV valve or orifice. Not upstream in the fresh air inlet side. That is where you installed it.

If that PCV orifice is clogged or reduce in it's opening size, it could cause a main seal to blow out on the crank shaft.

With 115,000 miles on it, I would bet the PCV orifice is at least partially clogged. There should not be that much oil/water vapor flow in that direction to the catch can you installed. That line is an air Inlet to the crankcase via that line. Not a PCV vapor Outlet to the air plenum.

Any links on how to remove the intake manifold? Only thing I was able to find mentioned disassembling the ac lines in order to remove the intake manifold...

 

[EricJ]

If you are getting that much in the air inlet side of the PCV path, it may be an indication that the PCV orifice in the cylinder head is clogged with carbon as shown in an earlier posting here. The picture with a drill bit being used to clear it.There is a TSB on this. If you are collecting that much, then PCV air flow may be pressurized from blow-by and moving in the wrong direction. A catch can in a normally operating PCV path needs to be installed downside from the PCV valve or orifice. Not upstream in the fresh air inlet side. That is where you installed it.

If that PCV orifice is clogged or reduce in it's opening size, it could cause a main seal to blow out on the crank shaft.

With 115,000 miles on it, I would bet the PCV orifice is at least partially clogged. There should not be that much oil/water vapor flow in that direction to the catch can you installed. That line is an air Inlet to the crankcase via that line. Not a PCV vapor Outlet to the air plenum.

Thanks for the feedback! I haven't been back on here since I posted, and the car has gotten worse. It just went over 125K. The oil catch can fills up in about 800 miles. So I'll be pulling the intake in the very near future and cleaning out the PVC orifice. I also purchased that oil cap/breather with the check valve from CFM today. I've scoured the forums looking for a better long term fix than pulling the intake to clean it, but really haven't found anything. Have you heard of anything new?? Cheers!

 

[JayTee2014]

Not that I have seen. It's just a really small PCV orifice and in a poor location. IT eventually will get carbon deposits and even ice in sub zero temps with short trips.
@bigb12359 drilled a hole in the plastic intake right above where the PCV orifice is. He plugged the hole with plug and then can regularly clean the orifice with a wire.
You might PM him for specifics or pictures.

 

[EricJ]

UPDATE: Replaced the intake manifold today, the PCV orifice was completely clogged. I replaced it because the gasket kit is about $30, but the whole manifold with gaskets was $60! I'm keeping the old one and will clean it up and use it to just keep swapping out the manifold every 60K mi or so. I also cleaned the throttle body, and used CRC GDI cleaner to clean the valves. Engine is purring like a kitten now.

 

[EricJ]

UPDATE: It's been 1000 miles since my last post. The car has only burned .5 qt of oil, and the last tank of gas (midgrade) we got 30 MPG!!! This car has gotten 26-27 since we drove it off the lot. The catch can is bone dry...as it should be. I'm keeping it installed as it will indicate when the pcv orifice is becoming clogged again.

 

[garagerog]

It would be interesting if someone took the time to peruse all the past posts on rear main seal blowouts to see what mileage these began happening as that would give us a baseline to see when the pcv orifice could expected to become clogged. I would guess there would be increased oil consumption with the clogged orifice as well, unrelated to the piston ring issues on the 2010's-2012's. If the GM engineers had been on top of things, even with the poor design of the PCV pathway, intake manifold removal and orifice cleaning could have been included as recommended routine maintenance, much as timing chain replacement on some zero clearance engines is. Instead GM has apparently decided to wash their hands of the 2.4 and customer satisfaction since from what I've seen no one's VIN is included in the TSB about rear main seal blowout. Some bean counter probably decided it would cost GM more to stand behind their product than they would lose in future profits from lost sales.

 

[JayTee2014]

Just a ball park guess - - - -
I would say any 2.4L engine owner might do well to take off the intake manifold and clean the PCV orifice at least every 30,000 miles.

But even with that. . . for owners who live and drive in very cold sub zero climates the PCV could freeze and clog at any time.
That was the reason for suggesting the use of a vented oil filler cap at least in winter months to relieve crankcase pressure if the PCV orifice froze shut.

 

[Copperhead]

Makes me glad I have a heated garage and also it is 11 miles to the nearest town. Engine will always get fully warmed up enough when we use it to drive out any moisture that could freeze, and when parked overnight will be at a nice 65F even when the outside temp is -20F.

But taking the intake manifold off and following the GM TSB on cleaning out the PCV orifice is a wise idea. Heck, need to clean the throttle body and other stuff anyway, might as well do the job right. I use CRC Intake Valve cleaner every 10,000 miles on a GDI engine. Cleaning the MAS and the Throttle body is really easy on the 2.4. Nice thing is, everything is right up front. Even spark plugs are a easy change on the 2.4.

 

[JayTee2014]

Actually, there is no guaranty that driving a certain amount of miles will drive out enough moisture/contaminates and exhaust condensate to avoid the 2.4L PCV orifice from freezing in very cold winter driving.

We saw this especially in posts the past 2 or 3 years here on the forum from all over the country. Previous to that it was barely an item since 2010. Because of very cold temps, minus double digits and varying climate conditions, a pressure relief on the 2.4L crankcase is the best option for avoiding a main seal blow out. The 2.4L PCV orifice could freeze even before the engine is up to a warm enough temperature to drive out sufficient moisture.

 

[Copperhead]

After reviewing GM's TSB on this issue and some other articles I have come across, the most straightforward thing one can do to keep on top of this is by occasionally taking the clean side PCV hose off and putting a piece of paper up against the valve cover port and see if there is any vacuum that holds the paper while the engine is running. If so then the PCV system is operating properly. If not, then the PCV orifice is getting plugged up. Seems like a good first step one can occasionally do before removing intake manifold.

It its a simplified version of the guidance given techs by GM to check for negative pressure at the clean side port.

Some just get a kick out of taking things apart, so they can still have their fun yanking off the intake manifold on a regular basis. For those of us that time is more valuable, doing a quick check like mentioned above could keep an eye on things and doesn't take much time. Heck, I can take the covers off and have the MAF cleaned and the Throttle body cleaned, and everything back in place in 15 minutes. Did it tonight on my Nox. It should be nothing to occasionally check the clean side port for a possible PCV issue.

And oil usage is also a prime early indicator also. If one doesn't experience oil consumption then all of a sudden it starts, the PCV being clogged is likely the culprit.

So there are methodologies to determine a problem without having to tear things apart. I am not into the Tim Allen methodology of "If it ain't broke, you can probably still fix it".

 

[JayTee2014]

Yes .. all that has already been covered in the several PCV, "blown main seal", and oil consumption threads. . . including the GM tech bulletins.
Yet .. installing a vented oil cap and using that as a preventative measure especially in winter may be the best option for average owners. The PCV orifice has proven that it can freeze at any time in older or even relatively new 2.4L engines.
Oil consumption was most often caused on earlier 2010 to 2013 2.4L engines by the infamous high pressure fuel pump seals leaking fuel into the crankcase and/or piston rings failing. A GM tech bulletin covered replacement of pistons and rings with upgraded components to address that and the HPFP.
If oil consumption is observed due to a clogged PCV orifice, it may already be too late since the oil is likely being lost to a popped out main seal. They start to seep oil first, then finally pop the lip on the seal and loose it all.