What Catch Cans are y'all running on the 2.3L EcoBoost?

[kunar]

Not a ranger, but i've got a JLT on my 3.5 eco, and have for several years and 70k miles (engine's just under 200k now). Never had issues with the hoses or anything like that, and there's always junk in it when i empty it. I don't know that i "need" it, but it's cheap insurrance IMO. It looks like they make one for the ranger, and i wouldn't hesitate to grab one if i had a new ranger.

 

[HenryMac]

With what I know about GDI engines, especially those with turbos, I will be installing a Catch Can on my 2023 Ranger. It helps with 2 issues: 1) intake valve coking and 2) oil getting into the intercooler.
CMOS

It helps on motors without a built in oil separator system that comes with the engine, but is it needed on our 5th generation GDI Rangers that have the system from the factory?

If the folks making the cans did R&D they could set-up 2 motors, one with the can, one without. Then run the motors in an identical fashion simulating a lot of miles. Then tear down the motors and document the results to show what, if any, benefit there is to the catch can.​

​

Until then, we'll never really know if they are needed.​

You can't compare two different folks that own 5th Gen Rangers, one with the can and one without.
To many variables, such as

• what oil is used,
• oil change intervals,
• short driving trips vs long driving trips,
• top tier premium fuel vs regular fuel,
• yadda, yadda, yadda.

 

[sgtsandman]

With what I know about GDI engines, especially those with turbos, I will be installing a Catch Can on my 2023 Ranger. It helps with 2 issues: 1) intake valve coking and 2) oil getting into the intercooler.


CMOS

From what I remember, the inlets into the intake are after the intercooler. If I’m correct, oil in the intercooler shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t get my hands on the 2019 as much as I’d like. So there is a possibility that I’m incorrect.

The 2.3 does have an oil separator in or attached to the block though. I imagine it helps but I don’t have proof one way or another on how effective it is and for how long.

@JohnnyO did mention somewhere here that people over at the 5 or 6G forum were noticing hose hardening and breaking issues with some of the catch can kits. He may need to expound on what he knows.

I seem to remember someone, @HenryMac I believe, reporting that fuel in the oil was reported as being present before or exacerbated above what it was before early on when the new Rangers first came out and the catch cans were made available. I believe that was on the 5G forum.

I seem to recall there was some kind of O-Ring issue associated with the fuel in the oil issue. I would recommend fully hashing the issues out before you take the leap just to make sure you aren’t fixing one issue just to create other ones.

The ecoboost powered Rangers are still a relatively new thing and haven’t been hashed out like the older models. In many ways, we are still learning as well.

 

[JohnnyO]

@JohnnyO did mention somewhere here that people over at the 5 or 6G forum were noticing hose hardening and breaking issues with some of the catch can kits. He may need to expound on what he knows.

I'm not an expert but I read a lot.
A number of people at 5G have said the hoses on the Mishimoto unit got brittle after a year and a half or so and cracked. Also on some of the cheaper no-name units.
Mountune seemed to have few if any complaints but it costs more.
That being said....
It seems that if you dig a little deeper with people, the folks who get the most residue in their catch cans do a lot of short trips and don't put on a lot of miles.
Dudes who put on 5000 miles a year say they get crud. Dudes who drive a lot say, "WTF did I get this for? There's nothing in it."
Also they collect more residue in the winter so it seems cold weather affects it.
My work commute is 18 miles each way plus a few days a week I have to drive to our other facility about 10 miles down the Interstate, so I'm not going to worry about it.
My take is that it can help if you make a lot of short trips and if it gets cold where you live, get the Mountune unit. Otherwise you probably don't need it, the factory unit is enough.

 

[superj]

Three of the cars in my driveway are gdi. Not particularly a new ranger though. My son's 14 ecoboost focus st has 150k and no catch can and seems fine. Its the 2.0. My wife's 2.5 2018 mazda3 has no catch can and 34k miles and seems fine.

But i havn't sent the boroscope down the runners to look at the back of the valves. I should but i just haven't thought about it

My 2017 nissan titan has catch cans and has since the first oil change. The engine has 29k on it and i get all kinds of oily mess out of the can. The can is a jlt amd is about 2 inches deep and 2 inches wide. It normally has an inch of junk in it when i empty it at 2-2.5k miles. The titan is our nice truck for driving out of town or sunday drives, its not a daily.

The guys on the titan forum who boroscoped theirs with no catch cans had lots of build up on the backs of their valves. Some guys bought little attachments for their compressors so they could walnut shell blast their valves and then install catch cans. No one has posted video or photos after blasting and installing cans though, its not been to long.

After seeing what comes out, i am glad i did on my nissan. I have one to install on the wife's mazda3 and my son wants one for his focus st but just hasnt gotten one yet.

 

[CMOS]

I agree with the opinions above stating "we may not need the catch can on the 2.3EB".

With regards to the existing "oil separator" on the late model 2.3's - where does the collected oil go? Does the operator have to empty some type of reservoir? Have not heard of such a thing.

Thoughts?

CMOS

 

[sgtsandman]

I agree with the opinions above stating "we may not need the catch can on the 2.3EB".

With regards to the existing "oil separator" on the late model 2.3's - where does the collected oil go? Does the operator have to empty some type of reservoir? Have not heard of such a thing.

Thoughts?

CMOS

It drains back into the crank case. It’s either built into the base that the oil filter screws on to or right next to it. I tried searching it and only came up with catch can results for the ecoboost and only one video about it for the duratec. Being that I’m on cell data, I can’t dig into if further.

 

[HenryMac]

I agree with the opinions above stating "we may not need the catch can on the 2.3EB".

With regards to the existing "oil separator" on the late model 2.3's - where does the collected oil go? Does the operator have to empty some type of reservoir? Have not heard of such a thing.

Thoughts?

CMOS

Separator Assembly Oil - Ford (4L5Z-6A785-AA)


Mounts on the drivers side of the motor down low just above the oil pan.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Around here I notice many do not shut off the auto stop/start feature. Whilst stopping and going in the next lane, I hear their vehicle shut off and re start every 50 feet for miles and miles...The starter probably cycles hundreds of times a day, every day.

 

[sgtsandman]

Around here I notice many do not shut off the auto stop/start feature. Whilst stopping and going in the next lane, I hear their vehicle shut off and re start every 50 feet for miles and miles...The starter probably cycles hundreds of times a day, every day.

The vehicles with start/stop have beefed up starters. Where I drive, it doesn’t function enough to bother me. In stop and go traffic (where it’s really supposed to help), I can see it getting annoying.

 

[CMOS]

Around here I notice many do not shut off the auto stop/start feature. Whilst stopping and going in the next lane, I hear their vehicle shut off and re start every 50 feet for miles and miles...The starter probably cycles hundreds of times a day, every day.

I ordered mine WITHOUT that damn "feature."

CMOS

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I neuter it every chance I get in the Bronco.

The ultimate is when I pull in the driveway and it shuts off. I put it in Park and it restarts.

Then I shut it off.

We're saving gas left and right now!

 

[HenryMac]

I ordered mine WITHOUT that damn "feature."

CMOS

That's possible? Must be a new 2023 thing.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

That's possible? Must be a new 2023 thing.

+1?

 

[Eddo Rogue]

The vehicles with start/stop have beefed up starters. Where I drive, it doesn’t function enough to bother me. In stop and go traffic (where it’s really supposed to help), I can see it getting annoying.

I thought it was more for red lights, where you are actually stopped for awhile...red lights are long and often around here. Freeway is literally stop and go, every few seconds, for miles....its quite maddening. Freeway my tuckus.