Huge oil leak after catch can install on 2LT - coincidence or cause?

[Mattew]

As title implies I wanted to improve my engine by instaling catch can, but it seem to went downhill pretty fast. But I am not sure if it realy cause or just it happend at same time. Basicly after install I did drive it about 150 km, including some highways and after that when I looked under truck I see that disaster. Oil everywhere. On front diff, side of gearbox and transfer, drips on swaybar, exhaust, fuel tank, drips on rear axle, diff. I did even found tiny tiny drops on rear bumber and even on rear window!!
Under hood it was similar. I had small leak at valve cover, but that just make area "wet" of oil not driping oil down. Now I saw fresh oil around injectors / intake manifold, near timing belt cover that looke like it leaks from under head?? Even fresh oil at where dipstick goes at block (like wut?!!) Passenger side was soaking oil wet at back of engine, hard to say what can leak there, it just look like every possible bolt leak oil....
I assume my head gasket is gone :rip: But who know, maybe it is not that catastrophics. I ll be calling my mechanic tomorrow and hoping he will look at soon as possible.

I welcome any hints and tips you may have. Even its too late.

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

Did you somehow install it wrong and block the PCV system off? If you did, that would build pressure in the engine and force oil out wherever it can escape. Catch can is very simple, just a loop on the PCV system.

 

[ElZilcho]

It's possible when you installed the oil catch can you accidentally closed off the PCV. This can pressurize the crank case and valve covers which will push oil through the seals and gaskets.

 

[Llowlife]

Hard to make an internet diagnosis but these would be my questions. I have a heavily breathed on twin turbo direct injection
Which would benefit greatly from a cc and my research has brought back questionable results from catch cans. To a large degree it was down to proper design.

To me it kinda sounds like the breather system possibly plugged and it built up pressure. That would be 1 possible explanation of seeming to leak everywhere.

Who made it, correct design etc.
Was it hooked up correctly
How much blowby did your vehicle have b4 installation
Is the can incorrectly built and possibly too small for the blowby your producing thereby building up pressure.
Is the can breathing at all
Was it just coincidence after all.

 

[Mattew]

I did checked CC few times before instal, even try blow through to see if is not blocked and how big resistance it crates. Blowing air just by mouth was very easy so I assume was okay. Installed with help of pics and video. Before I disconnect it after incident, I did check CC and it seem it worked. Was little oil inside. Again, I assume it worked as designed. It was Mishimoto Compact 2 btw. Maybe it is realy small for such big engine / blowby. Now I am seeing that engine blowby was small and nothing dramatic as I expect. So most likely not big help form CC anyway. Yeah, I broke my engine for nothing, silly me :ybrick:
Maybe I leak isnt everywhere. I imagine if valve cover leak, then fan just force oil to back and down, everything gets dirty, so who knows.

Side note: After cc instal, I think engine was quieter, when cc disconnected I do think I hear againg good ´ol diesel knock as before. Could cc or different crank case pressure change/muffle sounds of engine?

A 75km long trip back home with can disconnected and PCV as stock (its one hose anyway...) , but leaks more or less did persist, well some seals and/or gaskets are gone :cry2:

 

[Llowlife]

I can't come up with any sound reason the cc would muffle sound of a pvc system. I have learned to never say never as well

 

[Mattew]

Yes it is weird. Maybe I was just thinking something, who knows.

On issue: well, nothing new yet, next week mechanic ll look at it. I did look at it yday and made short drive to see whats what. It seem now that biggest leak where I can see most of "fresh oil" is from valve cover (mostly at rear) , which is good. That is cheap and easy repair and it explain why is oil all over the engine. Some other leaks I can not explain.
I ll update soon as I ll know something new.

 

[Mattew]

Reporting back. Oil problems seems to be fixed now. I ll need check it more over time but it seem main problem was valve cover gasket. Rubber material turn into almost solid plastic. Replaced and no more oil everywhere. Reason for oil to be all over the engine seems to be only oil from valve cover to be blown everywhere by air in engine bay. When weather gets better (when spring come ) I ll clean engine and see if there any leak remain.
My theory is that addet catch can increase crank case pressure little bit and old gasket just finaly give up. Not sure if I connectit back and wait for other seal/gasket to blown up or be like "f* it" and keep it stock. There was little blow by anyway.

 

[Arild]

Good to hear.

I should notice, when i replaced the valve cover gasket i cleaned the cover itself and found the opening where the hose fits (the one that leads the gasses to the air-intake) almost clogged.

 

[Redthies]

Not sure if I connectit back and wait for other seal/gasket to blown up or be like "f* it" and keep it stock. There was little blow by anyway.

Toyota designed it that way for a reason. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind...

 

[Redthies]

I should add Mattew, that I’m not trying to say it was bad to do a catch can, but just that unless there is an existing problem you are trying to fix, sometimes it’s best to leave things as designed.

My diesel has all the emissions crap on it (it’s a 2014), and while I realize that EGR isn’t exactly beneficial to the engine, it is operating as designed, and has yet to cause me any problems. When I have an emissions related problem, if it costs more to keep it stock than it does to delete, I will be getting rid of that stuff. We don’t have testing here, so it’s easy to do.

 

[Mattew]

unless there is an existing problem you are trying to fix, sometimes it’s best to leave things as designed.

Whole catch can idea was about making "improvments" after seeing oil covered intake. But those 150km with can instaled show very little oil returning actualy. So I ll be keeping it stock and when weather allows it, take out catch can out of engine bay.

I see. EGR is plague for engines, and like half of emission stuff as well. I heard about that EGR is like biggest reason why ppl here fail emission test. Well, petrol engines since emission test for diesel here is to rev it to max rpm and measure amout of smoke it produce. Newer car have also Readiness codes checked.
Glad I do not have any of this crap. Guess I should not touch engine if not needed