Page 3 - blow by

We have had some radio silence with this F150 catch can project, but we now have some updates that we are ready to spill! This has been an interesting project from the beginning. The bulk of time has mainly consisted of road testing; we've logged thousands of miles so far, and every single mile counts.

Let's backtrack a bit. When we began this project, we intended to see what a dual-can setup would accomplish. In the last update we explained the benefit of having a catch can as part of both the PCV and CCV systems. Also, our engineer, Dan, was in the process of creating a mounting bracket for the cans and getting ready for some road testing. Our prototype looked great, and the hoses were neatly situated to allow the engine cover to stay in place.

Mounted Ford F150 EcoBoost catch can prototype!

Mounted Ford F150 EcoBoost catch can prototype!

Routing of some of the lines

The 3.5L

On to road testing! When we make a catch can for any vehicle, road testing allows us to be sure that no codes

This is it. The leather seat grips your back as hard as your hands grip the wheel and the tires grip the road. The pavement is your playground and nothing can break the connection you have to its twists and turns.  Your mind is calm, but calculating, guiding the wheels through every turn with finesse as the headlights cut through the darkness.  Smooth is fast, and this car is certainly smooth.  When you finally coax yourself to go home, stepping out into the cool night air, you think to yourself, "This is it."

The Dark Horse of Combustion: Blow-by

But what aren't you thinking about? Sure, BMW's N55 TwinPower Turbo inline-six engine is smooth and powerful, but what happens inside that engine is much more violent. Internal combustion engines are essentially controlled bombs; air and fuel combust to drive pistons and crankshafts.  One byproduct of this violence is power, but there are darker horses to contend with, too.  As the N55 churns away, high pressure on the top side of the

There's nothing quite like plopping oneself into the car to leave work on a summer evening, beach-bound and brimming, windows down, to the tune of the sunset vibes that arrive hand-in-hand with the heavy midsummer air of July. Our Mishimoto R&D facility is located in New Castle, DE, and around here, people tend to favor numerous seaside towns in Southern New Jersey or in Delaware.

A true slice of Americana, an evening stroll down the main drag of a typical east coast beach town is sure to leave anyone with a faint smile, humming "Surfin USA" and craving more frozen custard, or maybe another gin and tonic. The competing smells of crisp, briny sea air and sweet, fried funnel cake assuage the senses, while the voices of The Beach Boys emanate lazily and intermittently from the windows of passing cars. That's right west coasters, we have beaches here too, and we also have surfer girls, boardwalks, waves to catch, and even the occasional deuce coupe or fuel-injected stingray.

Steve behind the

We have begun developing a catch can system for the 2015+ Ford F150 EcoBoost! This project, although small (in components), could have a significant impact on the F150 EcoBoost market. Why? There are not many direct-fit options, and there are a lot of these trucks out there. Oil blow-by can be pretty serious, especially on turbo applications, and this truck is twin turbocharged! Nonetheless, many gearheads tend to question the merits of using a catch can. So before we go any further, let's briefly explain what a catch can actually does and why it's so beneficial!

Port vs. Direct Injection

With port-injected engines, the fuel injectors are inside the intake manifold and produce the fuel stream that mixes with the air. This mixture is shot into the combustion chamber, right past the valve area, helping to keep the valves clean and free of deposits. We all know that fuel is a great solvent.

Modern, direct-injected engines have a different approach. The injector is inside the combustion chamber,