Here’s Why Installing a Catch Can on Your C8 Corvette Is a Good Idea

Once again, we’re seeing real-world examples of why catch cans are cheap insurance for C8 Corvette owners. 

Catch cans are one of a few parts in the modern automotive world that haven’t been around terribly long, and yet, have become incredibly popular among enthusiasts. The concept is quite simple – modern direct injected engines generate what’s known as  “blow-by,” which occurs when pressure escapes the combustion chamber by seeping past the piston rings, at which point oil can get in the intake manifold. Over time, this build up can reportedly worsen fuel economy and horsepower, and even cause misfires. Catch cans act as a filter of sorts and “catch” this gunk before it can get to the intake, and they aren’t terribly expensive, which is why they’ve become quite popular among owners of vehicles like the C8 Corvette.

Regardless, opinions remain mixed on whether or not catch cans are completely necessary, even though we’ve seen quite a few instances where C8 Corvette owners have shown off small amounts of oil that have accumulated in them over the course of a few thousand miles. Whether or not this is cause for alarm – or enough to justify purchasing and installing a catch can – remains a controversial and highly debated topic, regardless, as is clear from this recent thread in the CorvetteForum forums.

There, a member who goes by the username NoMatter posted his own experience with blow-by in his C8 Corvette, paired with a video that’s somewhat alarming. In the short clip, we can see him dumping what looks to be a solid amount of oil directly out of his intake manifold, and he even explains hearing it “sloshing around” as he removed that part, all of which is being done as this car is set to receive some upgrades for track purposes. NoMatter notes that he’s always installed catch cans on his cars, but in this case, decided to wait for those parts to arrive before doing so.

In this particular thread, NoMatter certainly isn’t alone, as several other members chime in with their own experiences related to catch cans. Quite a few have pics to support their claims that even after just a couple of track outings or with around 1,000 miles of normal driving, catch cans tend to accumulate a decent amount of oil – which would otherwise wind up in the intake manifold.

This thread also contains a few horror stories related to engines with a mere 40k miles or so that have suffered some pretty substantial buildup that has undoubtedly affected performance and fuel economy, seemingly solidifying the fact that cars like the C8 Corvette can benefit from a catch can. Of course, more spirited driving tends to create more of a problem in this regard than normal tooling around town, but given the fact that catch cans aren’t terribly expensive, it’s not surprising to see that many simply see them as cheap insurance against potential future issues.

Photos: Chevrolet, Corsa Performance

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