Catch Can vapor smells?

[itguy61]

Is. anyone noticing this? Anybody getting smells inside the cabin when you start the car? If so, which catch can?

 

[HerbieTheCar]

Faint vapor like two months ago. Don't notice it now. Some have said it smells like gas and some have said it smells like the new car smell.

ADD W1 OCC

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Make sure your catch can isn't full of condensation...

 

[Toddasaurus]

One of my catch cans began smelling a few weeks ago. Definitely crank case vapors smell. You can even see some residue/oil film on the outside of the can where it's leaking...



I've ordered replacement o-rings. Hopefully they'll stop the stink. You can really smell it through the vents when I first start the car, it's pretty dang annoying.

 

[cncBilly]

I get a faint smell every now and then. ADD W1

 

[moinmoin]

I've ordered replacement o-rings

I found the O-ring packaged with the replacement oil filter fits my OCC. As I am changing oil every 5,000 km, I am recycling the used O-rings into the OCC for non mission critical uses...

 

[CKeeler]

I get it a lot. Noticed it after every time I accelerated this morning. Checked the can it was half full. Emptied it and cleaned all the connections around it. Smell went away after a bit.

 

[Toddasaurus]

I forgot to post it here.. After replacing the o-rings both on the nipples and the bottom section of the can, I no longer have any vapor smells. I'm a happy camper now. I have plenty of extra of the smaller o-rings for the nipples if anyone needs some.

 

[itguy61]

So you were having leaks at the rings on the input output nipples as well as the big on on the can? I have a new can on the way due to mine being mis-cut which resulted in the bottom part of the can immediately contacting metal on the top part instead of seating agains the O-ring and sealing.


I wonder if they got a bad batch and/or installed them too tight on the nipples? Trying to figure out why you had to replace them since we don't mess with these during normal maintenance with the catch can.

 

[Toddasaurus]

So you were having leaks at the rings on the input output nipples as well as the big on on the can? I have a new can on the way due to mine being mis-cut which resulted in the bottom part of the can immediately contacting metal on the top part instead of seating agains the O-ring and sealing.


I wonder if they got a bad batch and/or installed them too tight on the nipples? Trying to figure out why you had to replace them since we don't mess with these during normal maintenance with the catch can.

I only saw evidence of a leak on the front can, input nipple. The o-ring wasn't seated properly, I assume it was an error during assembly. I decided to just replace all o-rings, large and small. I took everything apart to inspect it all, and I figured new o-rings all around would be a good thing.

 

[itguy61]

I am going to look at all of them when my replacement comes in. Thanks for the info!

 

[87and66]

i get this too. i have one of the cheap catch cans from amazon (actually s a pretty good job). but i smell vapors if i drive and then shut the car off for a few minutes and then start driving again. And when i park in my garage and my furnace comes on. Not sure where the smell is escaping. Maybe its the dip stick, but that's so small, I'm not sure. I'll replace the o-rings at some point

 

[Meckman]

I have the smell too. I have the ADD W1. A month ago I added some high temp thread sealant and that helped a lot, but there was still a bit left. I pulled off the catch can bottom and noticed the large o-ring was rather loose, so I ordered up a new one this week. Once I get it on the car I’ll post an update.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

The only time I notice any vapor smells is occasionally when I get condensation in the system. I can see the condensation when I open the can and there's water in it. I seem to get condensation when the weather is cool say less than 50-60F... When it warms up I get none.

 

[cncBilly]

The only time I notice any vapor smells is occasionally when I get condensation in the system. I can see the condensation when I open the can and there's water in it. I seem to get condensation when the weather is cool say less than 50-60F... When it warms up I get none.

Do you do a lot of short drives where the car doesn’t get up to temp for any length of time?

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Do you do a lot of short drives where the car doesn’t get up to temp for any length of time?

I average about 3000mi/month, so no.

 

[cncBilly]

I average about 3000mi/month, so no.

From reading elsewhere I was under the impression the condensation was a result of short drives in cold weather. Obviously not in your case so I guess I was reading speculation. Thx for the input. I have yet to see condensation personally but living on the Wet Coast prolonged temps below 0c/32f don’t happen a lot. I also always drive the car up to temp.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Yeah, I'm near Jacksonville Fl. so it's relatively warm here but our winters are around 50F. So during that time, I got enough condensation where I needed to empty my can every 500-700 miles due to water buildup. Obviously now that we are back to 70-90F, no condensation. And no odor.

 

[cncBilly]

Yeah, I'm near Jacksonville Fl. so it's relatively warm here but our winters are around 50F. So during that time, I got enough condensation where I needed to empty my can every 500-700 miles due to water buildup. Obviously now that we are back to 70-90F, no condensation. And no odor.

There must be a humidity factor in there because we have 32-50F weather for months, pretty much our winter range. And like I say I have yet to see condensation. I find this interestingfor some reason.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

There must be a humidity factor in there because we have 32-50F weather for months, pretty much our winter range. And like I say I have yet to see condensation. I find this interestingfor some reason.

Well it freaked me out the first time I saw it... Did some research and found out it was common. And everything checks out normal. And yeah, we stay humid year round.