Yes - you need an oil separator can

Can confirm the putridity

 

I was looking at the oil separators a little.
Just sounds like the oily air goes in and the oil is too heavy to get back out.
I agree with, if it was necessary it would already be there.

 

Regardless of what the vendor calls it, this setup appears to be an oil catch can, not an oil separator can. They both do the same thing - remove oil from blow-by/recirculating gases. The difference being that in an oil catch can, the ‘caught’ oil must be emptied manually. With an oil separator, the caught oil is returned to the engine’s oil supply. Not knowing how the JL system works, I could be off.

https://www.maperformance.com/blogs/tech/the-purpose-and-benefits-of-an-air-oil-separator

Oil separators do come installed in some models - some Subaru turbos, some BMWs, most Porsches, Austin Healeys had them, Ford Performance has oil separator kits for certain performance engines. And there are several others. I wouldn't be surprised if most high end performance cars have them.

They come highly recommended for turbo-charged and direct injection engines.

I have had a Saikou Michi catch can in my 2nd gen for about six years now. If not originally installed by the manufacturer, they are not smog legal in California. However, most techs don't know to look for them. My truck has passed smog twice with the can installed, in plain view. I am simply too lazy to remove it for smog checks, which are required once every two years in CA (after five years when purchased new).

 

I disagree with literally everything you guys just said but I am on vacation and feel too lazy to meaningfully respond so here are some photos of the AirBNB where I am staying instead.

 

1.) Death. You don’t want to die.
2.) You will die.

 

Well it looks to me .....you've died and gone to heaven....from the pics....


So the verdict is still out....

..........maybe they havent found your burnt out truck and body yet....

 

I’m not a huge “if it was necessary a Toyota would have included it stock..” guy but these motors, specifically the 3.4, are kind of proven bullet proof motors “as is” off the factory line.

Oil separators seems like an unnecessary thing to me.

 

I mean, sure, but then you won’t get to drink the delicious blow-by milkshake produced by your engine.

 

I’ve had one on my 3rz for a year or so now. See the same thing. Sludge/oil in the summer and it fills up pretty quick with water/condensation in the winter.

it is not going to hurt anything and preventing all that oil going into the intake is a good thing. Last I checked burning oil was a bad thing. Sure breathing that vapor into the engine isn’t a significant amount, but less is better.

As stated, the only reason the crank vent goes into the intake is for emissions, preventing those oil vapors from going into the atmosphere. Then there’s the egr also dumping crap into the intake and, though it’s more prevalent on diesels, when the exhaust gasses and oil vapor mix in the intake it can create some nasty tar that builds up on everything.

imo anything with a pcv should have an oil separator/catch can preventing this crap from getting into the engine, but as someone stated that would create more cost and maintenance, and in todays world where people are barely capable of putting gas in a vehicle we can’t have that. These emissions systems are not your vehicles friend and are not there for reliability sake. They are also some of the most prevalent causes of issues on modern vehicles, but manufacturers are required to use them so we are required to deal with the negatives, and this is one of the ways we do that.

as to the “if it helped, Toyota would have installed one” comments, all I have is this, If auto manufacturers did everything right, there’d be no aftermarket. Let alone the huge aftermarket that we have for vehicles. Auto manufactures have to compromise on everything mostly for the sake of money.

 

Not doubting at all a catch can or oil separator help. It's obvious they do.
In the 2 tacomas I've driven, over combined total of 21yrs and 263k miles, there hasn't been a need for one.
If you're trying to get 500k out of your engine and it helps you sleep better, by all means, slap one on.

 

Every time I see people posting up full / nasty looking catch cans, they almost all live somewhere humid.

Every time I see people posting up pics of very clean and empty or barely any fluid cans, they are usually in an arid or dry, low humidity area.

I have to think that a lot of what is in that can is moisture. Moisture enters via the PCV because it is present in the air. Condensates in the engine. Then evaporates as steam when the engine heats up and drives off the water. This is why you need to really get your engine up to temp for a good solid hour each week. It needs to drive off the moisture and impurities. Putting a catch can on there just lets it condensate back into water.

If you like them and you are a fan, go right ahead and put one on. They will never harm your engine. I'm just not completely sold on them being a necessity.

 

I live on the West Coast.

 

I put a catch can on my '96 tacoma at 146K miles to keep the intake manifold clean. Started out with a throttle body cleaning during which I swamped the IAC. So I studied up on here and other sites and went ahead and tackled cleaning the entire intake manifold. There was at least an 1/8" or more of oily black carbon build up throughout. After tackling cleaning all that I decided to put a catch can in last October. Haven't seen any water in it yet but have emptied black smelly oil, maybe a quarter fill, at oil change intervals. I'm thinking the short hops this truck typically makes is probably the real culprit but my intention is to not have to clean all that again anytime soon. Also, the EGR port to the throttle body was maybe 1/4" in diameter due to carbon build up. Old Silver warns about keeping the EGR system cleaned to avoid overheat, head gasket at cylinder 3 etc. I am inclined to believe he knows what he is talking about there. Took it on a trip to TN last weekend, up over Buckner gap and back. 22.76MPG and best I've ever gotten. Kept it to 70 or so on the ride home.




Cleaning the last two ports, all were that black.




Runs better and is more responsive.

 

I went to the dollar general and bought several cans of oven cleaner....
works slow so you can bottle brush the heck out of it....

Stuff I know.....is a compilation of other nightmares told here...
every once in a while I got good news.....but unfortunately this is not a good news place...
Hate me because I got a good memory.....

The real shit comes from the different videos....from the various retired toyota mechanics...

Those guys can tell you how to fix it and it stays fixed....

if I made videos.....I'd probably get threats.......




I'd clean the oven every 120K or so..... first time you could let slide a little..

I'd replace key cylinder, ignition switch and fuel pump at that same time.....
replacements ....even oem wont last as long as the original factory....

 

EGR deletion, if you can get away with it in your state, is worthwhile.

 

Anybody thinking of this.....I'd recommend you try it before you

make it permanent .......defeat the valve.....see if it even run.....



On an old truck....what have you got to lose......

I damn sure wasnt going to dick around with my new motor....
even messing with the canister lines can make it run like shit...

Something is cracking heads and blowing head gaskets...4 bangers disease....

 

I have been running EGR deletion for about five thousand miles. No complaints whatsoever.

 

The pcv valve is whats really gumming everything up....way to vent that would be nice....
especially as the engine ages.


So thats a no to the egr delete......

however for those oil catchers.....your experiences are very valuable....
keep posting....

go team tacoma.....







I guess for me, its a life of easy-off and Playtex gloves...

 

It's more important on boosted motors imo because of possibly building pressure in the crankcase outside of the combustion chamber. I def see more catch can use with my SC on the 3rz

 

At the same time no auto maker is sending their product to space where everything needs to be James WEBB grade. I think catch cans fall into the category of good to have but not critical. I would install mine all over again. $35.00 very well spent. I empty it 3-4 times per year. Never had a vacuum leak or other issue. I don’t know how people struggle with vacuum so much. I work with plumbing in a liquid capacity for work but still, connecting air lines tight is pretty elementary.

But to the other point, kinda the same thing as “lifetime” timing chain or coolant that never needs to be changed…. They last the life of the vehicle. The sooner you need a new vehicle (out of warranty) the better for the manufacturer. Something to consider. Planned obsolescence.