I thought some my enjoy this....

 

I remember reading about these a couple of years ago. I couldn't find a single case of someone having issues with their engine due to carboned up valves, so I dismissed it as a solution looking for a problem.

Some quick Googling this evening and I can't find a case where this has been an issue. Sure, some other engines are having these issues, but with well over a million EcoBoost-powered F150s on the road, some as long as six years and 300,000+ miles, I would think we would have heard about a problem if there was one.

Time will tell though, and I'm happy to be proven wrong. Can anyone find any evidence otherwise?

 

I think the guy in the video is a trustworthy source, but generally I agree there doesn't seem to be a huge issue that's made it's way onto the forums or internet in general. The 6.0 PS debacle was well known within a few years and we're past that point with the EBs. As I've mentioned down in the EB section, many of the catch can users seem to be running tunes and other performance mods. I'm seriously considering a catch can just to keep this crap out of my engine, but I'm not 100% convinced it's needed yet. I do a fair amount of city driving and short hauls, so I'm looking to ensure all the increased idle time doesn't do any long term damage...

If anything, I think the jury is still out on the engine longevity for those of us that drive 10k-15k miles per year. The higher mileage engines might be operated in an environment (lots of freeway) that helps minimize the carbon build-up risk. Nothing yet suggests (as we've already mentioned) that these engines will start having carbon issues after 150k miles over 10 years...but I'd suggest haven't gotten there yet with a large sample size. As a counter, a buddy of mine is a police officier in a local city here and their new Explorers are already having engine issues due to the extensive idle time. He wasn't aware of the details, but DI engines don't seem to do well idling.

My 2 cents...

 

At the parts house the other day and a couple of guys were talking that Ford has a TSB either out or coming out over valves & carbon issues. don't know which Eco Boost or if it is even true.

 

There are TSBs for the other Ecoboosts, but nothing yet on the 3.5 or 2.7.

Josh

 

The only evidence I've seen is...fear mongering helps to sell catch cans.

 

After watching the video, I am very interested to learn more. Sales gimmick, or is this something we should all worry about? If those pix were indicative of what happens to some engines, will it happen to mine? Does it matter if it's a high mileage engine? Or, if a truck is driven very hard, does the extra blow by create this valve build up? I would like to point out that the early pcv engines often had cans that looked a lot like a 3-pound coffee can in the circuit. We're this there to trap oil? Jag

 

Came across this video. Looks like a better install, but still unsure it is necessary.

 

I still don't think this is even helpful.

Did a bit more searching around. Over 1,000,000 F150s sold with EcoBoost engines, and I have yet to find any that had an issue that required valve cleaning or replacement. Found these...one guy with a '10 Taurus SHO got the BG Induction Service done. Before:


After:


IIRC that engine had 100,000 miles on it at the time of service. Can't tell much difference before vs. after, and neither of them look anything like the worst-case valve coking images we see bandied about.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of folks running high miles on their trucks with nary an issue. Here's one:

300,000 miles on my 2011 Eco Boost!!!

And another:

Who's Ecoboost has the most miles mileage on it - Page 33

Neither have a single post about a catch can or any kind of valve problem. Fairly certain these exist because people are looking to solve something that isn't a problem, as well as lining the pockets of those who make them.

 

Perhaps it would help with "oil dilution?"

 

...timely refresh on this topic...

 

I don't see how it could affect oil dilution. This happens when fuel forces its way past the piston rings and ends up in the crankcase where it dilutes the oil. The purpose of a catch can is to remove oil that's escaped through the PCV system before it gets dumped into the intake and subsequently burned in the cylinders.

How could trapping this errant oil and preventing it from being burned have anything to do with fuel making it past piston rings?

 

It's all from the same ecosystem right? The fuel blowby gets mixed in with all the oil and water mist/vapor/whatever and routed thru the catch can. Why wouldn't it get caught up in the mix?

I'm probably missing something obvious...Are you thinking the fuel will still get mixed in with the oil and it won't change the % fuel dilution in thr engine?

 

No, you're talking different things. The PCV system recycles air from the crankcase back into the intake, which has a small amount of oil in it. This flow of air comes from the valve cover. Fuel enters the oil when it works its way past the piston rings and mixes with oil in the crankcase that's splashing around.

Everything that goes through the PCV system gets burned in the combustion chambers. The fuel that dilutes the oil comes from a high pressure injector spraying directly into the combustion chamber; this has absolutely nothing to do with PCV.

 

From the author....



FordTechMakuloco1:18 PM




Fuel as you know it will turn into vapor quite easily and partially comes out with the oil vapors over time. Now the idea here is to prevent the fuel dilution in the first place by allowing the combustion process to be more complete. Without this wet dirty air charge coming into the cylinders there is a more complete and more powerful burn so less oil dilution and in many cases 1-3mpg improvement overall. Think about oil dilution lots of it comes from cold starts when it is not running so efficient now add the coked valves, intake tract and the tops of the pistons to the mix. This is when you get cold start misfires again incomplete combustion means increased fuel dilution of the oil. I could go on and on with more examples but you get the point. Deposits in the engine has been a concern for a long time this is nothing new. I will leave you with this- If this catch can does it's job by trapping oil vapors, fuel vapors, acids and prevents the collection of water droplets in the CAC by which in the end saves your bank 2 catalytic converter from premature replacement (which is a real problem due to intake design) well then the kit just paid for itself in the end.