X5 35d (N57) Oil catch can install overview

[Mr.47]

My x5 35d has been making a little mess under the hood, upon examining I've discovered that my oil vapor hose has been leaking oil/vapor all over front of intake manifold, the mess was not significant but there was a build up of muck, dust and grime it was time to repair it.



However sadly it appears that this part is impossible to obtain, the hose part number is 58650910, real oem does not list it and the dealers showed up empty handed, what was odd is that its a common replaceable part in EU so with that out of the way is time to make ourselves a oil catch can system.

***Disclaimer, this is experimental, there's absolutely no guide to install these system nor there are any kits available for out N57's, a few forum members in the E90 335d (M57tu older engine) are the only sources that i've came across on how to install, do this wrongly and you can severely damage your motor, this is not a proper instruction to follow and i'm not responsible for damages perform at your own risk***

Sources
(M57) https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=965053

With the air box and upper clean air duct been removed out of the way, having cover the lower intake, we now have ourselves plenty of space to work with, i've marked the problem in red.



Up close shot of the problem, make sure you cover the lower intake duct so you dont drop parts, a dime or tools into the tube and end up destroying your +-$3,000 turbo.



A look into the lower intake hose going to the turbo charger, where the oil vapor line connects to, it defiantly oily all around the tube but no accumulations



After removing the hose and its electrical wire connection, you can clearly see the holes on the hose,



I proceed to remove the clic hose clamp and remove the hose, put a pick on the notch and give it a nudge and it will come out



After removing the hose I save the 2 piece, they're heating elements for the oil vapor and is needed for the retrofit. I also cut off the accordion section and save the 2 rubber hose that attaches to the heating element as adapters (hard to find 1in to 5/8in rubber hose adapters)



Next i've chuck in a couple of "3/4" brass elbows and a hose clamp to the make shift 1" to "5/8" hose adapter, this is just a temporary set up until i get me some quality silicone hose.



Next i got me some aluminum L bar at Home depot cut it about 5 inches long drilled some holes on it to mount, surprisingly there's a single large bolt holding the ABS module on to an isolator bracket, i used that to bolt and ABS to support the aluminum L bar for the oil catch can to mount on, I wanted the line to be as short and catch can close as possible to it will prevent delays in relieving crankcase pressure and I wanted the can to be isolated as the unit will get hot overtime, don't want any critical components or wires melting.



Next getting it all plumbed up, this was rather difficult as there are limited space, despite it been an SUV or SAV (whatever) and there's lots of hot components ie exhaust and emission system. But this it how I got mine successfully routed, its quite odd to be honest. (again this is temporary setup till i get my silicone hose)



Now you may notice the can looks diffrent, that's because you'll need a high flow oil catch can, the one that in picture is a BMS knock off for $25, and it's quite solid quality for the money.

The mishimoto universal oil catch can flow was quite restrictive, there was noticeable lag/surge/bog during hard acceleration, there was also quite bit of pressure under the oil cap, it sounded and felt like i was opening a bottle of soda when I twist open the oil cap which indicate too much crankcase pressure, with the knock off BMS oil catch can, I didn't not observe/notice any symptoms or issues when driving or any pressure under the oil cap.

Here's how it flows, the (brown arrows) "processed" oily vapors comes out of the upper hose goes down and around to the intake port of the oil catch can, then the (green arrows) oil free crankcase gas/vapor comes out and goes down into the intake to turbo charger to be burn off.



Here it is all button up, a very clean install and can hardly see it.


Another shot looking right on it, its nestle away from sight.


Oil catch can maintenance
1. 1st 1000 miles after installation: Remove lower part and get baseline on oil accumulation
2. Every time you fill up fuel your vehicle check the dipstick (if applicable), visually check for leaks/disconnected hose
3. Every start and end of winter season (+-1 yr) remove the unit cup and clean
4. Ever 2 year remove entire unit and thoroughly clean, inspect hoses and leaks.

So initially you want to open the can check the level for the first 1000 miles to get a baseline on how much your output, then after then you can increase your check intervals from there. This can I bought has a screw on dipstick which will be helpful in checking the level, nevertheless you should check the level every time you fill up your tank like you do with your engine oil.

I do plan to do a follow up with pics after going 1000 miles, so far i've only driven 10 miles, and so far nothing but a fine oil coating. We'll see how it goes.

[Mr.47]

***Update***

At about 100 Miles i decided to upgrade the system and removed the old the results is surprising

The upper hose (in pic) which connects off the build in valve cover oil separator and going to the aftermarket oil catch can has definite build up of oil, while the bottom hose is after going thru the oil catch can is quite spotless.


Looking inside the upper hose (from picture) there's a coat of oil throughout the hose, while the bottom hose is post oil catch can and it has almost no oil. Also the lower intake pipe to the turbo is virtually oil free.


The separator it self has some light coating around the cap nothing much


The two baffles (ie oil vapor condensers/part that separates the oil from vapor)has definite oil condensing around the baffles and is enough to lightly coat oil around the catch can.


Results
I think it's too early to have a definitive conclusion due to such short time span, however if given that if it had a longer time to dwell (around 6mo or 5000) might have a significant impact on outcome. However I've installed a more permanent and effective solution and will see how it performs.

[Mr.47]

**Upgrade**

So i've installed a more effective and permanent solution, utilizing BMS oil catch can solution.

This is made for the N54 (gas) engine but its design has larger ports and hose (19mm or 3/4 in ID diameter hose),high flow, and very effective oil baffles, there's quite a lot of praises of this design within the N54 community and i decided to give this a try, its $135 for the can alone, and no kits available for the N57 diesel


Basically located it the exact location from the previous but this time I mounted the ports facing towards where the original oil vapor plumbing was located and route a very short (about 1ft of hose total used) connection in and out of the BMS oil catch can. This method significantly improves heating up the oil catch can (prevent hose from freezing), quick evacuation of crankcase gas preventing pressure spike due to short plumbing, and somewhat easier removal of the catch can/service.


Here's the flow, the brown arrows is the oil vapor that comes out off the oem oil separator and into the oil catch can, then oil free vaports (ie blue arrow) goes to the intake of the turbo to be burned off.


All hidden away and it looks stock except for the aluminum bracket sticking out.


We'll have to see how this performs will do another update after 2500 miles or 3 months when my oil change and winterization service is coming up or sooner if something comes up. So far (<10 miles) there no problems or changes in the way it drives, there is a more noticeable turbo sound when under boost must the the sound resonating from the oil catch can due to lack of suppressor (the airbox/pipe acts as a sound suppressor for the turbo charger) and the short hose design.

[smyles]

Shouldn't it be somewhere easy to access? It's hard to tell from your pick, but anything harder than accessing a washer fluid cap would be a hassle, no?

[Mr.47]

Originally Posted by smyles

Shouldn't it be somewhere easy to access? It's hard to tell from your pick, but anything harder than accessing a washer fluid cap would be a hassle, no?

I would think an X5 will have lots of space in the engine compartment but to my surprise there isn't much available space to mount and plumb the hose to a place where it be more accessible.

The location i chose was, must be warm, have shortest plumbing and quick evacuation of crankcase gases. The oil vapor heater element will aid in keeping short plumbing adequately warm during start up in colder climate and the exhaust heat will keep the oil catch can and its hose warmed while driving, and finally the original design had the hose from the crankcase ventilation system directly to the intake which was almost instantaneous evacuation, having longer hose or having the oil catch can further way will create delays on how fast it can create vacuum to relieve pressure from the crankcase when fully boosted (constant low vacuum pressures is created at idle). That location fits my requirements but it's a bit to get to it unfortunately however after getting some initial data on output rate it should be a annual/biannual thing to for upkeep.

[JamesInSJ]

Any update on the oil catch can experiment?

[XxBBVTMxX]

So I knocked out Mr. 47s instructions for my 2014 35d but I went with the ADD W1 Oil Catch Can as I already have one on my Lexus IS-F and it works great. I have had it on for under 1k miles so far now and I do notice a difference. big benefits I'm getting from it from the start is that it is no longer burning the oil through my exhaust which causes that awful smell and I don't see small black oily spots near the exhaust ends on the rear bumper that I see by the end of the week.

My setup is different too as I can get to my can easily without removing anything. I drilled a small hole through the bottom of the front bar (already has a hole at the top) and bolted it there for easy removal when it is time to clean the can as well. I purchased their Silverado setup and it is all you will need to get it on your X5 easily (plus going to Lowes to get the washers, a bolt, and two 3/4 x 1/2 inch barb reducers for your hose setup). I also went with 15mm connections on the can and 15mm hoses which the brass connectors fit in perfectly without reducing size. I used straight connectors, not elbows. No issues, no warning lights, ran my computer and everything is working fine.

Pretty easy, and thank you Mr. 47 for your write up. It was very helpful as I've been wanting to do this for a while now.

I also got me a backup hose from "TuneMyEuro" to keep around just in case! The seller pretty much stated they are guaranteed for life and not to break like the OEM, thicker and stronger rubber 🤙🏽

[happydude]

First off, thanks Mr.47 and XxBBVTMxX for the information you both have provided they were extremely useful as I too have discovered my vapor line to be damaged and decided to try to retrofit in an oil catch can while fixing the issue. I chose the same can and placement at XxBBVTMxX. I was able to pick up the ADD W1 v3 can for $103 that included 3' of the 15mm hose which I found to be sufficient. I had a 2"x 2" aluminum angle cut 1" in length which I used to drill holes to create my bracket to mount the provided bracket for the can. I also found the 3/4" x 5/8" barb reducer worked better for the provided 15mm hose. I ended up using a straight reducer for the bottom and an elbow reducer for the top. I also used Oetiker clamps and found the 21mm for the ADD W1 hose and 22.6mm Oetiker for attaching to the cut off hose adapter to be the perfect sizes.

Here is a list of all parts I used:
ADD W1 V3 Catch Can with 15mm hose
2"x2"x1" Aluminum Angle
3/4" x 5/8" Barb Reducer
3/4" x 5/8" Barb Reducer Elbow
(2x) 22.6mm Oetiker Clamp
(4x) 21mm Oetiker Clamp
1/4" x 2" SS Bolt with washers and nut

Thanks for all the help! Here are some pics

[XxBBVTMxX]

Thanks happydude . I just cleaned out mine today after 2k miles. It's safe to say that I can clean mine out at around 5k or more as it did have a small pool of oil in there (dark as midnight) but not enough to touch the measuring stick.

I did change my intake hose to an elbow recently as well to make the hose shorter.

Another upgrade I did was add media to the inside of my can to assist even more in catching those air/oil vapors so the oil mist sticks to it. Things I used,

-Mesh strainer (cut to fit perfectly inside can)
-Brillo stainless steel scrubber pad
-High temp gasket maker (red)

I took the top apart and made sure the metal connections have high temp gasket maker to fully seal the metal on metal groves (talking about the baffles and top lid, two screws)

With the mesh, I made a "U", and used the two screws that hold the baffles to the top lid to secure them in place.

I used a stainless steel scrubber pad and undid it enough then cut in half and placed it inside the "U" to assist in collecting vapors (all this does not restrict air flow, just helps oil vapor stick to it instead of possibly going right out the other hose)

Just gotta make sure the "U" is not touching the measuring stick so you can still use it to measure. Sorry I just put more ideas in your head hahaha. It's something I read on other forums to assist in vapor catching.

[happydude]

Originally Posted by XxBBVTMxX

Thanks happydude . I just cleaned out mine today after 2k miles. It's safe to say that I can clean mine out at around 5k or more as it did have a small pool of oil in there (dark as midnight) but not enough to touch the measuring stick.

I did change my intake hose to an elbow recently as well to make the hose shorter.

Another upgrade I did was add media to the inside of my can to assist even more in catching those air/oil vapors so the oil mist sticks to it. Things I used,

-Mesh strainer (cut to fit perfectly inside can)
-Brillo stainless steel scrubber pad
-High temp gasket maker (red)

I took the top apart and made sure the metal connections have high temp gasket maker to fully seal the metal on metal groves (talking about the baffles and top lid, two screws)

With the mesh, I made a "U", and used the two screws that hold the baffles to the top lid to secure them in place.

I used a stainless steel scrubber pad and undid it enough then cut in half and placed it inside the "U" to assist in collecting vapors (all this does not restrict air flow, just helps oil vapor stick to it instead of possibly going right out the other hose)

Just gotta make sure the "U" is not touching the measuring stick so you can still use it to measure. Sorry I just put more ideas in your head hahaha. It's something I read on other forums to assist in vapor catching.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into that. I have an oil change coming up in about 1200 miles so I have some time to prep any modifications.

[XxBBVTMxX]

Originally Posted by happydude

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into that. I have an oil change coming up in about 1200 miles so I have some time to prep any modifications.

Yeah, it's really not hard to do. Just cutting the mesh to make it fits in there properly was a little time consuming because I wanted it to touch the can walls.

But not hard to do at all. GL

[quandary]

Some of the oil catch cans have a breather on top. Is this better than the ones in this thread?

[XxBBVTMxX]

Originally Posted by quandary

Some of the oil catch cans have a breather on top. Is this better than the ones in this thread?

As long as it's baffled, it'll do the job.

And no, I don't know anything about the ones with breathers, but I'm sure you can search for some answers. A catch can is a catch can. You can always go for the ones made for diesel cars, but it'll probably be difficult to find space in the F15 to mount.

[quandary]

Thanks. I am curious about this modification and it explains why my previously tuned diesels ended up with carbon build up. It seems like an inexpensive modification before I do my EGR delete after the warranty expires. I have read that freezing can be an issue if you are not on top of the levels and venting to the atmosphere trigger vacuum errors. I will continue my research but it looks interesting.

[XxBBVTMxX]

Originally Posted by quandary

Thanks. I am curious about this modification and it explains why my previously tuned diesels ended up with carbon build up. It seems like an inexpensive modification before I do my EGR delete after the warranty expires. I have read that freezing can be an issue if you are not on top of the levels and venting to the atmosphere trigger vacuum errors. I will continue my research but it looks interesting.

I have a friend who uses one like that. It vents out, so pretty much the filter catches it but nothing is going back into the air intake. So line to Catch Can, but intake line capped off. You can find so many ways people have applied catch cans. I liked Mr. 47s idea so I went with that. I'm cleaning it out now every 5K and I always get nasty oil and water in there. It's working

No check engine, or any issues with the engine.

[raducris]

Thank you all for documenting this; it really inspired me to finally get my hands dirty on this one. I didn't install the oil catch can but rather fix the leaky hose. Local BMW dealership asked CAD $320+tx for the entire air intake assembly, so I went cheap and fixed it with 2 1/2" copper fittings

[XxBBVTMxX]

Great job.

Just so you know, the one sold from TuneMyEuro is a better and thicker rubber, guaranteed for life or they'll send you a free replacement.

Also, I'd be wary about placing any metal there bro. Remember, things go down from there too and can end up in the turbo 😰