Is a Catch Can Actually worth it?
Short answer: yes, stock or built. It keeps oil vapor out of the intake system and helps keep the engine cleaner over time. Here’s why the VQ benefits from one and what actually matters when choosing a setup.
On the VQ35HR and VQ37VHR, the factory PCV system takes crankcase vapor and routes it back to the intake pipe — through the throttle body, through the intake manifold, through the valves — and tries to burn it off in the combustion chamber. That system exists primarily for emissions — not because your engine benefits from breathing that vapor again.
And it isn’t clean air. Crankcase vapor carries oil, moisture, and other contaminants that get pulled back through the intake every time you drive.
There are plenty of catch cans on the market, and most of them are built wrong. A can that doesn't manage crankcase pressure correctly can create more problems than it solves.
Most "budget" catch cans on the market are sealed pressure cans with nowhere to vent. As pressure builds, it looks for another way out, often through seals and gaskets. Result: oil leaks and problems that get mistaken for normal wear, when it's really the can causing it.
A true atmospheric baffled catch can can exhale the dirty PCV vapor on its own, and inhale fresh filtered air from the engine bay when the engine needs it. Pressure has somewhere to go. This is the exact distinction our design is built around
PCV Delete Kits
Two small air filters that connect straight to the valve covers. Cheap and simple, but you’re venting everything right into the engine bay instead of controlling and collecting it properly. Pressurized air has nowhere to go, and in the worst case, that's a fire risk in the engine bay.
Non-Atmospheric ("Pressure") Cans
The most common cheap-out. A sealed can may collect oil, but it can also trap crankcase pressure. If the system can’t vent properly, you’re creating a new problem while trying to solve another one.
Inline Catch Cans
These keep the factory routing intact and just drop a can in the middle: valve cover → catch can → intake pipe. It'll catch a little oil blow-by, but the pressure problem is untouched. Better off leaving the factory setup alone than installing one of these.
"Choosing the right catch can matters. Get it wrong and you end up chasing leaks and replacing parts for no reason. None of these are how ours works — here's what we actually built."
The TriggaSpec setup was built around three things: proper venting, effective baffling, and a clean VQ-specific fit.
Vapor travels through multiple layers of baffling material inside the can, helping separate oil from the air before it vents through the filters.
Factory-style location, zero compromise on looks. No more cracked plastic tank under the hood.
Like every TriggaSpec kit, this comes fully prepared. All you need is basic hand tools and the included step-by-step instructions.
- ✓ Valve cover fittings
- ✓ 4 PTFE / stainless steel or nylon hoses, pre-assembled for VQ
- ✓ All clamps and fittings for a plug-and-play install
- ✓ Custom hose lengths available for supercharged setups
Aftermarket intakes: If your intake has no PCV ports, there's nothing to cap. This is common with many 3-inch intake setups, which is one reason we strongly recommend a catch can when running them.
The catch can has a built-in drain at the bottom. Unscrew it, drain the contents into a cup, and recap it. That's it.
Carbon buildup is silent until it isn't. A properly designed catch can is a simple way to keep oil vapor out of the intake while giving crankcase pressure somewhere to vent.