The Beauty of An Oil Catch Can For Your 2002 – 2006 MINI Cooper

If you own a 2002 – 2006 Mini Cooper S you are probably well aware that it is prone to excessive oil vapor buildup within the intake system. The existence of the problem can be confirmed by removing the rubber boot attached to the intercooler. Spray a little cleaning fluid into the tube (removed from the car at this point) and you will notice a large amount of oil in the run-off.
While the buildup of oil won’t hurt anything, it will affect the performance of the car. As the layers of oil build up they start affecting the efficiency of the intercooler. The intercooler becomes less effective at removing the heat from the intake charge and the end result is a loss of power and gas mileage. In addition, the oil will eventually gum up the various sensors found in the intake system, leading to even more problems and reduced performance in the future.
To eliminate the oil fouling problem, a solution can be found in an aftermarket oil catch can. The best oil catch can currently being produced is made by M7 Tuning. Their catch can is made from billet aluminum and is available in a black powder coated finish or in the natural machined aluminum finish with a protective clear coat to help keep it look great. It is equipped with an oil drain plug which also incorporates a magnet to remove any metal particles that may make it into the system. Their catch can use a sight tube so you can easily verify the amount of oil in the can and drain accordingly.
Their kit comes complete with all required hoes, brackets and fittings specifically tailored for the R53 installation. The hoses are oil and heat resistant, unlike silicone hoses, will not discolor from oil that passes through them. Also available on the website is a detail installation manual with plenty of pictures to make this an easy do-it-yourself project. To find out more about the Oil Catch Can system visit them at www.m7tuning.com.