Parts that don't add horsepower aren't all that exciting, we know. But hear us out, because the UPR catch can is a highly recommended part on just about every performance vehicle. It keeps your intake and a good deal more clean.
Think of it as Orbit gum for your car. Dirty intake? Clean it up.
Why You Need a Catch Can
How the PCV System Causes This
Every late model Mustang, F-150, Bronco and Explorer has a PCV system, short for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. Understanding it is the whole argument.
When fuel burns in the engine it produces gases. Most leave through the exhaust, but some push past the piston rings and down into the crankcase. That is called blow-by.
Once in the crankcase, those gases mix with your oil. Two things follow. You get unwanted sludge in the oil, and the vapour vents back up into the intake system through the PCV valve, carrying crankcase fumes, oil, unburned fuel and distillates into your intake tract, manifold, valves and intercooler.
That is where the catch can earns its name. It catches those contaminants and holds them, rather than letting them travel any further into your engine.
Why the UPR One
We have installed UPR catch cans on just about every #teamlethal project vehicle, and not out of habit. Here is what you get.
- Full billet construction
- 5-way coalescing filters inside the can
- Large billet cup for holding trapped oil and contaminants
- Billet brackets and knobs so maintenance needs no tools
- Pre-assembled nylon braided hose lines from Continental
- Plug and play fittings that click on and off
- Cleans with soap and water
- Retains the factory vapor pressure sensor on applicable vehicles, which means no check engine lights and no oil getting onto the sensor
Available Upgrades
There are three worthwhile options to consider when you buy.
| Upgrade | What it changes | Worth it if |
|---|---|---|
| Pro-Series check valve | The standard valve has PTFE internals and a spring. The Pro-Series is larger, adds a ceramic ball alongside the spring, and is serviceable and cleanable. | You run E85. Being able to service the valve matters on corn. |
| Additional O-rings | Spares for maintenance. The can's O-ring wears with repeated opening and closing. | You plan to actually empty the can on schedule, which you should. |
| Magnetic drain plug | Same idea as a magnetic oil pan plug: catches metal debris so you can see it. | You want an early warning system for engine trouble. Cheap diagnostics. |
Find Yours by Application
Catch cans are vehicle specific. Find your platform below, or browse the full Oil Separators and Catch Cans collection, which carries 581 options across every application we support.
Mustang
Firewall mount
Supercharged version also available
SC remote mount version also available
Pairs with a dirty-side can
Black finish
Shelby GT500
Includes the clean side separator
Plug and play
Supercharged application
Passenger side also available
Satin, polished and black
F-150 & Raptor
Pro-Series check valves
Covers Expedition too
Passenger side
Plug and play
Black finish
Plug and play
Black or satin
Clean side system also available
5.0L / 6.2L version too
Bronco Raptor
Dual valve plus clean side
Also developed on our truck
Install: Our 2020 Shelby GT500
A catch can was one of the very first things we did to our 2020 GT500, for exactly the reason above. What is the point of a cold air intake with a pool of oil in it?
Steve from UPR Products, better known as @thecatchcanman, came to Lethal Performance HQ and helped us fit their then-new GT500 can.
Installation is straightforward: basic hand tools, roughly 15 minutes.
Passenger Side (the "Dirty" Side)
- Disconnect the factory PCV hose running from the supercharger to the cam cover.
- Install the supplied braided hoses, one onto the cam cover and one onto the supercharger. The cam cover hose is the one with the check valve, and the arrow on that check valve must point AWAY from the cam cover.
- Remove the very long stud from the radiator shroud with a 5.5mm deep socket. This is where the UPR bracket mounts.
- Fit the bracket, then mount the can to it with the billet UPR knob.
- Connect the hoses to each side and make sure every connection CLICKS into place.
Driver Side (the "Clean" Side)
Much simpler. Disconnect the factory PCV hose from the cam cover, click the UPR clean side can into its place, connect it with the supplied hoses, and you are done.
Removing a Ford Performance Separator
If your 2020+ GT500 has the Ford Performance oil separator fitted, it has to come off before the UPR can goes on. It is fiddly rather than difficult: roughly 30 to 45 minutes with basic hand tools.
- Remove the PCV tube connecting the supercharger to the top of the separator.
- Remove the separator drain hose clamp and the hose. Be careful, it may leak.
- Disconnect the separator hose line from the cam cover.
- Remove the bolt holding the can to the bracket, on the bottom of the can toward the passenger side.
- Slide the can forward on the bracket and remove it.
- Remove all zip ties and push pins holding the lines down.
- Remove the plastic protectors from the studs above the cam cover.
- Remove the three 8mm nuts from those studs.
- Remove the separator bracket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a catch can add horsepower?
No, and any claim otherwise is nonsense. What it does is keep oil, fuel and sludge out of your intake, manifold, valves and intercooler, so the parts that do make power keep working properly and your tune stays consistent.
What actually causes oil in the intake?
The PCV system. Combustion gases push past the piston rings into the crankcase, mix with your oil, and vent back up into the intake carrying oil, unburned fuel and distillates with them.
Do I need one on a direct-injected engine?
More than on any other engine. Direct injection sprays fuel into the cylinder rather than past the intake valves, so nothing washes deposits off them. On an EcoBoost, GT350 or modern GT, they just build up.
Will a catch can cause a check engine light?
Not the UPR one on applicable vehicles, because it retains the factory vapor pressure sensor. Cheaper cans that bypass the sensor are where CEL complaints come from.
How do I clean it?
Soap and water. The billet brackets and knobs mean you do not need tools to open it.
Is the Pro-Series check valve worth the money?
If you run E85, yes. It is larger, adds a ceramic ball alongside the spring, and is serviceable and cleanable, which matters on corn.
What does the magnetic drain plug do?
Same job as a magnetic oil pan plug. It catches metal debris so you can see it, turning your catch can into an early warning system for engine problems.
How long does installation take?
About 15 minutes with basic hand tools on our 2020 GT500. If you have a Ford Performance separator to remove first, budget another 30 to 45 minutes.
What is the difference between the dirty side and the clean side?
The dirty side handles the crankcase vapour heading toward the intake and is the one that catches the contaminants. The clean side handles the fresh air feed. A dual valve or clean-side-separator kit covers both.
When should I fit one?
Early. A good catch can should be one of the first mods you do, so every performance part you add afterward stays clean from day one.
Keep Reading
Questions? Give us a shout. Call 877-2-LETHAL or email us. #teamlethal
Protect Everything Else You Bought
Fifteen minutes, basic hand tools, and every performance part you own stays clean. 581 applications covered.
