Defending the King - 2017 Honda Civic Type R Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 3 - Blow-By Verified

Defending the King - 2017 Honda Civic Type R Direct Fit Catch Can R&D Part 3 - Blow-By Verified

Mishimoto 2017+ Honda Civic Type R Direct Fit Catch Can PreSale

No matter the manufacturer, the term "sports car" seems to have a special relationship with the color red. Something about this vibrant hue has become synonymous with a vehicle's performance characteristics. This is a trend that Honda seems to have taken to heart. If you look back to all the fast Hondas that rolled out of the factory, at the very least they're adorned with Honda's scarlet badge on the front grille. Regardless of what angle you look at the FK8, the accenting splashes of red stand out like a coat of arms. From the pinstripes lining the bumpers to the encapsulating red bucket seats and pop of the Type R's engine bay centerpiece, the cover, there's an indication that the CTR belongs to a certain class of car.

Honda's red and pseudo-carbon fiber engine cover really tie the whole engine bay together.
Honda's red and pseudo-carbon fiber engine cover really tie the whole engine bay together.

Rarely do we have the opportunity to work on a car like the CTR, so we couldn't resist doing something a little different for this catch can project. While one might feel that the number of red accents on the scolding hot Civic hatch are too much, we here at Mishimoto beg to differ. There isn't enough of it, especially under the hood, and we decided to add some more of the classic Rallye Red.

This is just an idea of what our color-matched bracket will look like. Same color, but with a wrinkle texture. While we experimented with our M as a stamp, it unfortunately won't make it on to the final product.
This is just an idea of what our color-matched bracket will look like. Same color, but with a wrinkle texture. While we experimented with our M as a stamp, it unfortunately won't make it on to the final product.

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This is a much more accurate look at what the finished red bracket will look like. Since our supplier is still working on these, I just used some Photoshop magic to give you a more accurate depiction.
This is a much more accurate look at what the finished red bracket will look like. Since our supplier is still working on these, I just used some Photoshop magic to give you a more accurate depiction.

Since we've already borrowed the design for the bracket from the Type R's little brother, this kit needed some more character. What better way to do that than color match the powder-coating to the same saturation peppered throughout the rest of the CTR? But, even if the bracket matched the color scheme, that doesn't mean much if there's no point for the can to be there.

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When we left off last time, our gracious loaner had our prototype system equipped on his Championship White CTR for a standard 1000-mile test. That distance doesn't seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but it serves as a good benchmark to determine if any check engine lights will be thrown, and how much blow-by, if any, will be caught during a standard oil service interval. I am pleased to say that after a thousand check-engine-light-free miles, the white Type R has returned, this time with about 8 ml of oil in our compact oil catch can.

A view of what was caught in our catch can right after we pulled it off of the car.
A view of what was caught in our catch can right after we pulled it off of the car.

The baffle plate inside of the catch can helps slow the incoming air and aides in the condensation of the oil and fuel particles in the PCV airflow.
The baffle plate inside of the catch can helps slow the incoming air and aides in the condensation of the oil and fuel particles in the PCV airflow.

8 ml of oil that is not going to start building up on the intake valves and other top end internals.
8 ml of oil that is not going to start building up on the intake valves and other top end internals.

Some might say the 8 ml of contaminated vapor caught in our initial test might not be enough to justify the use of a catch can. If you've ever seen any other catch can posts on our blog then you've noticed this is on the lower end of what we typically empty from our cans, but that doesn't make it any less harmful in the long run. Think of it like catching a cold. Personally, as soon as the sniffles start I run out and stock up on preventive medicines to help my immune system's struggle. While this sample collection is small, it's the K20C1's equivalent to the sniffles. Left untreated, it could develop into a full-blown sickness, reducing the power and efficiency of the Type R. On top of that, the direct-injected fuel delivery system in general makes for a weak immune system. While this setup is more efficient, the intake valves are no longer being constantly dosed with the detergent-filled fuels, leaving them vulnerable to carbon build-up. Since this small initial collection can end up causing big problems down the line, Dr. Mishi recommends a catch can to keep your vehicle cold-free.

Keep on a lookout for our catch can kit pre-sale starting very soon. The kit will include everything you need to direct fit a catch can in your FK8.
Keep on a lookout for our catch can kit pre-sale starting very soon. The kit will include everything you need to direct fit a catch can to protect your FK8.

Within the past few weeks, we've received our final production sample back at our warehouse, which is also going through the paces as we put some mileage on our performance intake prototype. For those of you eager to have an extra layer of protection between the crankcase and your intake manifold, keep your eyes peeled for a link to the pre-sale coming very soon!

Thanks for Reading!

 -Nick