Catch can alternative?

[WagonCrazy]

Hi guys and gals, new to this forum but have been reading A LOT about these engines and bought one recently in my 2011 Flex w/ ecoboost. Brought me to a question about these catch cans.

Talking about doing the catch can mod with a friend of mine who is from the old school but also has an Ecoboost 3.5 in his f-150 (I have a Flex).

He mentioned "why not make it like the old school and just breathe into the atmosphere?" Which in this case you would just block off the intake ports to prevent a vacuum leak and run the pcv lines to a catch can similar to what companies are supplying but have the exit just vent into the atmosphere, you could use any type of can really and save a good amount of money.  The mod would almost be free and would prevent any amount of oil at all from getting to the intake.

We were just talking about this so I wanted to bring it up to the gurus around here and see what you guys thought or if there is a big gaping hole in our theory?

 

[J-Will]

I too am a little confused around the catch cans. I understand what they are for, but like you, would rather completely mitigate any chance of oil entering the intake. I'd rather block the PCV (or have it enter a catch can like you suggest so as to vent air) and not have the PCV re enter the intake. If airflow is absolutely needed due to a sensor or something, then a filter (or hose from the intake after the filter) might be a better option.