Fysisist

I want to go with the air oil separator, but the RR Racing sites states that "Please note that 2015 RCF requires a minor modification of the engine cover for bracket installation." Just wondering what that minor mod is and what the result of the minor mod looks like. Anyone?

thanks

ISFPOWER

iTrader: (20)

you cut the engine cover. this is unacceptable for a 60-80k car. ill be making my own. I'm not going to start hacking up my car just to get a product made for the ISF and can be "made" to work. the engine cover is more than twice the price of that AOS.

ba2sy

iTrader: (1)

Check and compare the photo. Good thing they finally put that disclaimer.


It does sound gruesome when I finally heard it from my mechanic on the spot since the website didn't mention that disclaimer before. But after the hacking event, it looks even now.

skipetenj

iTrader: (2)

It is a very minor trimming of the cover - Only a trained eye will spot it. Advantage to RR system - very quickly removed to drain oil. Typically need to empty twice a track day depending on oil being used. Ester based synthetics will require less.

Fysisist

Took a look around the interwebs, didn't see any other RCF specific AOS out there besides the RR Racing. Know of any?

I saw a couple of universal units, such as moroso which might be workable.

Would I be correct in assuming that I can make this minor modification with my Dremel?

Thanks for any info.

Davew77

Here is a thread from the IS F forum:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...separator.html

I have read through the entire thread. I read that someone used the RR Racing AOS and it didn't catch much oil. Then they switched to the dual radium setup and it caught a lot of oil:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ml#post9656467

Plus, with the dual radium setup it can be installed without cutting the engine cover. In the pics in that thread the engine cover was still cut, but it didn't have to be cut IMO. I don't want to cut my engine cover.


Pics of the dual radium setup:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ml#post9679263

As for where to get it, you'll have to look unless someone else chimes in. I haven't gotten that far yet.

skipetenj

iTrader: (2)

I was looking at the pictures of the dual radium setup and it looks like the cover has been trimmed. My RR AOS collects oil fine.

Davew77

I guess that you didn't read my post correctly. The engine cover was cut in the pics, but as I already said it didn't have to be cut. The person who installed it chose to cut it rather than to route the hoses around it.

The RR Racing AOS gets mounted right in the way of the engine cover which means it has to be cut. Minor cutting or not, any cutting of the engine cover is damaging that stock piece of equipment which costs more than the AOS that is being mounted. If you want to cut your engine cover, that is on you. I will not be cutting my engine cover.


Edit: I also find it to be very unprofessional for a company to expect people to hack up their vehicle rather than to design their product to properly fit the vehicle. Maybe they have a lot of leftover AOS from the IS F batch and are trying to pawn them off? I don't know. I was considering getting their supercharger installed (if they ever get it done). But after seeing their approach with this AOS I'm afraid to let them touch my car. What are they going to needlessly hack up to install their supercharger? My $.02.

skipetenj

iTrader: (2)

I understand the way you feel. I look at it from the stand point of performance. I am installing the AOS for the performance end and not the style factor. You can say the same for modifications to the intake (tube and box). Typically when I am running track days I run without the cover (I also run with hood vent cover removed). Any major modifications such as a supercharger will require aesthetic changes. Go to any track day event and start looking under the hood of the vehicles. Again. in the case of the AOS, my major concern was ease of access. In less than 5 minutes, out and back in with no tools.

JT2MA71

iTrader: (7)

I have not seriously looked into using an AOS on my RCF just yet. I've checked those 2 hoses going into the intake tube twice since I bought the car and they are bone dry. Maybe when they start to show signs of blow by oil, I'll start thinking about it. But, I have a quick question for those who have installed any kit and eliminated the pre throttle body hose connections, are the hoses routed back to intake in some other way? Or just now venting to atmosphere?

Davew77

Performance doesn't have to add unneeded costs. Don't tell me to go to the track and start looking under hoods. I've been around track cars since the mid 90's and I've seen many redneck approaches to performance. This is one of them. If you want to do cheap mods that add unneeded costs to your $70k sports car, go ahead. If you even knew what a catch can really was you would have made this yourself and not destroyed your engine cover. If I were buying your car you would be buying a new engine cover first, or discounting the car for what it costs.

I noticed that you own a lot of RR Racing gear so I fully expect you to defend your purchase.


Edit: In fact, when I first seen the way the engine cover was cut it reminded me of this body kit job that was done on a 350z years ago:

But I'm sure that the shop owner whom did this was a professional (in his mind).

skipetenj

iTrader: (2)

I am sorry you are missing the point - I have set my car for track time more than anything else - my choice to go to Lexus is because it is virtually bulletproof. Part of the track procedure is easy access for maintenance. I have seen enough of mine and my friends BMWs and Porsches not stand up to track abuse. I have had three different SCCA race licensed drivers run my car. By the way I have been in Oval cars since the 70's. Run your car at 5500 rpm + for 1 hour at a time and see what an AOS does and why it is important to have easy access.

Davew77

I'm not missing the point. It seems that you are. You seem to think that cutting your engine cover is a requirement to use a catch can. It is not. It is only a requirement with RR Racing's AOS because rather than designing a new one specifically for the RC F they want to make a universal one for both cars and pass on the expense of ruining the RC F engine cover to the customer. If you are on a lease then you certainly don't want to go hacking away at the OEM parts of the car. It is completely possible to install a catch can and have it done tastefully.

If you bought the car mostly for the track, and you don't use your engine cover at the track, then why even cut the engine cover at all? Why not just leave it off permanently? Is it because you want your engine bay to look nice some times? Nice like having part of the engine cover hacked off?

This is also what I was getting at about the supercharger. Are they going to try and make a "one size fits all" supercharger kit? The IS F and the RC F are similar vehicles. But they have some major differences and there should be separate applications on mods for each vehicle in most cases. Especially when it means altering parts of the car that normally wouldn't have to be altered to accomplish the goal of said modification.

I don't see much point in posting anything else in this thread. I don't know how much more clearly I can spell it out. So I'm going to call it quits in here. This is redundant. Have a good day!

RRRacing

iTrader: (1)

If I may chime in regarding some of the comments.

(1) Our AOS has been proven to work and there are numerous posts on CL documenting the massive accumulation of oil in the AOS, especially on track driven cars.

(2) Our experience is that those RCF owners who track their cars are not so concerned about cutting a corner flange off the stock engine cover. To call that hacking is a bit of an exaggeration I think, as its very easy to cut, and if you didn't know that flange on the cover was supposed to be there you would never miss it. To suggest that they would notice it on a lease inspection is really pushing it

(3) We sold a bunch of AOS's for RCF's... and I can honestly say that any complaints about modding the engine cover are extremely rare. If we had complaints, we would look to try to change it, but the way it is setup, it is very easy to remove, inspect the oil level and empty, compared to that dual radium setup. Also, once you add all the lines and brackets to the cost of the radium setup, the price of the AOS would be double, but functionally it would not be any better.

(3) If you don't ever track your RCF, then you probably don't even need an AOS, so save your money and buy a pretty little dress up part for your RCF, and be happy I would estimate that 90% of RCF owners do not ever drive their cars hard enough to justify the AOS.

(4) Regarding that custom radium setup someone posted, I would be very surprised if that setup catches more oil than our AOS. The secondary can for the valve cover breathers is totally unnecessary and will catch almost nothing for sure. We have been using a simple valve cover vent filters for nearly 2 years of intense track use, and they stay clean (vast majority of the accumulated vapors condense in the tubing and leak back into the engine). The scavenge pumps on in the heads of the 2UR-GSE are very effective at keeping excess oil from accumulating in the heads.

(5) Another note regarding that radium setup. You would have to disconnect a bunch of screws and permanent tube connections to empty it. When you are at the track, that is a BIG issue, as most of our customers find that they are nearly filling the AOS every 20-30 minutes of track time, especially on a hot day. Our AOS is easy to remove with 2 thumb screws and all the oil lines use quick connect fittings.

-Rafi

skipetenj

iTrader: (2)

You hit every point perfectly - especially the quick removal. Thanks, Rafi