AutoWorks

Should you fit a catch can to a diesel?

Oil mist from the crankcase mixes with EGR soot and can build up inside the intake. A good catch can helps reduce that oil before it reaches the turbo, intercooler and intake manifold.

The downside? It needs to be correctly sized, properly installed and regularly drained. A restrictive or blocked catch can can increase crankcase pressure and create oil leaks.

They can help keep an intake cleaner, but they won’t fix excessive engine blow-by.

These injectors were full of muck because the fuel filter hadn’t been changed when it should have been.

A small service item that can prevent a much bigger repair.

Turbo vs Supercharger… the argument that never ends. 😂 Which one are you choosing?

💨 That small LS steam pipe has an important job.

The steam ports allow trapped air and vapour to escape from the hottest areas of the cylinder heads and return to the cooling system.

Blocking them or routing them incorrectly can create localised hot spots, unstable coolant temperatures and difficult bleeding.

On an LS conversion, the steam system needs a continuous path to a suitable point in the radiator or header tank—not simply a hose that looks connected.

Autoworks Performance Centre

🛢️ Well, there’s your oil leak.

This car came to us leaking oil after a previous filter change. The old O-ring had stayed stuck to the housing and the new filter was screwed straight over the top.

A classic rookie mistake known as a “double gasket.” It can blow out under oil pressure and dump the engine oil very quickly.

Always make sure the old seal comes off with the filter.

🔄 When was your power-steering fluid last changed?

Hydraulic power-steering fluid works under pressure and heat. Over time it oxidises and collects material from the pump, hoses and steering rack.

Old fluid can contribute to pump noise, heavy or inconsistent steering and accelerated component wear.

A proper fluid exchange removes the contaminated fluid and replaces it with the correct specification for the vehicle. Power-steering fluid isn’t necessarily “lifetime” fluid just because it is rarely mentioned.

Autoworks Performance Centre

🔒 Even the scan tool gets locked out.

Many newer vehicles use security-protected ECUs. We can often read fault codes, but coding, adaptations and basic settings may require online authorisation.

That means purchasing an unlock credit before the scan tool can complete the job.

Another cost of working on modern vehicles that customers never see.

Autoworks Performance Centre

🔧 One failed release bearing. One destroyed pressure plate.

Once the bearing collapsed, continued metal-to-metal contact wore through the diaphragm fingers.

Wear, incorrect adjustment or abuse may have started it—but continuing to drive made the damage much worse.