Disclaimer: There are no dyno graphs and I received a modest discount on my purchase in exchange for writing a review.
Cliff Notes:
The BMR catch can is a great alternative to the other options on the market. Everything needed was literally in the box, it's a high quality unit and has a larger internal volume than most other cans. If your LSA is an oil-guzzling bastard like mine, the volume is a big bonus.
Pros:
* Well made (USA! USA! USA!); really - a quality unit. It's a snug fit but no rubbing or major interference during the install.
* Complete as purchased - no extra lid handle required! Even the 3/8" hose is high quality relative to what I buy locally. The only thing missing was some plumber's tape for the petcock and brass drain fitting.
* Push-on AN barbs were included and make hooking everything up easy.
* Check valve and drain line also included for easy draining.
* Specific mounting location that will not interfere with coolant reservoirs or cold air intakes; IMHO this was a great design feature.
* No "controlled vacuum leak" bullshit that the RevXtreme guys pushed for so long.
Cons:
* Currently more expensive than other units.
* The instructions are complete, but not polished or professional in appearance.
* Plastic check valves are fragile and will break if you have to remove a hose. Having an extra would have been nice.
Caveats:
* M6 guys have to drill out a small rivet on the bracket that holds the clutch fluid reservoir. It was so easy and accessible that I did not consider this a negative; merely something to be aware of.
* Push on fittings can be a bear to remove if you change your mind or make a mistake. I'd recommend some grease to help slip them on and a heat gun (or razor blade...) if you have to pull them off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Installation Instructions:
Step 1: Remove the strut brace held on by (2) 18mm nuts and (2) 18mm bolts.
Step 2: (A6 guys can skip this) Remove the clutch fluid reservoir by pulling up and moving it out of the way. You will see a single rivet on the top of this bracket, near the firewall: drill it out with a 1/4" bit.
There is a keeper on the bottom of the bracket that can be pried off with a screwdriver; the keeper and bracket can be thrown into that pile of "left over parts" you will hang onto for years to come.
Step 3: Prepare the BMR tank for mounting. Install and tighten the three barb fittings, the drain petcock:
Install one of the screw clips onto the tab next to the firewall, where you drilled out the rivet (the second will go on the front of the BMR tank flange, where it will bolts to the strut brace - the tab is at the lower right of the second picture):
Step 3A: The drain petcock comes with a small lever installed, but has other handle types included. You can swap these out by removing a single screw holding the lever to the petcock. I used the longest lever for better leverage with the BMR tank installed, but clipped it shorter to avoid interference with the fender (see photo). With brass and cast fittings such as these, use plumber's tape to wrap the threads prior to assembly and tighten with reasonable force. It needs to be snug, not torqued to 100 foot-pounds. I cut a piece of ~2 foot line and attached it to the petcock and brass barb fitting, then installed into the tank. You will not be able to easily do this once the tank is installed on the car!
Note the petcock lever has been trimmed for clearance. You will not be able to see it with the strut brace back on the car! Remember that "down" is "open."
Step 4: Mount the tank at the rear first, on the firewall using the screw and clip provided. It will support the tank for now, but be careful when hooking up the press-fit lines as you could break something.
Step 4A: For M6 guys, you will need to adjust the tang on the side of BMR tank for your clutch fluid reservoir by bending it enough to ensure clearance. There is a wiring harness on the valve cover that will get in the way: bend the tang on the tank until everything fits. Reconnect clutch reservoir by sliding it onto the bracket.
Step 5: The U-shaped factory hose that connects the lower valley line to the supercharger snout inlet, conveniently located under a whole bunch of other shit in between the passenger side cylinder head and the snout:
Remove the factory plastic PCV line from the valley and snout connections as shown (leave the upper plastic "Y" line that connects to the intake tube in place). Note that the connectors have a plastic lock ring securing them in place: find the tab on the fitting, push it out and then pull the fittings off the snout and valley connections. A long, thin screwdriver can be useful here.
NOTE: If you remove this 10mm bolt, the boost bypass valve diaphram can be moved out of the way, making it easier to get to the valley and supercharger snout inlets.
Step 6: Updated 12/12 to remove prior routing system which can contribute to oil leaks from high crankcase pressure!
Run your 3/8" hose from the valley line to the catch can INLET, then from the can back to the S/C Snout for the "valley-snout" configuration. Leave a little extra and then trim as needed, there is plenty of hose included.
--- edited ----
Step 7: Reinstall the strut brace (make sure the screw clip is on the BMR tank first!). Tighten down your 4 strut brace nuts/bolts and then use the included screw to secure the BMR tank to the strut brace. Interestingly, BMR uses a pre-existing hole in the strut brace that I never noticed before...
Step 8: Secure your drain line to the plastic wheel well liner, or as desired to keep it off your exhaust. I drilled a hole in the wheel well liner and secured it with a zip tie. The red tape is just to help me see it for draining, and the bolt is to prevent drips AFTER I drain it.
Check for clearance on your exhaust or any leaks!
The finished product:
ETA 09/16/16:
I compared the oil captured from my original catch can (the dual Saikou Michi), which I ran essentially as two cans in series via the single valley-SC, to the BMR can run in the same fashion. Although I had ~5k miles on the SM can and only ~4k miles on the BMR... the Saikou Michi captured literally double the amount of oil product as the BMR.
After this, I have to say that the Saikou Michi (run in series) is cheaper, takes up less space, has no issues hitting the wiper motor - which my revised BMR can still does - and captures more blow-by than the BMR.
IMHO, the Saikou Michi continues to be "the best" oil catch can for our vehicles. Other people like other cans, but they are all single-can design and I suspect having the dual can style with the SM is the key as to why it is almost twice as effective.
Cliff Notes:
The BMR catch can is a great alternative to the other options on the market. Everything needed was literally in the box, it's a high quality unit and has a larger internal volume than most other cans. If your LSA is an oil-guzzling bastard like mine, the volume is a big bonus.
Pros:
* Well made (USA! USA! USA!); really - a quality unit. It's a snug fit but no rubbing or major interference during the install.
* Complete as purchased - no extra lid handle required! Even the 3/8" hose is high quality relative to what I buy locally. The only thing missing was some plumber's tape for the petcock and brass drain fitting.
* Push-on AN barbs were included and make hooking everything up easy.
* Check valve and drain line also included for easy draining.
* Specific mounting location that will not interfere with coolant reservoirs or cold air intakes; IMHO this was a great design feature.
* No "controlled vacuum leak" bullshit that the RevXtreme guys pushed for so long.
Cons:
* Currently more expensive than other units.
* The instructions are complete, but not polished or professional in appearance.
* Plastic check valves are fragile and will break if you have to remove a hose. Having an extra would have been nice.
Caveats:
* M6 guys have to drill out a small rivet on the bracket that holds the clutch fluid reservoir. It was so easy and accessible that I did not consider this a negative; merely something to be aware of.
* Push on fittings can be a bear to remove if you change your mind or make a mistake. I'd recommend some grease to help slip them on and a heat gun (or razor blade...) if you have to pull them off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Installation Instructions:
Step 1: Remove the strut brace held on by (2) 18mm nuts and (2) 18mm bolts.
Step 2: (A6 guys can skip this) Remove the clutch fluid reservoir by pulling up and moving it out of the way. You will see a single rivet on the top of this bracket, near the firewall: drill it out with a 1/4" bit.
There is a keeper on the bottom of the bracket that can be pried off with a screwdriver; the keeper and bracket can be thrown into that pile of "left over parts" you will hang onto for years to come.
Step 3: Prepare the BMR tank for mounting. Install and tighten the three barb fittings, the drain petcock:
Install one of the screw clips onto the tab next to the firewall, where you drilled out the rivet (the second will go on the front of the BMR tank flange, where it will bolts to the strut brace - the tab is at the lower right of the second picture):
Step 3A: The drain petcock comes with a small lever installed, but has other handle types included. You can swap these out by removing a single screw holding the lever to the petcock. I used the longest lever for better leverage with the BMR tank installed, but clipped it shorter to avoid interference with the fender (see photo). With brass and cast fittings such as these, use plumber's tape to wrap the threads prior to assembly and tighten with reasonable force. It needs to be snug, not torqued to 100 foot-pounds. I cut a piece of ~2 foot line and attached it to the petcock and brass barb fitting, then installed into the tank. You will not be able to easily do this once the tank is installed on the car!
Note the petcock lever has been trimmed for clearance. You will not be able to see it with the strut brace back on the car! Remember that "down" is "open."
Step 4: Mount the tank at the rear first, on the firewall using the screw and clip provided. It will support the tank for now, but be careful when hooking up the press-fit lines as you could break something.
Step 4A: For M6 guys, you will need to adjust the tang on the side of BMR tank for your clutch fluid reservoir by bending it enough to ensure clearance. There is a wiring harness on the valve cover that will get in the way: bend the tang on the tank until everything fits. Reconnect clutch reservoir by sliding it onto the bracket.
Step 5: The U-shaped factory hose that connects the lower valley line to the supercharger snout inlet, conveniently located under a whole bunch of other shit in between the passenger side cylinder head and the snout:
Remove the factory plastic PCV line from the valley and snout connections as shown (leave the upper plastic "Y" line that connects to the intake tube in place). Note that the connectors have a plastic lock ring securing them in place: find the tab on the fitting, push it out and then pull the fittings off the snout and valley connections. A long, thin screwdriver can be useful here.
NOTE: If you remove this 10mm bolt, the boost bypass valve diaphram can be moved out of the way, making it easier to get to the valley and supercharger snout inlets.
Step 6: Updated 12/12 to remove prior routing system which can contribute to oil leaks from high crankcase pressure!
Run your 3/8" hose from the valley line to the catch can INLET, then from the can back to the S/C Snout for the "valley-snout" configuration. Leave a little extra and then trim as needed, there is plenty of hose included.
--- edited ----
Step 7: Reinstall the strut brace (make sure the screw clip is on the BMR tank first!). Tighten down your 4 strut brace nuts/bolts and then use the included screw to secure the BMR tank to the strut brace. Interestingly, BMR uses a pre-existing hole in the strut brace that I never noticed before...
Step 8: Secure your drain line to the plastic wheel well liner, or as desired to keep it off your exhaust. I drilled a hole in the wheel well liner and secured it with a zip tie. The red tape is just to help me see it for draining, and the bolt is to prevent drips AFTER I drain it.
Check for clearance on your exhaust or any leaks!
The finished product:
ETA 09/16/16:
I compared the oil captured from my original catch can (the dual Saikou Michi), which I ran essentially as two cans in series via the single valley-SC, to the BMR can run in the same fashion. Although I had ~5k miles on the SM can and only ~4k miles on the BMR... the Saikou Michi captured literally double the amount of oil product as the BMR.
After this, I have to say that the Saikou Michi (run in series) is cheaper, takes up less space, has no issues hitting the wiper motor - which my revised BMR can still does - and captures more blow-by than the BMR.
IMHO, the Saikou Michi continues to be "the best" oil catch can for our vehicles. Other people like other cans, but they are all single-can design and I suspect having the dual can style with the SM is the key as to why it is almost twice as effective.