patdown

I will be using the stock bottom end with F-body accessories and oil pan. I will be using a 2010 Camaro LS3 intake and cam. I will also be using LS3 heads that I purchased from Scoggins-Dickey several years ago. I plan on using the car as a dd and road trips, no drag racing or HPDE. I just want a reliable car that's got some get up and go and decent gas mileage.

First of all, whereas I do have mechanical abilities, I do not have much knowledge about ls motors. I've been reading about pcv issues with these ls motors.

1. Will the stock lq4 valve covers fit on the LS3 heads?
2. How/where should I pipe the pcv on the driver's side valve cover?
3. How about the tube on the forward part of the passenger's side valve cover?
4. I am using hydro boost, so should I just cap the port at the rear of the intake?
5. On the intake, what should I connect to the port right below the MAP sensor?

Is there a problem using the 3-bolt Vortec throttle body with the LS3 intake, cam and heads? I know that I will have to get an adapter to make it fit the 4-bolt intake. I realize that the tuner will have to make PCM changes for these LS3 components. I haven't had a chance to talk to the tuner yet, so maybe you guys could answer some of these questions and provide other questions for me to ask the tuner.

I'm a 65 year old guy doing an engine swap for the first time using a motor that I do not know anything about except for what I have read on forums. This will probably be the only time I do this so it will be a real learning experience.

Thanks.

Pat

Mercier

iTrader: (15)

Welcome, Pat.

I will give you a few thoughts that I have to get you started.

You need to decide on what PCM/wiring harness you plan to use. If early LS1-type, you can use the DBC(cable) 3-bolt throttle bodies with an adapter. Later computers will force you into DBW(drive by wire) throttle bodies which I believe all or most factory 4-bolts are. You can easily get 4-bolt aftermarket DBC setups. If you will be working with a tuner, talk to Scoggin Dickey and they can set you up with a complete package to run the later-model harness/ecm/TB. The pedal is electronic but apparently very reliable and not so hard to retrofit into earlier vehicles. Lots of guys doing this.

You numbered questions:

1- no idea
2- do yourself a favor and get a proper catch can setup NOW. LS motors fill the intake with oil and it's a fricken mess.
3- There are so many theories on this. Search the forums for "PCV routing" or "pcv catch can" and look at some of the later-model setups. Plenty here for you to look at.
4- If you don't need it for anything else, yes.
5- not totally sure bit again if you don't need it, cap it off. It's not like leaving the vacuum advance off of a carb'd setup. The computer just needs the MAP sensor to know how much vacuum you have. Could have been for PCV or any other vacuum-related item.

Hopefully some more folks will chime in with more specific answers.

Good luck with your project.

patdown

The LQ4 is from a 2006 Sierra 2500. I have the stock PCM, harness, and 3-bolt DBW TB that came with the engine. I plan on getting the TAC module and APPS for a 2006 truck. I have already modified the wiring harness per LT1swap.com.

1. I have found that the LQ4 valve covers will fit the LS3 heads.

2. On the LQ4, pcv tubing went from the driver's side valve cover to the top of the intake. Since the rear tube on the LS3 intake won't be used for vacuum brake boost, I could just connect that hose to the driver's valve cover.

3. I found out this tube should be connected to fresh air port before the TB to provide fresh air for pcv function.

4. See #2.

5. Cap this off because I don't have a valley cover with a vent connection.

Not sure about how I could hook up a catch can.

Mercier

iTrader: (15)

#3- as long as the air comes from somewhere behind the MAF you should be good I think. You just don't want to suck in air that the MAF doesn't know about based on my understanding.

Catch can would go between the PCV valve and the vacuum source. It prevents oil from being sucked up into the intake and you want to put one in before you coat your intake(and head intake ports and valves) with oil.

patdown

On the stock Vortec intake, the fresh air that goes into the passenger valve cover goes thru a port on the frontside of the TB (which is air after the MAF) to a built-in passageway in the intake and on to the valve cover.

As far as the catch can goes, it could be installed between the pcv fixed orifice (no pcv in this motor) and the port in the back of the intake. OR, cap off that rear intake port and run a hose around the intake to the port in item #5. That would probably open up an easier catch can location.

Mercier

iTrader: (15)

Yep. That is how my LM7 setup was routed(port on middle of intake). It made it fairly easy to plumb in the catch can. Haven't figured out the LS2 routing just yet..but will be forced to this week. The valley cover I got with it seems to have the PCV or similar built in. I will probably work with that first but still keeping the catch can.