General Maintenance & Repairs Leaks | Squeaks | Clunks | Rattles | Grinds
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: CARiD

pcv question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 29, 2011 | 10:45 PM
  #1  
TonyViv's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale,AZ
Default pcv question

Hello all,
I have searched but cant find an answer to this specific question...
In my 99 TA ls1
I had a small oil leak that got worse so I thought to check the pcv valve, which turned out to be completely gummed closed. When I did i of course ripped the rubber elbow that houses the pcv.
Having nothing to modify and they dont sell it, So I called a heavy equip mechanic I know and asked him what he thought... He said to cap it off at the thottle body and just run a tube from where the pcv should be down to the ground
I did that and it is running fine with no check engine light and no oil seepage from that line.

Question..... other than the emisions issues is it safe and ok to run it like this? It seems ok crankcase still has plenty of venting area and there is no more oil going into the throttle body.. ??

Any ideas of the pros/cons to running this way??
Or even skipping the pcv all together and running from the hard line right to the throttle body
I am a long time lurker with few posts and thanks for your help..

Tony
Reply
Old Nov 29, 2011 | 11:34 PM
  #2  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

There's nothing wrong with capping off the vacuum lines on the intake and just having the crankcase vented. I have a filter vent on my drivers side valve cover and one on my valley cover port. Then I suck gases from the passengers valve cover.
I have a PCV valve in-line going from the passenger valve cover to the vacuum port on the intake.......but I put a needle valve in it and it barely pulls any vacuum out of the passenger valve cover because I keep it almost closed.

I've ran for 6 months with just the two filters.......and absolutely no vacuum sucking anything from the crankcase. Zero oil going into the intake. It was identical. Oil at oil changes was identical to oil with the PCV, no difference at all.

PCV systems are unnecessary, as long as the crankcase is vented with filters.

Here's two pictures of mine. Not to confuse......
In one picture you see the filter on my valley cover port...the other picture you see my PCV vacuum line with the needle valve in it.
I use both of these together now.
Plus, the vent shown on my drivers side valve cover.
Thats it......not a drop of oil has been in my intake in years.

.
Attached Thumbnails pcv question-dsc01861.jpg   pcv question-dsc01993.jpg   pcv question-dsc01875.jpg  
Reply
Old Nov 30, 2011 | 01:55 PM
  #3  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

If you change your oil every 3,000 miles there will be zero damage done to the engine. People who leave oil in for 6,500 miles are ridiculous. I'm passing 165,000 miles, my engine is still purring like a kitten and will keep doing so for another 100,000. But I'm pulling it out for a new one soon.

Too much talk and BS about PCV systems. YES, evacuation of crankcase gases is a good thing, but having oil going into the intake is plain stupid. The vacuum strength needs to be cut in half or less, and then vent the crankcase, period.

Just do what I did and it'll be perfect. It costs about $10.00.

.
Reply
Old Nov 30, 2011 | 01:56 PM
  #4  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Or go to Summit and use the PCV set up they sell that uses the exhaust pipes to pull crankcase gases. It works.

.
Reply
Old Dec 1, 2011 | 08:50 PM
  #5  
TonyViv's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale,AZ
Default

I toatally understand both points of thought. Here is my predicament either way, if that rubber elbow wouldnt have ripped I would have just put the pcv in and forgot about it. Since it did and you cannot buy one, I needed a quick modification.

Basically I just capped off the intake and ran a line from where the pcv was to the inner fender so I could easily see what was coming out of it. So each side isnt being vented, seems like 1 side should really do it. Maybe I should put some kind of filter on the end so at a time of vacuum it wont suck anything in?
LS what filter is that on the end of the tube? Do you really think the drivers side one is necessary?
Maybe I should consider just coming up with a way around that rubber elbow they dont sell.... anyone have any ideas?
Call me crazy but the car seems to run better this way. It has a 123k on it and I just want to be good to it and make it last
Reply
Old Dec 1, 2011 | 09:19 PM
  #6  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by TonyViv
I toatally understand both points of thought. Here is my predicament either way, if that rubber elbow wouldnt have ripped I would have just put the pcv in and forgot about it. Since it did and you cannot buy one, I needed a quick modification.

Basically I just capped off the intake and ran a line from where the pcv was to the inner fender so I could easily see what was coming out of it. So each side isnt being vented, seems like 1 side should really do it. Maybe I should put some kind of filter on the end so at a time of vacuum it wont suck anything in?
LS what filter is that on the end of the tube? Do you really think the drivers side one is necessary?
Maybe I should consider just coming up with a way around that rubber elbow they dont sell.... anyone have any ideas?
Call me crazy but the car seems to run better this way. It has a 123k on it and I just want to be good to it and make it last
I went to the auto parts store and started playing with parts and opening filter boxes. Those two filters I use are fuel filters for some car.

The way I have it...fresh air is sucked into the drivers side filter (I confirmed that by holding a cigarette near it and it sucks the smoke right in at idle). That fresh air flows across the engine over to the vacuum line I have on the passengers valve cover port, which is connected to the vacuum port on the intake. But again......I have that needle valve so the strength of vacuum is cut way down to a level where its not sucking in oil from that valve cover. Its perfect. I have crankcase gases being evacuated, without oil being sucked up.

You cant ask for a better set-up.

I took some pictures of some of the parts I used to make this stuff....check it out. But you just have to go play around with things at the store. Rubber fittings, filters and grommets. The grommet in the picture is the one that was stuck in my drivers side valve cover, I just drilled a hole in it and stuck the rubber tube I found in it and stuck the filter on it. Its very sturdy and its been there for years.

.
Attached Thumbnails pcv question-dsc01868.jpg   pcv question-dsc01871.jpg  
Reply
Old Apr 11, 2012 | 04:19 PM
  #7  
joecar's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
Default

LS6427,

In your first pic, I think it would work better if you put the filter on the passenger side valve cover, and route the valley plate to the intake manifold, i.e. the opposite of what you have.

$0.02

Reply
Old Apr 11, 2012 | 04:23 PM
  #8  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by joecar
LS6427,

In your first pic, I think it would work better if you put the filter on the passenger side valve cover and route the valley plate to the intake manifold, i.e. the opposite of what you have.

$0.02

I actually tried that for a couple months.....too much oil burn. It pulled the oil mist right out of the crankcase. Pulling from the valve cover keeps the pull of vacuum out of any oil mist, its just crankcase air. Pulling from the pass valve cover is when oil burn stopped and its when there was never a drop of oil in the intake again.

Also....now I have a needle valve to regulate the vacuum pull. pic below.....

THis is the perfect system now....at least for my engine.
.
Attached Thumbnails pcv question-dsc01992.jpg  
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 11, 2012 | 04:27 PM
  #9  
ZForce1's Avatar
Launching!
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
Default

I had the same problem, the factory rubber tubing is very thin and weak. I ripped off the factory rubber tubing and put a 4" length of 3/8 fuel line. Serves the same function.
Reply
Old Apr 11, 2012 | 06:57 PM
  #10  
joecar's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
Default

Originally Posted by LS6427
I actually tried that for a couple months.....too much oil burn. It pulled the oil mist right out of the crankcase. Pulling from the valve cover keeps the pull of vacuum out of any oil mist, its just crankcase air. Pulling from the pass valve cover is when oil burn stopped and its when there was never a drop of oil in the intake again.

Also....now I have a needle valve to regulate the vacuum pull. pic below.....

THis is the perfect system now....at least for my engine.
.
Ok, I see.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:10 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE