E36 ls1 oil pan venting question
E36 ls1 oil pan venting question I have a 98 block LS1 in an E36 chassis BMW that makes around 415whp, mostly stock with a custom cam and near stock compression. LS6 valley cover.
The engine after a lap or so starts to blow oil out of every gasket on the entire engine. I've tried every mickey mouse solution that street cars seem to get away with but nothing seems to solve the issue, it has helped every so slighty but not solved the issue. As of right now the car has a catch can coming from the valley cover...typical setup....doesn't make a difference. Also has a filter on the oil cap to vent there as well. Car doesn't have a broken ring land or anything that I can tell either. Solid compression and the car is making great power.
The 98 block is obviously the worst block I could have picked for a road race engine because of the bay to bay breathing issues, but in my case it seems that the gasses can't even make their way to the valley cover to escape, the pressure just builds and comes out of of the pan gasket, front main, rear main etc.
Has anyone drilled the oil pan or block to vent crankcase pressure there? I know on some other engines this is possible but where does the oil sit in an F-Body pan? Would there be room above the oil level to drill a hole for -12 or -16 fitting to allow the gases to escape to a catch can?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, a vacuum pump has been suggested but this engine isn't worth what a decent vacuum pump setup costs so that's out of the question i'm afraid.
Here is a video of the car in question:
The engine after a lap or so starts to blow oil out of every gasket on the entire engine. I've tried every mickey mouse solution that street cars seem to get away with but nothing seems to solve the issue, it has helped every so slighty but not solved the issue. As of right now the car has a catch can coming from the valley cover...typical setup....doesn't make a difference. Also has a filter on the oil cap to vent there as well. Car doesn't have a broken ring land or anything that I can tell either. Solid compression and the car is making great power.
The 98 block is obviously the worst block I could have picked for a road race engine because of the bay to bay breathing issues, but in my case it seems that the gasses can't even make their way to the valley cover to escape, the pressure just builds and comes out of of the pan gasket, front main, rear main etc.
Has anyone drilled the oil pan or block to vent crankcase pressure there? I know on some other engines this is possible but where does the oil sit in an F-Body pan? Would there be room above the oil level to drill a hole for -12 or -16 fitting to allow the gases to escape to a catch can?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, a vacuum pump has been suggested but this engine isn't worth what a decent vacuum pump setup costs so that's out of the question i'm afraid.
Here is a video of the car in question:
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,074
Likes: 2
I have no first hand experience venting a pan on a ls motor, don't even know it can be done, but if it is possible, you can use something similar to a pcv valve threaded into the pan to allow only vapors to pass and allow the oil to stay in the engine. As I said, this is just a thought and I don't know if would work.
I have no first hand experience venting a pan on a ls motor, don't even know it can be done, but if it is possible, you can use something similar to a pcv valve threaded into the pan to allow only vapors to pass and allow the oil to stay in the engine. As I said, this is just a thought and I don't know if would work.
