ttt..

 

could we not put a small clear plastic filter on the pcv line and change that when it gets dirty?

 

how about putting a one way valve somewhere to let positive pressure out at high RPM's and leaving everything else the same???

 

To the guys saying removing the EGR valve is bad: If the 01-02's don't have an EGR valve why isn't their oil dirty/smelly and have to be changed sooner? I know the cam is different and supposed to help with emissions but how does the cam burn off the moisture and other contaminates? Not trying to start a flame war, just want to know why they don't need one but the 00 and earliers do. I'd like to take mine of of my 98 but also want to know the pros and cons.

 

EGR = Exhaust Gas Recirculation
PCV = Positive Crankcase Ventilation

Two different systems...

If you are referring to the EGR, I'll give a shot at answering it (I am not really all that experieced with LSx motors, but this is some stuff I have come across). You are correct about the cam being different in the cars that do not have EGR. The EGR system allows exhaust gas back into the intake charge. I believe the function is to keep combustion temperatures a little cooler to reduce NOx emissison. The non-EGR cam has enough overlap in it's profile to allow enough exhaust gas to remain in the cylinder to provide this effect without the use of a separate EGR valve and it's corresponding plumbing.

If you remove the EGR system on your '98 you run the chance of failing the NOx component of an emissions sniffer test, a visual underhood inspection, and/or an OBDII test (due to thrown codes, but they could probably be tuned out). Now, that is all just if you live in an area where that stuff is required. If you don't have to pass emissions tests, then I don't think there is any problem with removing the EGR system. I believe it will increase combustion temperatures, possibly resulting in the engine running at a noticibly higher temperature, but I really can't speak from experiece. If you are seriously considering it, you may want to look into the temperature thing a little further. Like I say, I don't know how significant the change might be, but better safe than sorry...

Hope at least some of that was helpful.

 

I guess I thought they were one in the same, at least all in the same system. So can you delete your EGR valve/lines, etc... and still have your PCV working? In the OP's post what he described sounded like all his EGR and air pump lines so that's why I assumed it's all in the same system.

 

Yes, you can delete the EGR with no effect on the PCV.

I wrote you a nice little novel up there in my other post about the EGR, hope it helps.

 

My solution was to replace the oil cap with a screw on breather (a little pricey for the billet adapter, but worth it IMO).

I then used 3/8" hose from Autozone and came off both tubes on the passenger valve cover into a small T connector. The outlet of the T connector goes immediately into an expander (expander = drilled out PCV valve to get from small hose diameter to larger hose diameter). I want to say it's going into 3/4" hose??? Then, the larger hose crosses over into a larger 3/4" T connector that fits into the hole in the back of the driver's side valve cover (where the elbow in the stock system used to be). Lastly, the other end of the larger T has a short bit of hose that connects to another breather zip-tied out of site along the firewall. So, pretty much everything can be bought at Autozone except the oil cap breather, which came from Speed Inc IIRC.

This essentially allows the pressure to equalize between the valve covers as it escapes while providing pleanty of atmospheric venting. No more blown crank position sensor seal! Wooohooo!

Only thing I'd do different - I wish I could find a T that has 2 3/8" ends and one 3/4" end. Then again, I haven't looked too hard.

 

I've been running open breathers with no PCV system for about a year now. I change the oil every 6 months with full synthetic and try not to make any short trips that don't allow the motor to fully warm up.

However, its not an ideal setup. As you said, there are many downsides, not the least of which is the bad smell and oil life. Byproducts of combustion (moisture, gasses, fuel) collect in the oiling system, some escape through the beathers, but a lot of it remains trapped in the crankcase. Hence why I make sure to change my oil often and keep an eye on it.

I just recently order an LS2 valley cover with the built in PCV system. I'm about tired of worrying about the conatminants in the oil and the smell on hot days. Pull up to a stop sign or red light on a hot day when the motor is warm, and you'll get a nice whiff of crankcase vapors - to put it mildly it freakin stinks. Plus the oil covered breathers sticking out of the valve covers aren't exactly the best looking.

The valley cover should be here this week from GM Parts Direct, I'm goin got try installing it without a catch can first, and see how that works. If I don't have oil consumption issues, it will stay that way. If it does, I'll have to get a catch can. Either way though its a better system than running open breathers.

 

Yes, that helped a bunch. Guess when I saw what all the OP was taking off I thought it was all in the EGR system. Guess I'll have to look at the motor a little closer and do some more searching before yanking something off I don't mean too!

Luckily I don't have the emissions testing here so that doesn't count as a con but I have read about the temp thing. Thx for the info!

 

i am running a hose on the back of mine and a breather where the oil cap goes no problems . the gasses do stink that come from the breather and are hot . for sure they can not be good to inhale much for a human or a car .
if the engine can not vent it would pop off the valve cover gaskets . my first dyno run with my new build a poor fit caused my breather to pop off . it popped off right after the gas was let off and hit the roof . with the knowledge of this a few minor modifications and the car is off and running .
catch cans do look cool .

 

I use one breather and i pulled the pcv system. So far the oil gets dirty quicker however it doesn't use any oil. I suppose i should get a catch can.

 

This will prevent oil in the intake 100%, but you WILL hurt your motor over time, guaranteed. What the thread starter is doing is 2 fold, eliminating any way for oil to get into the intake....which is good, and relieving excess crankcase pressure, which is also good. What he is missing is equaly as important. While your engine runs, the crankcase gets contaminated with moisture, unburnt fuel, and combustion by-products one of which is sulferic acid. When you shut the motor down all of these vapors recondense as your motor cools & coat the internal parts and finally drip back into the oil contaminating it. Now if you change your oil after every time running it you eliminate some of the danger, but that is not practical for the average daily driver & quite expensive.

The motor needs to not only relieve excess crankcase pressure, but to also pull & "flush" out the flashed off gasses so they are evacuated from the crankcase (one of the main reasons motors used to wear-out in 50k miles in the 40's & 50's.).

The problem with todays systems are meeting emmisions & ease of maintanance....that is why the manufacturers don't add a better seperating system. The small plastic air compressor units do not have nearly enough area to condense & trap the vapors & mist, and being plastic do not have enough heat differential to aid in the effective condensation to droplets that can be trapped & collected.

This is why a seperate breather to filter the fresh make-up air is essential, and a vacume source to pull out the vapors allowing the filtered fresh air to flush the crankcase.

At idle & low RPM's the vacume is at it's highest level and the most evacuating is acheaved.

The PCV valve is also essential as it does two things. One, is to regulate or meter the amount of vacume pulled, and two, to act as a one-way check valve to prevent back-flow or reversion.

Your motor is far to valuable to open it up for damage such as this....and even more damaging is when some run open hoses down to near the ground where they suck dirt & dust directly into the motor destroing it rather quickly.

 

Good info TLewis4095

OK so on a procharged LS1 , i am running a breather on the oil cap, and a 3/8 line down to the procharger inlet hat from the valve cover with a AMW catch can inbetween. These two are used to vent PCV pressure under boost.

Also i have the stock PCV valve system hooked up to vent out oil/gas vaper during idle and part throttle driving, with a GN check valve in place of the Stock PCV valve to prevent boost from entering the crank case during boost.

What do u think of this set up, my car is a street car, and i feel the oil needs to stay clean for at least 3,000 miles .

Also when i install my forged LS6 i am adding the LS6 valley cover , i will use this port to the catch can , then down to the intake inlet hat.

 

Good Job! The regulat system will pull vac & flush the crankcase at low rpms when not in boost, and the inlet for the super charger (or turbo if used) draws while in boost. The check valves prevent back-flow. You can plumb it so both draw through the catch can with the correct placement of the check valves.

 

Damn... now I truely don't know what to do... lol, so what I think is best to do is to go back to stock which I don't have... anyone care to sell the stock PCV system? I want the 1998 Camaro

Thanks

 

yup i have this exact setup on my car and am pleased with the end results

 

where is the proof that a straight breather motor will dirty the oil faster? the only vapors that will condense apon shut off are the ones inside the motor. once the motor is turned off even with a pvc engine those vapors are still in their as well. i understand the vapors are in their while driving, but even without a pvc the motion of the crank and pistons creates air movement which should cause fresh air and crankcase gas to exchange at the filter. obviously the gasses are getting out of the breather because us who have them can smell them. i am just curious if this oil life fact is documented somewhere?

 

I am almost done building my Merkel Racing forged 346 LS6,
I will use a bearther on the oil cap
and a PCV hose from my LS6 vally cover to a catch can than down to my procharger in let hat.

Capping off the old PCV hole in the LS6 intake manifold,

I got a set of SDPC Carbon fiber valve covers , that were a lot of $ , so i might run a hose from the oil cap on the valve cover to a vented catch can so oil vapors dont get all over the place

 

also if i run a breather on the passenger side valve cover only, should i still link with a hose both valve covers together ???