I would have thought that performing a leak down test at random points in the stroke would have been OK. Assuming of course that the rocker arms were removed to ensure the valves were sealed. I performed a number of leakdown tests and the results were not consistent. The results can be seen here https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...il+consumption

Considering the results of my various leak down tests, I do know if the leak down tests were invalid or if the rings on my engine are really that whacked.

 

Haha i did the same thing then pulled the motor. Hope yours isn't the same problem as mine......

 

Oh I am pretty sure I am just delaying the inevitable! Even the company I bought the motor from does not think swapping the seals will resolve the issue! :-)

 

That sucks man, i definitely feel your pain. It was just an opportunity for me to put some better parts in mine and get more aggressive, even though it only had 3k miles on it

 

Got to see the pics today and it looks like 1 cylinder is the culprit. Could possibly be the piston/rings, but I suspect the runner in the head (possible oil pulled past the valve guide, etc.). All the other intake ports in the head just show normal reversion residue but one is coated black.

Anxious to see the cure.

 

Tracy, thank you so very much for your help today!

I called Tracy today for some advice on how to troubleshoot my issue. After the phone conversation I e-mailed Tracy with a link to a bunch of pictures (pictures I had taken after removing the passenger head). After looking through the pictures, Tracy called me back (on his dime) and gave me a very in-depth evaluation of what he was able to gleam from the pictures. If that was not enough, Tracy then gave me his personal cell and told me to call him if I needed any more help!

Flabbergasted at the help I have received from Tracy! Thank you!

 

Hey MrDrezzUp do you actually see the clouds of smoke when you are burning the oil or is it just a constant "little" consumption without the smoke?

Reason I'm asking is I have noticed that my car doesn't seem to consume oil, or at least much of it during spirited street driving (or smoke at that), but when I take it to the road course or especially autocross it actually shoots lots of smoke out. This weekend at the autocross where I stayed at 5000-7000 rpm range for 40 seconds straight in one gear it probably shot half a quart of oil out of the exhaust right there. The cloud was ridiculous, I will try to post a picture soon because someone actually captured it at the right moment.

I'm running an older LS6 PCV system (pre 2004) and some cheap catch can, but I'm not sure exactly how much oil can you burn just through the PCV? Further details on the setup is it's a 347ci LS1 making close to 500 wheel. My current catch can does catch a lot of oil. After 80-90 minutes of road course driving it was about 5/8s full. The motor was recently built with Diamond 3.905 forged pistons and
Total seal rings. Here is the build thread: http://www.v8rx7forum.com/v8-rx-7-bu...-sabre002.html

Let's say my PCV routing and whole system is all out of wack. Can I expect to see a cloud that takes up the entire rear view mirror view? It was almost as big as the cloud last year when I chipped the piston on the track! Once again this only happens at such events and does not happen in street driving, no matter how hard i get on it. Road course it smoked a little bit, but no where near as much. I'm guessing is because at the track you shift gears and don't actually stay in the high rpms for 40 seconds at a time. I imagine lots of oil can get trapped in the head over such a long time then blow out.

Not trying to steal your thread, seems like we might have somewhat of a similar problem, so I figured this was the best place to post in.

 

This is not actually my thread. I am borrowing it from the OP! :-(

Are you running cats? I do run cats and apparently cats can hide a bit of the smoke? What I do know is that the inside of my tail pipes are black with soot. If I wipe a finger through them (down to the chrome) the chrome will be covered again in short order.

If there is a similarity between our issues it would be the oil consumption seems to be at high-load situations.

I am still in the process of tearing my engine apart, and for the sake of testing, I am swapping to a second set of heads/intake.

Pics...
http://picasaweb.google.com/jackson....GoAgainRound4#

Regarding road racing and catch cans, hopefully 405HP_Z06 or Tracy will step in. They are gurus on the subject matter.

Half quart sounds like a lot. Especially in a such a short burst like that. I would start monitoring your oil consumption. I.e. when and how much oil is being consumed in various driving conditions.

Impressive engine build up!

 

I do not have cats or mufflers. Here is the image from the local autocross. This kind of smoke only happened once, when I held the rpms at over 5000 in 1st gear for over 40 seconds. I have no idea if my pcv valves have ever been replaced.




...yeah. That's not tire smoke.

 

Wow!!!

 

Holy cow!

How is your present PCV system plumbed? I would bet your oil contamination is coming from the clean side. Give us some details.

car.

 

Well I'm pretty sure that the particular smoke in that picture came from too much crankcase pressure and oil got all collected in the head for ~40 seconds. Who in their right mind beats on a car for 40 seconds straight in 1st gear at 5000-7000 rpms?

Anyhow, the car does smoke a little bit probably relating to the PCV and here is how it is plumbed. It's a LS6 valley cover of unknown year with hoses and valves of unknown year or quality either. 405HP_Z06, do you know if pre 2004 LS6 valley cover is different from the 2004 LS6 one?

Passenger side valley cover <==> top of the unknown catch can
bottom of unknown catch can <==> intake manifold
ls6 valley cover is plugged and not connected to anything
no breathers anywhere

I do like the car though

 

Catch can routing should be:

Valley cover port --> Top of 1st catch can
Side of 1st catch can --> manifold intake
Passenger side valve cover --> top of 2nd catch can
Side of 2nd catch can --> port before throttle body

 

which one is the manifold intake and which one is port before throttle body? The fast 90 intake has a port on passenger and a drivers side, both near the throttle body.

 

Not the best pic...but you can see the throttle body port. The other port is on the side of the intake (really hard to tell from the pic).

 

Gotcha, I'll just have to find the port on the throttle body tomorrow, it's a Nick Williams 90mm. Your throttle body looks interesting!

 

I'm trying to order the dual Saikou Michi setup, looks like you can only get it by emailing them. Another thing I just discovered by looking over it is that I have no valves anywhere in the system. Which hose do I need to install one in (or several of them)?

 

There would/should be a valve on the valley cover, and on the valve cover itself. Your custom-engine setup might be a bit different though?

 

Yes sir, email him; he's very responsive. Concerning a PCV valve, you need one. No idea what year the valley is?

 

The reason I can finally get the catch can routing correct...is because of your patience with me!