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Non-Chevelle... PCV system issue with new LS1 engine

2K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  69boo307 
#1 ·
Hi guys, I've been trying to work through this with folks on LS1.com, but I think there's some better mechanics here that might be of more help.

The PCV valve setup on my camaro SS is set up so that the vaccuum created inside the throttle body is used to force ventilation of the valve covers. The problem is, oil gets sucked out of the valve cover, through the PCV valve, and into the throttle body, where it enters the fuel/air stream. This results in oil usage, fouled plugs, and sometimes the computer will compensate by changing the timing and the engine will get knock retard and loss of power.

There's a couple of 'mods' to try and solve this. I did one involving moving the pcv valve into a vertical position (it sits horizontal stock) with a catch can connected to it via a Tee, and then a small filter between the PCV and the throttle body. This isn't working, oil is still getting into the throttle body.

Any ideas on ways to adequately ventilate the valve covers without sucking oil out of the valve covers, or maybe bypassing the throttle body altogether?

thanks,
Brian

PS. GM states that a quart of oil ever 1000 miles is 'normal'. That's a load of $hit in my opinion. Oil sucking into the throttle body is not normal. 85% of the new LS1's do this though, some to a greater degree than others.

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Brian
Durham, NC
My Toys:
69 Chevelle Malibu
2001 Camaro SS
 
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#2 ·
You need a baffel in that valve cover to shrould the pcv from sucking oil most covers have them? yours does not.

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http:/hometown.aol.com/ddppell/myhomepage/profile.html
Don Pell 66 396 Beaumont.
Once bitten twice shy.
Don Pell 66 396Beaumont.
Once bitten twice shy
 
#3 ·
Brian,

You're facing what many others are also and GM seems to feel it is normal. I know LS1 owners that use about 1qt per 1000 and if I remember correct Chevrolet won't really even look at your car unless it's more than that. I have heard of some engines being replaced, not repaired but not very often. I have also heard it's a stick thing... Don't know how true that is, just heard autos don't seem to have the same usage. My advice is to check out www.norcal-ls1.com and ask some questions there. They are a race oriented group and one of the admins owns a shop "Hotrod Heaven" that specializes in LS1 mods... You should already know about the SLP board www.slpeng.com being an SS owner. It's a corp. run site and may lean a bit toward the factory side but if you keep it polite (not infering you wouldn't) you might get some more on the problem there...

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...Dennis
www.camaroslimited.com
 
#4 ·
I had the valve covers off recently checking pushrods (I drive the car pretty hard
), and I don't recall any baffles or any means of protecting the vent holes.

DJD, thanks for the sites. I spend alot of time on LS1.com, but so far havn't seen anyone with any good solutions. I'd rather not have some elaborate filtering system, there shouldn't be oil getting into the system in the first place. I want to solve the problem at the valve cover, or else bypass the throttle body with it so I don't have to worry about the oil getting into the throttle body.

For the average camaro owner, this probably isn't an issue, but I'm anal when it comes to my cars, and I drive it hard, so I don't want to be changing spark plugs all the time and losing HP because of oil consumption.

I wish I could just stick breather covers on it like on my '69 Malibu, but apparently the LS1 needs this 'forced' ventilation.

-Brian




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Brian
Durham, NC
My Toys:
69 Chevelle Malibu
2001 Camaro SS
 
#6 ·
God I love the new technology!
Progress!! It's a plot to keep the oil companies in business, I tells ya!


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MalibuJerry350
Original owner '70 Chevelle.
551,000+ miles on car.
Hey, if it's got wheels, DRIVE IT!
My Chevelle: http://hometown.aol.com/erie614/myhomepage/index.html
 
#7 ·
I am assuming that the PCV sits in a grommet with an open hole.

Try to get a grommet that just uses a slit in it. This should cut it down quite a bit

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"Put the strength to the test"

**Dave Armstrong**
'67 Chevelle 396/Th400/4.10
12.45 @ 107 mph. 1.74 60ft

'95 Firebird Formula LT1(2FST4LOV)
14.0 @ 97mph daily driver
The Burnout
The Launch
The MAN!!!(the guy in the black shirt)
 
#8 ·
BBD, that's a good idea. I need to take a look at how the PVC hole is set up...

LS6-M22, there are a few people on LS1.com that don't use oil either. Either you got real lucky, or you rarely take it about 3500 RPMs.
I use 5w-30 castrol, though I was planning on switching to synthetic soon. I don't need to be using a quart of expensive synthetic every 1000 miles though.



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Brian
Durham, NC
My Toys:
69 Chevelle Malibu
2001 Camaro SS
 
#10 ·
The way to tell if you have the problem is to remove the throttle body and see if there's any black residue inside there, and look for any oil residue around the inlet from the PCV valve in the intake mani, just behind where the throttle body sits.

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Brian
Durham, NC
My Toys:
69 Chevelle Malibu
2001 Camaro SS
 
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