PCV Assembly - A few questions...

**nyarsulik** · 03-26-2010, 01:00 PM

My stock PCV valve grommet melted a few years ago and I have had trouble ever sense trying to use a do-it-yourself setup... I really need to just get a catch can to replace everything.

Anyways, I was tinkering with it yesterday and noticed that, on the passenger side valve cover, way in the back there is a lot of oil residue. It looks like there is a rubber tube attached to the top of the valve cover back there, but I can't tell if it is on correctly...

Is this tube the same tube that runs around towards the front and attached to the PCV valve?

If so, is there anything else attached to this, can I simply replace it (maybe with a long 5/8 in steel braided hose that would connect all the way to the PCV valve) without buying the entire PCV assembly from GM?

Thanks!
Nick

**damianj03** · 03-26-2010, 05:40 PM

i had the same thing happen. this is what i did.

Bought some emissions tubing about 3 feet worth so it will sit high enough from the engine to never melt again.

place one foot of the tube onto the passenger side rear valve cover
take another foot of the hose and hook it to the drivers side rear valve cover
take a t junction and hook both of those tubes into opposite sides of the t
then cut the original tube that runs directly to the PCV with enough of a tail to allow you to manuver it up and place another section of the hose you just bought onto the end of the stock line mentioned above
finally connect the new piece of hose to the bottom portion of the t junction should be good to go

**nyarsulik** · 03-29-2010, 08:04 AM

I can't attach an image for some reason, but I guess I didn't look to see if I have a hose on the back of the driver side...

So, from the t-junction that connects the driver side and passenger side valve cover, it literally just runs straight into the front of the engine and connects to the PCV valve?

Is there a big difference between emissions tubing and fuel line tubing? I assume that it can maybe withstand more heat?

**pajeff02** · 03-29-2010, 08:07 AM

This is what the PCV assembly looks like:

**nyarsulik** · 03-29-2010, 08:24 AM

Awesome. So I suspect that the part that connects to the passenger side valve cover on my car is not connecting correctly because there is a lot of oil residue around that area.

Since most of this part is metal, is it OK to replace with rubber tubing? Is it metal to prevent melting, or since it is "vapor" does it need to be metal to prevent other issues?

Thanks for posting the pic.

**pajeff02** · 03-29-2010, 08:33 AM

Not sure what you are referring to. The PCV assembly is a hard plastic line with rubber hose ends. I think you can simply replace the rubber hose end at the rear fitting. It was pretty easy to remove and re-install. Any chance you have a rocker cover gasket leaking?

**nyarsulik** · 03-29-2010, 10:01 AM

Hmmm... I might also have a valve cover leak (thats a whole different story), but all of the residue on the top was located around that passenger side PCV fitting... I think I will try to unhook everything and take a closer look. I just didn't know what the whole assembly looked like so I was scared to mess with it since I can't really get back into that area too easily.

Thanks for your help!

Oh, also, do those fittings that go into the top of the valve covers need metal clamps, or do they just fit tightly around the opening?

Thanks,
Nick

**shady milkman** · 03-29-2010, 10:07 AM

i got rid of all that garbage and switched to a ls6 style pcv system..best 60 bucks i ever spent.

**pajeff02** · 03-29-2010, 10:11 AM

There were no clamps on any of the PCV lines on our car. You could always add clamps as an extra measure of security.

**nyarsulik** · 03-29-2010, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by shady milkman

i got rid of all that garbage and switched to a ls6 style pcv system..best 60 bucks i ever spent.

Was this a catch can setup? If so, where did you get your parts?

**shady milkman** · 03-29-2010, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by nyarsulik

Was this a catch can setup? If so, where did you get your parts?

no i dont run a catch can..i probably should..but my intake is really clean and i am not eating oil so it is low on my priority list.

ask and you shall receive

here

**Cutlass** · 03-29-2010, 02:09 PM

+1 LS6 pcv system. I love it.

**nyarsulik** · 03-30-2010, 05:29 AM

Well, complete nightmare last night.

I went to pull everything out to check it, and the Y-adapter in the back was completely melted and the connection to the passenger valve cover was barely holding on. :\

So, cleaned everything out, got a t-adapter and some 3/8 tubing and put it all back together.

The sad part is that about a year ago the PCV valve grommet melted and I had to put a do-it-yourself version back together. I am scared that this y-adapter has been this way for about a year, which would explain the small, constant oil leak under my car. :\

Thanks for your help everyone.