PCV Questions

[tep98ws6]

It's that time to replace my PCV valve finally and I've gone and completely confused myself.

I have the '98 LS1 but I have swapped to 243 heads, LS6 intake and newer valve covers. Two weeks ago when my car very obnoxiously made it aware it wanted a new PCV, it dawned on me ... I DIDNT SWAP TO LS6 VALLEY COVERS WHEN I DID MY REBUILD! My car was driving perfectly fine (about three weeks after a full tune) and it bogged out hard in between 1st & 2nd gear then by time I made it home (about 7 miles from where it started acting up), I had smoke coming out of my throttle body (my assumption was that since there was no where for the crank pressure to escape, it pushed it's way back up thru the heads, into the intake and out the throttle body).

My questions are - What all do I need to do the full swap to the "newer" PCV system? Is the PCV valve on the far end of the driver's side valve cover? Do I need a catch can yet? Did I do any internal damage driving the short way home once it started acting up? How long does the swap take? How much $$ do you typically spend on this?


I've seriously gone and confused the hell out of myself. I don't even know how or why I overlooked something so simple. Sorry for all the questions!

Tep

[blue02Z]

i would prolly get a catch can, from other users on this site they work well. my assumption with the smoke from your TB is not because it is blowing back up, but quite the opposite. your pcv is sucking oil from the engine because of the faulty design. have you ever changed the actual pcv valve???

[tep98ws6]

have you ever changed the actual pcv valve???

Since I bought the car in '09, I have not. I have some service records from the previous owner, but he had only owned the car for less than a year so there's no telling when the last PCV maintenace was done.

Here's where I slipped up though - when I rebuilt my engine at 113k, I put the newer center bolt valve covers, intake & 243's on ... I got my valve covers from a junk yard, took them apart and sandblasted them before sending them off to be powdercoated ... and never replaced anything back on that I removed (realizing this two weeks ago ... a year and a half AFTER I rebuilt the engine). So from what I've collected from memory and what I can see - I was careless, in a rush and never replaced my PCV system after I assembled my engine.

I'm thinking I should go the catch can route just to prevent this in the future. I've seen a few stickies here and there concerning the removal of the PCV system but I think I'd rather keep it on there, just in case but I want to be sure I have EVERYTHING this time and make sure I don't overlook anything this time.

<--- Not my smartest move

[ls1camino]

For the LS6 Valley Cover, the way I ran everything is the easiest and most straightforward way to run your PCV.



Plug the drvier's side Valve Cover opening.

[mike171562]

Did your center bolt valve covers have the PCV provision that your perimeter bolt covers had? How did you route your PCV after the head swap?

[SMWS6TA]

Op, let me get this straight....you swap to 243 heads and their valve covers correct? But did not install the LS6 VCT while you were doing the heads swap.

Now you want to know what options would be best in order to relieve crank case pressure correct?


If you seen most of the threads on this PCV issue you already know I'm not a fan of the OEM PCV setup. (IMHO it is a cheap POS)

I strongly recommend doing the LS6 VCT mod base on what you currently have done with your heads. Your only other option would be to find 98 valve covers in order to restore the OEM PCV setup. But that honestly is just reverting back to a less then perfect setup and will cost more $$$ then doing the LS6 VCT mod.

Either way you go a catch can is a good addition.



Also, when you did the H/I swap did you upgrade the KS & WH to 99'-02' ? GM no longer makes the KS for >98'. Yes you can still get them form auto parts stores but it is just better to do the upgrade.

[TransAmX2]

I think the general consensus is catch cans work, LS6 valley cover seems to be hit or miss on people’s results/opinions. I just re-ran new hose and connected the PCV valve and catch can in line, then put a small breather for the "clean side" instead of feeding off the intake air. I did switch over to the newer Knock Sensors but it was more of a preventative maintenance than a necessity (I’d rather change them over while I had the intake off than have to pull it back off down the road).

[Cutlass]

Here's the LS6 PCV system without a catch can.
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=18

Here's LS1 style PCV with a catch can

[pajeff02]

Hmmm. I just puchased the Elite Engineering catch can and I do not believe the instructions said anything about blocking off the back port on the passenger side. The diagram makes sense though, so I'll have to consider this.

[Cutlass]

Yeah I don't think blocking that port in necessary. There is probably 100 ways to run a PCV on these cars.

[pajeff02]

Bypassing it probably pulls less oil into the system. That was my thought when I saw the diagram.

[JayTA98]

i did mine Ls6 valley cover recently and my idle got way better than before. I ordered the KS and KS harness as well. The clips of the harness broke off as i tried to remove it. i had the catch can with the cheap PCV valve hose modification that is on the tech stickies section. Replacing the PCV valve with this hose mod is cheap and will tell you if the PCV valve is the issue.

But I do like the new valley cover my idle is not perfect but it was very jumpy before the upgrade. I had alot of oil around the old cover so i think the gasket was bad. Dont forget the coolant bypass tube and plugs if you haven't done it yet

[0rion]

you say you have the center bolt valve covers on there....which style valve cover? There are 2 different pcv styled valve covers. How is your pcv plummed right now and what ports do you have on the valve covers? I ran into the valve cover thing when I went to center bolt heads. One of them is pretty much plug and play and the other you have to re-do the pcv system.
I'm guessing your bogging isn't pcv related would be my guess. Car idle and run fine at part throttle? Any codes?

[wileyCoyote]

curious, looking at the diagram,...why is one side of the engine considered "dirty" and the other "clean"?

[TransAmX2]

the "Clean" side is for allowing outside (Clean) air into your engine, the "dirty" side is for allowing the pressure (dirty oil misted air) out of the engine through the PCV valve and without a catch can oil mist can get reintroduced back into your intake.

On mine I connected the rear ports with a T before hitting my PCV and then the catch can. Clean side I replaced the hose with a small breather (figure any air I'm stealing from the intake is robbing a little HP somewhere)

[tep98ws6]

I got everything I need - thanks guys I really appreciate it. I'm fixing her tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes

[tep98ws6]

Here's LS1 style PCV with a catch can

PS - This was a lifesaver!

[Cutlass]

curious, looking at the diagram,...why is one side of the engine considered "dirty" and the other "clean"?

Either side could be clean or dirty, it all depends on which way you hook up the lines and which way the PCV system flows

PS - This was a lifesaver!

Glad to help!

[tep98ws6]

Glad to help!

Seriously, made it totally understandable from where I had turned myself around and got confused