[cmitchell17]

What are we reffering to as the "dirty side". I haven't really taken a look at how the PCV system is on the LT1. I assume the PCV comes from the tops of the valve covers and gets fed back to the intake? And there is some separate oil separator that pulls crankcase vapor from the top of the valve covers as well, then separates the oil from it and returns it to the oil pan?

Does anyone have a schematic?

[JeromeS13]

PCV side = dirty side
Clean side = valve cover breather side

[Elite Engineering]

Jerome is correct. Here is how the LT1 Camaro engines PCV system works:


Filtered fresh air enters the valve covers from the connection located in the inner radius of the main intake air coupler and as this is downstream of the MAF is "Metered" by the MAF so short term fuel trims are accurate as all of this eventually becomes part of the intake air charge. From the main intake air bridge assy. it flows into the center of the factory cleanside separator before splitting and entering both valve covers. This is referred to the "clean"or "Fresh" (as GM refers to it). This incoming fresh filtered air is what flushes and makes up for the "dirty" or "foul" (GM's term) vapors being evacuated (sucked out) the valley cover PCV barb. This is then drawn into the intake manifold by the vacuum present when at idle, deceleration, and light cruise.


The factory Cleanside does a pretty good job, best yet for GM as far as when you accelerate or go WOT and vacuum is no longer present to maintain evacuation, pressure builds and the foul/dirty vapors then back-flow out the valve covers and into the factory CSS. What we do to enhance evacuation is add a secondary evacuation suction source to the system that takes over and continues evacuation at all operating modes so pressure can never build in the first place. This full time evacuation removes the contaminants keeping oil clean longer as well as preventing up to 75% plus of the intake valve coking.

[bigsapper]

Originally Posted by soloknight6

I stand corrected. Thank you Jerome for showing me pictures, never seen any actual photographs other than the residue collected by the cans. Not even from catch can suppliers. Ill have to take a look at my IM now. Since youve installed your can, whats your IM look like?

RX Engineering has some youtube videos showing the oil accumulation in the intake manifold.

[MAGAUSA]

Originally Posted by Elite Engineering

Jerome is correct. Here is how the LT1 Camaro engines PCV system works:


Filtered fresh air enters the valve covers from the connection located in the inner radius of the main intake air coupler and as this is downstream of the MAF is "Metered" by the MAF so short term fuel trims are accurate as all of this eventually becomes part of the intake air charge. From the main intake air bridge assy. it flows into the center of the factory cleanside separator before splitting and entering both valve covers. This is referred to the "clean"or "Fresh" (as GM refers to it). This incoming fresh filtered air is what flushes and makes up for the "dirty" or "foul" (GM's term) vapors being evacuated (sucked out) the valley cover PCV barb. This is then drawn into the intake manifold by the vacuum present when at idle, deceleration, and light cruise.


The factory Cleanside does a pretty good job, best yet for GM as far as when you accelerate or go WOT and vacuum is no longer present to maintain evacuation, pressure builds and the foul/dirty vapors then back-flow out the valve covers and into the factory CSS. What we do to enhance evacuation is add a secondary evacuation suction source to the system that takes over and continues evacuation at all operating modes so pressure can never build in the first place. This full time evacuation removes the contaminants keeping oil clean longer as well as preventing up to 75% plus of the intake valve coking.

So where is the PCV on this car? Is it serviceable? That's the one thing I can't figure out with this engine. It must be buried in the top of the engine.

[waterman]

I'm not certain about the LT1, but on the LT4 it is centered in the front of the valley. It's probably easy to access in the LT1, but only accessible in the LT4 by lifting the blower. The PCV functions internally. It vents or purges if you prefer, directly into the intake manifold or SC. Any byproducts of blow by are vented directly into the intake. Intake will be oily at first, with the potential to varnish intake ports, intercoolers (LT4) and put gnarly deposits on intake valves.

IMHO, CC is a worthwhile, perhaps necessary investment to protect your investment long term.

[Elite Engineering]

Waterman is correct. The PCV on the LT4 is a replaceable cartridge that screws into the valley assy. and routes the vapors into the base of the blower housing. The LT1 is located in a similar location but points out from under the driverside of the intake manifold snout. It also is a replaceable cartridge.


GM in all LT based engines now incorporates a one way checkvalve in these as we have done for years to control the direction of flow.

[Desert Drifter]

tHANK YOU Elite.

I am the original poster of this thread, and after a bit of research bought the catch can and have it on my 2018 Camaro SS before 100 miles on the odometer. There can be no downside to a catch can unless the hoses leak or one forgets to drain it periodically.

Originally Posted by Elite Engineering

Just as the Gen5 V6's, your LT1 is a GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engines and has no fuel spraying on the valves to keep them cool and deposit free, so all that is in the crankcase vapors (oil, water, acids, raw fuel, and abrasive particulate matter) is baking onto the intake valves backsides now where the LS engines had constant stream of fuel cleaning and cooling them. Then we need to look at what is occurring in the crankcase. As GDI engines introduce the fuel at 2,000-3,000 PSI, there is many times the raw fuel washing past the rings and removing some of the oil on the cylinder walls that lubricate the pistons as well as the carbon particles are no longer the "soft" carbon of the past. This is in a very hard crystalline makeup that is extremely abrasive, and far more of it is entering your crankcase. Add that with the water, acids, and other compounds entering as blow-by the engine oil has to deal with far more in the way of contamination and still properly protect.


As for the factory "catchcan", it is a cleanside separator and does a good job unlike those of the past. It only traps oil vapors that back flow into the intake air charge when accelerating or at WOT when o intake manifold vacuum is present to maintain the correct direction of flow. This is then returned to the crankcase via a drain/return tube underneath it. This oil is relatively clean and mostly just oil so it can be safely returned to the crankcase. But, the cleanside only accounts for app. 5% or so of the total ingestion. 95% comes from the foul, or dirty side of the PCV system, and that can NEVER be returned to the crankcase or engine failure would not be far behind so GM nor any other mass producer will ever include a device that requires the end user to empty every few thousand miles ( a catchcan cannot be ignored, it MUST be drained and the contents disposed of properly at regular intervals). So, your GDI engine has to face many wear causing and engine life shortening conditions the old Port Injections engines never did. This is the main reason GM and others have cut engine warranty periods almost in half from the 100k miles of the past LS based engines. GM lost a fortune due to premature failures of the 3.6L GDI engines, and there are thousands of V6 Gen5 Camaro's sitting with failed engines out there. The first excessive wear failures to show up on the V6 GDI engines were the timing chains and related components. Then rod bearing failures and excessive oil consumption. This is common with ALL GDI engines, not just GM's (Google search Ford Ecoboost failures, or Nissan, or BMW to see) experience this and it is the future. CAFE fuel economy standards and ever increasing emissions regulations have forced every Automaker in the World to adopt GDI and all the negatives that come with it.


You never want to run a syn blend oil, only a good full synthetic as it leaves far less coking residue vs a blend. The good full synthetics such as Amsoil, and others are now formulated to combat LSPI (low speed pre ignition) as this has been causing a very high piston failure rate and a cheap blend (many dealers are STILL using the cheap Dexos blend to save $!!) contributes to this.


So, what does a truly effective system like our E2-X series remove from the crankcase and the PCV vapors?


This is a typical drain from one of our systems (95% plus effective vs the average catchcan only 15-30% effective) after it was spun in a cenrifuge to separate the different compounds:





As you can see, oil is only a small part of what is removed. In fact, only 7%. 70% is water and acids, 23% raw fuel. These are what would have settled in and mixed with the engines oil had our system not been installed. And, the oil portion is saturated with abrasive particulate matter. All of this is overwhelming the engine oils ability to protect properly.


What will the future bring? We can only look at GDI engines up until now, and what we are seeing in these new engines when we tear down and examine them. And it is not promising. The industry has taken the stance that as 90% plus of all new vehicle buyers only keep them 3 years or less, and put less than 50k miles on them it is not their concern. They have reduced their financial exposure by dropping warranty periods from 100k to 60 and even 35k with some. Who will suffer? The consumer that keeps their vehicle for the long term, and the secondary market. We can see that by looking at the Gen5 V6 and many other makes/models. But there is a lot that can be done for the owner that wants to take the steps.


Only run a full synthetic oil, and one of the premium ones that has new formulations that combat LSPI.


Change oil at 5k miles to make sure your not running "condemned" oil.


Break in the engine correctly, and that is NOT how the owners manual instructs. Piston ring seating will make a sizable difference if done properly, and that has to be done in the first 500 miles before the hard glaze covers the crosshatch. The rings need to wear, or abrade into the shape of the cylinder wall, and the best way is to do several WOT runs in second gear from a roll to 5k RPM and allow the engine to brake back down. 4-5 times and rings are seated and then get that factory fill oil out NO LONGER than 500-1000 miles. That oil is full of casting flash, assembly debris, and iron filings and other metals from break-in, and no, GM does not break them in ahead of time. The 1500 mile instructions are only to protect them from liability and has nothing to do with whats best for the motor.


Do not run (after break-in) a w20 weight as that is only to allow that vehicle to meet CAFE fuel economy standards. These engines need a slightly heavier viscosity to properly protect with all the compounds attacking it.


And installing one of our systems that provides full time evacuation VS only idle, light cruise, and deceleration as the OE does also keeps these contaminants out of the oil and out of the combustion chamber.


Any that doubt any of this, just go back 5-6 years and read what we were sharing then in regard to the V6 GDI engines and see the impact our systems had in reducing failures and extending life and use that as an example.


Questions? Just ask. Education is a powerful tool and learning the how, what, and why of these engines will help you understand and not blindly trust some sales pitch.


Cheers!

[Pro Bro]

Just bought an E2X Elite Engineering catch can. Had one for my 2014 2LT in the past and it always caught a ton of crap.

This new design looks promising, cant wait for it to arrive.

[Md2886]

Does anyone know the torque specs for the bolts removed on the factory strut brace where the bracket mounts?!

[Dubchitts]

Here's my valves with about 84xx miles. I've had my elite engineering catch can since 200 miles. Does this mean it works? No, but it certainly isn't hurting.

[Md2886]

Originally Posted by Dubchitts

Here's my valves with about 84xx miles. I've had my elite engineering catch can since 200 miles. Does this mean it works? No, but it certainly isn't hurting.

What about the top sides?