oil separator

Karter2026

Goblin Guru
(The IM and intercooler on our engine were, btw, free of gunk.) (Proof, btw, that the stock crankcase-venting config had been doing an excellent job.)
You have to remember that every engine is different the key word here is some "The LSJ DOES NOT HAVE A COKING ISSUE it’s not a DI engine, but the LSJ PCV is a two-way system and is not very effective and some S/C cars pop dipsticks out as the crank case pressure builds up at high revs."

Here is a perfect example I have two Tahoe's in my work fleet built in consecutive order only difference is last digit of vin# one of them will run 7000 miles between oil changes not use a drop. The other one will use a quart of oil on an average 1500 miles. Oh yes it has been addressed with GM " we do not see a problem"

I 'm adding a supercharger to my tired 2.2. I do not think it is any different of a setup for the PCV than the 2.0 S/C. I am fully expecting blow by and being one of those SOME cars. so I have the catch can ready to install. I have cleaned the cores once and do not want to go back down that road again. I am glad we are not using a GDI engine and have to deal with the build up on the valves.
 

Briann1177

Goblin Guru
(The IM and intercooler on our engine were, btw, free of gunk.) (Proof, btw, that the stock crankcase-venting config had been doing an excellent job.)
It's also not the job of the crankcase ventilation system to keep your internals clean. It's almost as if it were designed to make a mess. Kind of like the spill proof gas cans.

Consider yourself lucky on the gunk free insides. Don't count on it staying clean over the life of the engine though.
 

Parson Green

Well-Known Member
It's also not the job of the crankcase ventilation system to keep your internals clean. It's almost as if it were designed to make a mess. Kind of like the spill proof gas cans.

Consider yourself lucky on the gunk free insides. Don't count on it staying clean over the life of the engine though.
Since our Goblin is a recreation car and not a daily driver (and since its stock LSJ engine has already stayed clean through 82K of apparently very-well-maintained miles) I think we can indeed count on it staying clean for many more years to come. Heck, there might even be a few others in the same if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it situation that we're in.

^^edit^^ Those gas cans you mention are something we can totally agree on. They're a disgrace and a travesty! (p.s., If you drill a small vent hole up near the top of the can the gluggluging goes away the flow improvement is amazing.)
 
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JeffsGoblin

Goblin Guru
The throttle body was not that bad, so it very will could be that the previous owner didn’t change the air filter very often.
 

Parson Green

Well-Known Member
The throttle body was not that bad, so it very will could be that the previous owner didn’t change the air filter very often.
Our experience with that port on the valve cover is that it's an exit point for very diffused and slightly oily-smelling fumes only.
 

Torchandregdoc

Goblin Guru
(The IM and intercooler on our engine were, btw, free of gunk.) (Proof, btw, that the stock crankcase-venting config had been doing an excellent job.)
My intercooler and charge piping was free of oil as well. I had puddles in my intake runners. The engine was completely covered (probably didn't help that the front main was literaly a steady stream). My PCV valve was missing its guts. I'd be interested to know, has anyone found oil in their intake runners after confirming that the PCV valve was functioning correctly? Crank case vapor goes through one little media pack at the turbo neck and there's zero oil, but goes through 3 large packs pre PCV valve and there is oil every where downstream.

Are we sure a bad PCV valve is not the oiling problem?
 

Karter2026

Goblin Guru
Also put some thought into valve stem seals. No mater how good they are they will seep some oil through and lay on the valves as soon as it gets hot it will burn on to the valves. It is not the complete problem but it contributes to the build up. I thought I had heard or read that some people where looking at adding a injector in the manifold to spray the intake with fuel to clean the valves.
 

George

Goblin Guru
I run no crank case vent through intake on my LSJ supercharged as do not want oil insulating heat exchanger coils.
Also use water injection to keep intake track clean and cool.
Brad
 

Parson Green

Well-Known Member
My intercooler and charge piping was free of oil as well. I had puddles in my intake runners. The engine was completely covered (probably didn't help that the front main was literaly a steady stream). My PCV valve was missing its guts. I'd be interested to know, has anyone found oil in their intake runners after confirming that the PCV valve was functioning correctly? Crank case vapor goes through one little media pack at the turbo neck and there's zero oil, but goes through 3 large packs pre PCV valve and there is oil every where downstream.

Are we sure a bad PCV valve is not the oiling problem?
Coming from a LSJ-oriented guy, doc, am thinking that a gutted PVC valve would be a maximum/red-flag point of concern. Get you a new part, install it properly and put the thing back together in as near to stock form as possible. That is, of course, the response I favor in most situations.

Also worth mentioning is that the orifice size in those PVC valves is a carefully engineered one and also pretty tiny. Also worth mentioning: a quick/dirty way to verify the operation of the built-in check valve is a quick blow/suck applied, via one's mouth, to one (the largest?) end of the plastic housing. (Just make sure there are no Corona viruses present before you do that.)

FYI, here's a PCV valve of the type used in LSJ engines.

 
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Parson Green

Well-Known Member
I have an oil-covered LSJ also. And I'm seeing the PCV is a discontinued part.
As plastic parts go, said valve on our engine looked pretty un-fragile/rugged. Could its internal check-valve be stuck, restricted or etc? Maybe some sprayed-in injector cleaner and some tapping/agitation/etc. could restore the proper operation of the part you have on hand.

Here's the part we're talking about: http://www.evilatom.com/forum/pcv.jpg
 
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JBINTX

Goblin Guru
Funny. I just spoke to John Powell. Nice guy. He will be sending me a quote with pics and info on his solution. He has been involved with this issue dating way back to 2012. I have been thinking about it for about 3 weeks now. I do know that I do NOT know as much as him!!.... :)
Powell Race Products charges $395 for their oil separator system. Mr. Powell said he has the components in stock and can ship within days. He does ask a few questions regarding the details of your engine.
 

JBINTX

Goblin Guru
Here are my thoughts summarized after the past few days, and with all the forum's input (and theories):
1. I want to improve the stock engine in how it handles the oil/oil vapor from crank case pressure.
2. I realize that there is way more going on with the three ports, hose sizes, and vacuum levels than I can rationalize myself.
3. Any system of good catch can and hoses will cost at least $50 or so (and that assumes my home grown version actually helps! :))
4. A little research of John Powell shows that he has probably forgotten more about these engines than I have learned in the past year.

At this point, yes. Going with the Powell solution.
 

JBINTX

Goblin Guru
Update. The walnut blasting cleaning equipment is a few $$$. It takes a while and makes a mess. Does a good job, though. I think there are some good pics in another thread showing it in use.

I really did not want to pull the head on my engine to clean the intake valves. After removing the intake plenum, I could inspect the intake valves fairly well. Some oil and caking. Enough that I wanted to do something. I used some carb cleaner, air hose, rags, a wooden spoon from my wife's kitchen, a 9 mm gun cleaning brush, and the vacuum. I removed about 95% of the stuff in there. I plan on doing another "treatment" after it is running to get the heat to help with the process. Should get the last little bit remaining. Probably not what most others do to clean the valves, but arrived at a result that was satisfactory with the time investment of about 2 hours.

Will give you some feedback on the Powell air/oil separator after installed.

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JBINTX

Goblin Guru
I still need to make a bracket to hold the separator, but here it is with the hoses installed. If it works well, there will be no more oil in the intake and coking on the intake valves. No more PCV valve in the system. Put a plug in there. The crankcase pressure (with any oil) goes to the separator now. And, no "catch can". Separated oil drains back to the sump through a fitting on the dipstick tube.
I still need to add the hose and check valve on the back side of the valve cover that goes over to the intake. Gonna have to get creative to keep a check valve in the system and possibly change out the fittings type. Those little push on fittings

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Dale E

Well-Known Member
I gave Lonny my box of PCV's at a meet up. I think there were only two of each style (the pointy funnel as shown earlier in this thread -- and a different funnel style which I believe is for the turbo). I don't know if Lonny still has them on the shelf. I sent one to Murcielago311 along time ago for his engine build. The PCV's seemed unobtainable back then. IF you want one and can't find them ask Lonny if he still has those.

Dale
 

JBINTX

Goblin Guru
Update.

I had the Powell air/oil separator system installed for two years now. Worked well for a year or so. Then I had a little leak from the separator seal. I re-sealed the plastic air/oil separator with some black RTV. Worked OK for a while until I started having intermittent smoke in the exhaust due to the separator not doing much of anything. I think the cheap inner filter element would get saturated and was unable to separate the oil efficiently.
So, I am replacing it with a way-too-expensive Moroso version. I have to admit, though, the new one is very well-built out of solid aluminum with stainless steel filter material inside.
I am sure 25 psi boost was a little too much for the cheap plastic version and it could only last so long under those conditions.
I had to re-make one hose since the new ports did not match the old ones. Got a racing guru of a neighbor to help me out with that.
All seems to be back in order, now. We shall see over the next few weeks and autoX. :)

For those interested, there is not much to the system. Two check valves are key, though.
This is a good thread for all the turbo guys to read through since we have direct injection versus the SC version's port injectors.
The PCV valve was just awful for the intake valves.

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