remote breather set up?????
 

I have a rookie Question, I have noticed that some of your cars have AN lines going from the valve covers where the PCV and breathers would be. What is this and what is it for?

What are the benefits of what ever it is for a street car?

Are there kits for this? If not how are they made?

Hey Rich - you're exactly right, it's a breather set up. Under high RPM's the motor builds up internal pressure and the oil wants to go somewhere, at best out the valve covers. By venting the valve covers w a breather set up, you give it a place to go - typically a catch can w a breather on top. It's debatable, but I've been told internal crankcase pressure also robs HP...

I've seen a number of kits and do it yourself set ups. I'd bet Summit has one. Here's Peterson's version:

http://www.amazon.com/Peterson-Syste.../dp/B003M8M4VU

Are these simply just cans that catch oil and let the engine breath? Or is there any type of baffles or filters in these cans?

I am pretty sure mine (Moroso) is just an empty can with a filter element on top. Any oil or condensation falls to the bottom. I put mine on because at high RPM it would spit oil all over the valve cover then run down onto the headers and generally make a mess.

I was having the same problem recently until we put the Moroso baffles in my breathers. While I like a remote breather setup, I do like the valve covers that came with my car and was hoping to minimize unnecessary changes for cost reasons. So far the welded in baffles have stopped the excessive oil from spitting out.

In the old days -- cars just used a "road tube"... :D

The PCV is a "smog issue" where the fumes are recycled and burnt. There really isn't any vacuum created in the crankcase since the opposite valve cover has a filter/breather.

IF -- you run a vacuum pump -- you can get negative crankcase "pressure" and this helps with ring seal but that wasn't your question. :willy:

The easiest and best way to handle the crankcase pressure is if you can just use a PCV and breather... it's simple - it's clean - it's effective. But if you can't - then you can use breather/filters in both valve covers and just let the fumes vent to atmosphere. The only reason you'd go to a 'can' is when you're running the car hard and then the breather/filters load up with oil (as it condenses) and the oil starts dripping... Add some fan/wind - and it can blow these small drips all over the place.

The catch cans need to be drained... and the best way is to run the drain right back into the pan if possible so you never have to worry about it. If not that, then remember that you're going to drain the oil out the bottom and that can be messy too! So location becomes an issue.

Some times a guy will forget to drain the can -- and during an event, with running hard and hard cornering etc, a can placed over the top of the headers can blow oil and possibly start a fire at worst, and make a heck of mess at best.

I run dual catch cans on mine. It doesn't give you the luxury of a poor baffle in the valve cover. It's simply a good place to catch oil snot and condensation. I wouldn't drain back into the crankcase as it's mostly water.

The factory doesn't do it this way for multiple reasons. It's NOT the best way. A pcv will pull a vacuum on the crankcase and pull impurities out. A breather system is simply a clean way to relieve pressure. You will need to change your oil more often without a PCV. Emissions also comes into play. Mine has worked great since day one.

I just experienced a problem related to not having a breather. It was ugly. The guys at Best of Show and I will be figuring something out for my car in the next couple of weeks.

Basically I showed up to El Toro for RTTC and was leaking a little bit of oil from the dipstick where it presses into the side of the block on an LS engine. I had beaten on the car the previous week to sort out the brakes, and in the process developed a little leak. We replaced the little rubber O-ring seal for the dipstick and called it a day. I'd never had issues before changing a few things, like heads and cam, and figured all would be fine. It wasn't. As others have mentioned, at high RPMs the motor puked oil out the side and all over my headers. I believe Steve Rupp had the same issue a while ago. As others have mentioned, you will have too much crank case pressure, and it all has to go somewhere. Perhaps the worst part of this issue is that without a breather and a catch can, the oil will just end up in your intake manifold. When I pulled over after the speed stop challenge we looked at my car and the LS gurus on hand said it felt like the car was pulling timing, among other things, all likely because the car was sucking oil.

Matt

Those pesky LS motors are always leaking oil somewhere. So unreliable. ;)

thanks for all the info on this guys!! I guess with my car just being a street car I should pass on the idea.