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Found PCV valve for modified engine

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Old Jul 14, 2013 | 08:06 PM
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Default Found PCV valve for modified engine

I've been looking for a PCV valve with low flow and a soft spring for my 454. I want the soft spring as with my cam I have less idle vacuum than a stock engine.

I want the low flow because the oil baffles in my aftermarket valve covers are not the best and it is easy to suck oil if the PCV flows too much. Also, my engine is fresh with very little blow-by so I don't need the PCV to flow much anyway.

Went to the parts store and poked around for an hour today and found just the ticket.

My previous PCV valve was all wrong. I forget the application, it was not for a Corvette. It had a soft spring but flowed way to much.

Installed the new one and idle dropped 200 rpm! Now that's a lot less flow!

I think this new one will work great. I'll drive it for a while and see if the oil I found on my plugs goes away.

So for anyone who needs a low-flow, soft spring PCV valve, the application is:

1994-2000 Chevy S10 pickup with 2.2l 4-cyl.

This valve is a direct fit for SBC & BBC.
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Old Jul 14, 2013 | 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by zwede
So for anyone who needs a low-flow, soft spring PCV valve, the application is:

1994-2000 Chevy S10 pickup with 2.2l 4-cyl.

This valve is a direct fit for SBC & BBC.
Cool. How did you know this valve was what you wanted before you installed it? I always wondered if engine vacuum at idle was the correct way to choose a PCV but I couldn't find specs on any PCV valves when I was looking for one.

I just knew mine was wrong. It cross referenced to a Dodge K car! The previous owner built my engine to be roughly the equivalent of the early 70s LT1 engines but he used the cam from the '68 327/350HP engine. My NAPA guy found a valve that was listed for the both '68 and the early 70's LT1s. So far, it has worked for me.

After finding that PCV, I found a reference to this adjustable one on one of the forums. Kinda pricey but might be a good option for some.



http://mewagner.com/?page_id=444

DC
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Old Jul 14, 2013 | 10:22 PM
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Originally Posted by DC3
Cool. How did you know this valve was what you wanted before you installed it?
There are two things to consider: how strong the spring is and how much air it flows. Luckily some of the packages in the store had been opened so I could take the valves out of the packaging. I brought a little screwdriver so I could push the pintle in and feel the spring.

For the flow rate you look into it from the vacuum hose side. There is a shaft that is the end of the pintle and moves up as vacuum sucks it closed. The air has to flow between the shaft and the housing. Large shaft = low flow.
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Old Jul 14, 2013 | 11:32 PM
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You're getting pretty high tech here......


JIM
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Old Jul 15, 2013 | 12:44 AM
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Thx zwede, nice to know where to look for big cam engines. I never liked the idea of a controlled vacuum leak to the intake. Ya know all the car mfr engineering just put out bids to 3rd party shops to build the parts to thier specs. Trick would be to find the 3rd party mfr that makes PCV's - most likey overseas these days. PCV's are worse than vacuum canisters for selection.

cardo0
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Old Jul 15, 2013 | 01:01 AM
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What kind of vacuum does your engine make?

Mine gets 16 at idle.
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Old Jul 15, 2013 | 01:19 AM
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i found the same issue with my 79, L82 there are 2 different pcv's, hi perf., non hiperf.
they have them at Rockauto.com, even for the 70's,454, there are 2 different pcv's listed hiperf. and non., they do have different rate springs in them..
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Old Jul 15, 2013 | 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by cardo0
Trick would be to find the 3rd party mfr that makes PCV's - most likey overseas these days. PCV's are worse than vacuum canisters for selection.

cardo0
Finding specs is just hopeless. Life would be so easy if we could find the flow vs vacuum diagram for the valves.

I was happy to see the PCV valves at Autozone are made by Champion labs in the USA.
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Old Jul 15, 2013 | 09:14 AM
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Years ago, when a long line of parts books filled the counters, a friend of mine owned a NAPA store and they had the specs of all the pcv valves. I remember that the pintel inside had a number stamped on the end for the flow. Should have gotten that catalog from him.

From memory, basically, your guess was right, the smaller the engine cid, the less the flow.

Perhaps check on the inlet tube (pass side), to see that you still have vacuum in the crankcase running. at worst, you can duct tape a vacuum gauge to the tube.
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Old Jul 15, 2013 | 09:16 AM
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I got some other PCV valves in case this one doesn't work out. Another interesting one is for a Gen II LT1 (application: 1995 Camaro 5.7l V8). This one still has a soft spring but more flow.
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 06:12 AM
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I know this is an old thread...but I'm having problems with the PCV valve on my ZZ4 sucking oil into the intake.

Are there any results on how this PCV valve worked...or if it took another one...

Did you fix the oil you found on your sparkplugs?

thanks...Stan
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 07:52 AM
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Hi Stan,

As so often with these old cars the problem (oil on spark plugs) didn't have a single cause.

For the PCV system I'm still using the same PCV valve. I made a better baffle for my (aftermarket) valve covers. And finally I installed an air/oil separator.

I find very little oil in the separator, so this did fix the issue of sucking oil through the PCV system. But it didn't fix the oily plugs. Looks like most of the oil wasn't from the PCV, but was going past the piston rings and then pushed up into the intake during valve overlap, then back down into the cylinder and onto the spark plugs.

I recently tried some conventional 15W-40 oil instead of the 0W-40 synthetic I usually run, and so far the plugs have stayed clean. But it's too early to tell if they will stay clean long term.
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Stan's Customs
I know this is an old thread...but I'm having problems with the PCV valve on my ZZ4 sucking oil into the intake.

Are there any results on how this PCV valve worked...or if it took another one...

Did you fix the oil you found on your sparkplugs?

thanks...Stan
Theres an adj PCV for $130 if your interested: http://mewagner.com/?page_id=444
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by zwede
Hi Stan,

As so often with these old cars the problem (oil on spark plugs) didn't have a single cause.

For the PCV system I'm still using the same PCV valve. I made a better baffle for my (aftermarket) valve covers. And finally I installed an air/oil separator.

I find very little oil in the separator, so this did fix the issue of sucking oil through the PCV system. But it didn't fix the oily plugs. Looks like most of the oil wasn't from the PCV, but was going past the piston rings and then pushed up into the intake during valve overlap, then back down into the cylinder and onto the spark plugs.

I recently tried some conventional 15W-40 oil instead of the 0W-40 synthetic I usually run, and so far the plugs have stayed clean. But it's too early to tell if they will stay clean long term.

Over the years I have gotten several sets of aftermarket (Chinese?) rings that didn't have enough oil ring tension and those engines used a lot of oil until I replaced them with Hastings or Perfect Circle rings.
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by zwede
Hi Stan,

As so often with these old cars the problem (oil on spark plugs) didn't have a single cause.

For the PCV system I'm still using the same PCV valve. I made a better baffle for my (aftermarket) valve covers. And finally I installed an air/oil separator.

I find very little oil in the separator, so this did fix the issue of sucking oil through the PCV system. But it didn't fix the oily plugs. Looks like most of the oil wasn't from the PCV, but was going past the piston rings and then pushed up into the intake during valve overlap, then back down into the cylinder and onto the spark plugs.

I recently tried some conventional 15W-40 oil instead of the 0W-40 synthetic I usually run, and so far the plugs have stayed clean. But it's too early to tell if they will stay clean long term.

10-4, Thank you for the update..

Stan..
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 08:33 AM
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Originally Posted by cardo0
Theres an adj PCV for $130 if your interested: http://mewagner.com/?page_id=444
Hi Cardo..

I've spent more for less probably.

Is this something you have used?

If so do you think its worth the cost? You seem to be "very" knowledgeable on this subject...

I haven't done anything since yesterday on my car...my back is really bothering me.

I guess I really need a PCV valve...but am not sure what I'll have to do to keep one from sucking oil on my engine.

It looks like the valve cover baffle should have prevented that after I looked at pics of PML's baffle provision

Thanks...Stan

Last edited by Stan's Customs; Mar 12, 2016 at 08:33 AM.
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Stan's Customs
Hi Cardo..

I've spent more for less probably.

Is this something you have used?

If so do you think its worth the cost? You seem to be "very" knowledgeable on this subject...

I haven't done anything since yesterday on my car...my back is really bothering me.

I guess I really need a PCV valve...but am not sure what I'll have to do to keep one from sucking oil on my engine.

It looks like the valve cover baffle should have prevented that after I looked at pics of PML's baffle provision

Thanks...Stan

Well no I haven't tried 1 or would I spend that much for PCV vlv. IMHO a PCV dosent need to do much more than keep the crankcase less than atmospheric press.
It's the lack of an iol separator and high vac from the intake that pulls in the oil. All u needvis a jar that u can connect hoses at the top and 1 tube into mid level and u have trap where u can see how much oil is pulled into the intake.

But I suspect good baffling will be your fix. Hope this helps.
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by cardo0
Well no I haven't tried 1 or would I spend that much for PCV vlv. IMHO a PCV dosent need to do much more than keep the crankcase less than atmospheric press.
It's the lack of an iol separator and high vac from the intake that pulls in the oil. All u needvis a jar that u can connect hoses at the top and 1 tube into mid level and u have trap where u can see how much oil is pulled into the intake.

But I suspect good baffling will be your fix. Hope this helps.
10-4...

I sure hope baffling will help too...but forum member "Gen1Corvette" has the same valve covers I do with the same engine I do...with no issues???!

Heres what we have:

http://www.yourcovers.com/valve_covers_11040.php

...and he has 16 in. vacuum, I have 17 in. vacuum.

Thanks again for the help.

Best regards...Stan
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by zwede
Finding specs is just hopeless. Life would be so easy if we could find the flow vs vacuum diagram for the valves.

I was happy to see the PCV valves at Autozone are made by Champion labs in the USA.
Can you tell me what kind of vacuum you are running at idle? I have a stock 69 big block with a mild hydraulic roller that gives me 17.5" at idle and am trying to figure what to use for a PCV. My engine is fresh so that low flow valve sounds interesting.
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Old Mar 12, 2016 | 02:52 PM
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Yep...see last post, 17 inches.

Stan
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