I've done some searching both on here and Google. I know I'm a dummy for asking this but can anyone provide a photo or diagram showing where the lines are that I hook to the oil catch can and is it OK to have a dual catch can set up. I'm installing an ECS Paxton supercharger and it comes with a small, clear filter oil catch can set up. I also have a Mike Norris oil catch can. Please advise.


Also, I have a question regarding changing out the fuel injectors. Do you take the whole injector holder off and the injectors just seat in place? Just pull them out and push the new ones in and snap them in the holders and bolt back in place? The mechanical stuff is pretty straight forward but the installation instructions don't have any info on these two subjects. Thanks in advance.

 

The catch can depends on the year, but most have the port coming up from the valley under the intake, which then goes to the port on the intake just above it. You want the check valve to let the air flow into the intake, but stop the flow of boost out of it to the crank case.
Earlier C5's have the breather hose coming off the back of both valve covers instead of the valley port, but it's plumbed the same way.

You are correct on the injectors, just remove the clips, swap injectors and reinstall the clips. Make sure once they are reinstalled that they move easily, if they do not move easily side to side then the o-ring is most likely pinched.

Thanks for your business!!

 

Thanks Doug. I'm glad you're available. I noticed your name on the ECS card that came in the folder with the kit. Another person named Bob that works with ECS has been giving me real good information regarding the installation also. I'm still currently waiting on a few parts from ECS that didn't come with the initial shipments. I'm also waiting on my tuned computer from Mike at TPS Motorsports. By the way I have a 1999 LS1. I kind of dread removing the steering rack and pinning the balancer pulley. I have an ATI balancer (I don't know why?) but Bob said that was a good thing. I know they are a little expensive so it must be a good pulley. I know this system adds roughly 80-90 pounds to the nose of the Corvette. I have a rear offset of around 50 pounds with weight filling the covered cut outs in the hatch with an enclosure, sub and amp so the front/rear ratio shouldn't be far off. I got the polished set up on the ECS system. I'm very impressed with the fabrication, materials, very clean welding, etc. of the entire system.
I just recently changed my plugs and ignition wires. I installed NGK Iridium plugs and 10mm MSD wires. I don't need to replace the plugs again do I? My plugs are better than the ones provided and have less than 1,000 miles on them. Probably just another stupid question but I want to be sure. Mike must have taken a long weekend, he hasn't returned my call regarding where my tuned computer is. It has been several weeks but I know he's been extremely busy. Hopefully I'll have my computer shortly after the holiday weekend. I'm going to be taking the installation really, really slow. While I've got your attention Doug I wanted to say that there's a picture missing in the online instructions for "installing the ECS supercharger system on a C5 Corvette". I've already mentioned this to Bob but there's a duplicate picture from the previous step mentioning "pinning the crank". It shows the engine cradle being loosened and dropped a little in consecutive steps. I went to the C6 installation and it had the photograph showing how to use the drill collar and how deep to drill - I suppose it is the same way as drilling on the C5?? Just wanted to let you know. I'm pretty excited about getting this ECS system on my Corvette. The engine horsepower numbers, low end torque and horsepower at the rear wheels are really impressive. Thanks again for the information and hopefully between you and Bob I won't have a terrible time installing everything. Oh! A couple of other details. Can I use a K&N air filter that I have that is new and the same shape as the Green filter? And lastly what is the second, larger drill bit for that came with the kit? I don't remember seeing anything in the installation instructions about drilling anything else? One more - can I use the second hose fitting on the tee that goes inline at the power brake booster to get a boost reading for a boost gauge or is that a poor place?? Thank you so much Doug. It is great to get information like this from someone directly related to the system that I purchased. Thank you for reading all of these "noob" questions and please don't forget about the picture problem with the C5 install instructions. Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend. -Tony

 

The plugs we provide are a step colder then what comes in the car stock, so if the plugs you have are the equivalent to stock then use the TR6's that came with the kit.

The extra port on the brake booster fitting is for a boost gauge/meth injection etc.

Thanks for the heads up on the instructions.

The drill bit should be for the pin kit. 1/4"

Thanks, Doug

 

Thanks Doug. My kit came with a second drill bit. The 1/4" bit is with the collar and crank bolt. The second drill bit is a 25/64" and comes in a bag with a couple of rubber grommets, two short blue bolts, etc. Looks like the grommets could go on the intercooler but I'm unsure because the online directions are vague when it comes to some of the installation. I wish the instructions were updated to include much broader directions for those of us that are decent with our hands but need more inclusive instructions to fully and completely properly install your systems. Example: removing the rack and pinion. The instructions assume that you know how to remove the rack. A few extra photos and instructions would be really helpful with that showing how to detach the steering shaft from the steering box, removing the lines and any cooler attached to the rack and steps to detach the tie rod ends from the steering knuckles. There are only a very few gaps in the instructions that needs to be filled making people much more comfortable installing these ECS systems. The directions are included for just a few cars and would not be a whole lot of trouble to add to the existing instructions. In my case the C5 Corvette which is already missing the photos showing how to pin the crank. I just want everyone that is comfortable turning wrenches to be completely detailed as to how to properly install the entire system instead of having to shell out thousands of dollars to have the system installed by a performance shop. Most people with the money to buy these systems have the money to have them installed by a professional. I'm not one of those people. My Corvette will probably be on jack stands for weeks as I figure out each step making triple sure each step is done as close to perfect as I can get. There are no directions at all regarding the fuel injector swap. I think it isn't complex but a short set of directions would take all the question out of the injector swaps. I really, really hope you'll consider updating the instruction details and adding instructions for all steps necessary to fully complete the installation of the entire ECS supercharger system without question. It would really help many customers that look at support on your website to decide to buy because they look at all the instructions and decide that they can do the install themselves saving thousands they may not have to pay a professional to do the install. Thank you in advance for explaining the larger drill bit and for taking the time and consideration of my request to update the installation instructions to make the install much easier. I would like to revisit the oil catch can installation also. There are no instructions regarding this install either. I have a 1999 C5 Corvette with the LS1 as you know. I'm still confused about the plumbing. I know this is bad but I don't know where the PCV valve is located. On the right side of the engine there are two hoses coming off the top of the valve cover with the rear hose going around the back of the engine and the front hose going toward the front attaching to the throttle body. There is also a hose that feels like it has a hard plastic line or lines going down the valley on top of the right side of the intake where the intake and valve cover meet. That valley line goes behind the engine out of my sight but connects forward to the front of the intake behind the throttle body with a small plastic piece inline before connecting to the intake - I think that may be the PCV valve but I don't know. The hose that comes from the top rear of the right valve cover seems like it may go around the rear of the engine possibly to the power brake booster. The hose from the top front of the right valve cover goes directly to the throttle body on the right side just forward of the valley line that hooks to the right front of the intake with that plastic piece inline on the valley line just a couple of inches before it attaches to the right front of the intake. I know my description is much more complex to read - it sounds all over the place to me but I think you are a smart man and hopefully it isn't too confusing. Please try to decipher and try to tell me what hose hooks to what fitting on the oil catch can. I have a Mike Norris oil catch can but I like the clear can that came with the kit. I wouldn't have purchased the Mike Norris can if I had known that the kit came with a filtered set up. Can I use both catch cans inline? I would like to see what is collected in the ECS clear can and double up on catching oil and vapors in the Mike Norris can or would having both impede the engine in any way? This has been a long post with requests to the installation instructions, questions about the larger drill bit included with my kit and questions regarding the PCV system and the proper connections to my oil catch cans. Sorry for such a long post to read but I'm trying to iron out all the details before I put my Corvette up on the jack stands. Once I begin, there's no turning back. My Corvette will be out of commission until the install is fully complete. Thank you Doug or anyone else that has a comment. Please don't call me a dummy....lol - I'm trying to learn and there's no better place than here. I have learned a lot about my Corvette here since I joined and no question has gone unanswered and I thank this entire Corvette community.



Thank you,
Tony Jones

 

Man I'm lucky to live nearby ECS - my '00 FRC has been there twice and both times they did "stuff I was too dumb to ask about and probably too inept to do myself." A clean install on my Elite Engineering catch can, tunnel plate, ARH headers, LS6 intake, NGK plugs, red GM wires, and a bunch of other "mostly bolt-on" stuff - have had it back for about a month after the headers install and not a single code on the DIC. The best thing in my mind is that its basically still stock-appearing under the hood. Maybe heads + cam one day we'll see....

 

I would like to take a trip to ECS after I'm finished with the supercharger install. There will be a lot of highly polished items under my hood demanding a lot of cleaning very often. lol I've been in several phone conversations with one of the engineers at ECS that has really helped me out for the pre install for many of the dumb questions that I've had. There are really good people at ECS. I'm waiting on a piece of tubing from ECS, the cover that is being prepped from ECS and the tuned computer from the west coast, TPS Motorsports, but the parts will be here next week. I'm about like you on what I'm doing to "The Phantom" Corvette that I own. Long tube header system, either a LS6 intake or a polished aftermarket intake to match everything else that's polished under the hood. Like you, I may get just a little more aggressive cam and have the heads worked. I must improve my drive line to handle the horsepower. First I need a rear transmission brace sold at ECS. I was told that is one of the weakest links. I need a safety roll bar for the track just in case......I think that I have the oil catch can line figured out with help from Mike at TPS Motorsports. Another great place to purchase from and Mike has always responded to my dumb questions through email or by phone. I can't say enough good things about ECS and TPS Motorsports. The products are excellent and the people are extremely helpful and friendly. Just like Doug being here on the forums. Nothing at all against the other vendors but I can't imagine anything being better than everything I've received from ECS and TPS Motorsports with both the products and support. A very special thank you to Bob with ECS. He has kind of taken me under his wing to learn about the supercharger, my Corvette and so many installation details. We text each other information and when text isn't good enough Bob calls me or I call him and the conversations usually go on for an hour. We drift off topic and talk like friends. I'm very grateful for people like Bob with ECS. We met here on the forum but I cannot remember his user name to save me...I hate when that happens. I have a small team that will be helping with my supercharger installation. Good, steady hands with good mechanical knowledge. I have a laptop in my garage and a 47" flat screen TV with a Polk sound bar and subwoofer, a smart Blu Ray player with all the apps and my garage is climate controlled thank goodness because it's blistering hot here in Tennessee...I have a HDMI cable running from the work bench that hooks to my laptop so I'll have all the online instructions up on the TV for the installation. I am so blessed that my friends helped me get my garage into this condition and all of my tools completely organized just in time to start the installation of the ECS supercharger system and all of the different engine systems that must be upgraded. I have a Mike Norris oil catch can along with the much smaller clear catch can from ECS. I plan to run them both inline. The smaller clear catch can from ECS first so I can visually see the oil that's collected but then it will run through the larger, better filtered Mike Norris oil catch can before the line runs back to the intake. I want all oil and oil vapors eliminated from going into the intake and throttle body. If anyone see's a problem with running the dual oil catch can set up please advise me that there's a problem with what I intend to do. I'm going to have a problem finding room for everything under the hood. I don't want to relocate the battery because of possible safety issues but we'll figure something out. I'm going to try to insert a photo of the line going to the front of the intake that I think is the correct line to put the oil catch cans inline between the small inline PCV valve and the intake. Thanks for any comments, recommendations and confirmation that I have the correct line pointed to in the image by the tip of the screwdriver. There's an upper line that goes from the top of the right side valve cover to the throttle body in the photo but I'm pointing to the line below that hooks to the very front of the intake. Thanks again. Sorry about the size of the photo. It comes directly from my phone and I don't know how to make it smaller. My phone has a 21 mega pixel camera. I apologize but it should be very clear what line I'm referring to. It automatically resized when I submitted the post thank goodness. It was 10 times larger when I first inserted it. :-)

 

I actually use an air oil separator for air compressors. Cost me 6 bucks at harbor freight. I also redid the entire pcv system on my car. I removed all the oem crap.

On the driver side cover I cut the hardline and stuffed the connector to the valve cover into 3/8" fuel line. Came around the back and up to the front. Since I removed my AIR pump I used the tubing from that to create a new pcv valve "socket" and installed a fixed orifice pcv valve. Before it goes into the air oil separator and back into the intake.

On the passenger side I plugged the rear bung on the valve cover and at the front I introduced a fresh air line from the air bridge using 3/8" an fittings and more 3/8" fuel line. This creates a path in the motor to circulate out any built up pressure and has GREATLY cut down on oil going into the manifold. For those curious, here's some pics.




You can see the pcv valve in the center of the valve cover, I got the part from advanced. Just give them that gm part number for the fixed orifice pcv they sold and it'll cross reference to another part.




Fresh air into passenger side valve cover from air bridge.




This is after 50-75 miles of driving, and I don't baby my car at all. There's MAYBE half a teaspoon of oil in there.

Total cost: about 40 bucks

 

That filter/separator set up is almost exactly what ECS sent with the supercharger system. After looking at what you have done it makes me want to do the same thing. Here's another dumb question but what exactly is the air pump function? I must drill new mounting holes in the new radiator support that came with the system to remount the air pump. If I can eliminate that pump it will take at least an hour off my installation and really clean things up on the engine. I missed the actual pcv valve in your photos but I'm really interested in your idea and the looks of your plumbing. Are your hoses covered in a braiding kit? I'll probably push a little more oil past the piston rings with the boost of the supercharger so I'm plumbing the air compressor type filter inline first because of the clear view but I'm going to put my larger, better filtered Mike Norris oil catch can inline after the air compressor type collector before returning to the intake. I would really like more information about your set up. It is clean and I like clean. I have never given any thought to the purpose of the air pump. I hope its purpose isn't anything that would affect the tune on my computer or throw on the check engine light or any other error. I would really appreciate it if you would elaborate more with additional photos about your set up and if you think I can do this while installing my ECS supercharger without affecting power, hurting performance or putting any undue stress on my engine or throwing any errors. Again - I would love to eliminate the air pump. It is extra weight and will cause me extra work to relocate during the supercharger install. My double oil catch can set up won't cause any problems will it? Thanks for your time. I hope you can take the time to explain the set up in more detail and let me know the purpose of the air pump and if you think it will affect my supercharger set up. Thanks again for the idea. I hope I can do this hose clean up on my engine with zero problems. Thanks again. I'm learning everything I can here and so far it's been great!!!

 

The AIR pumps sole purpose is to help fire off the cats during start up. It introduced oxygen into the exhaust stream so they can heat up faster and reduce emissions. I'm going catless so I don't really care about any of that. There are a handful of codes that will need to be disabled by your tuner to delete the air pump and not throw a light. I cut some sheet metal block off plates to block off the AIR pump fittings on my headers. In total you'll lose about 6lbs or so removing it.

Sorry about not being able to see the pcv valve. If you look at the top photo next to the coil pack white connector, above the second coil in from the right you can see a fatter piece of tubing about 3-4" long. That's where the pcv valve is.

I haven't really done any engine dress up. Not to mention my engine is dirty as hell right now from all the work I've been doing on it the past week or so. I go in Wednesday to get my custom header back exhaust installed. All the hoses for my pcv set up are just regular 3/8" heater/fuel hose. The braided line you see is part of my FAST fuel rail set up.

You definitely want to put the oil air separator BEFORE the catch can and be sure to install it with the proper orientation. With my set up there is absolutely no way for there to be any pressure on the crankcase. Any other questions just ask.

 

Thank you for the information. When I purchase my long tube header kit I think I'll get a cat less system also. It is too late on my present tune to eliminate my air pump but after I install the headers I will go back to the dyno minus cats and the air pump. I'm going to try to save this post. I just overlooked the pcv valve in your photos. Sorry about that. My engine is dirty right now also. I'm going to clean it really well before I install the upper parts of my supercharger. Thanks again for sharing the idea and explaining what you did. It looks so much better than stock plumbing. I haven't really mapped out all of the hoses, does the hose that runs behind the engine hook to the power brake booster or are there more fittings on the driver side valve cover? And if so - where does the power brake booster line fit in. I have to install larger fuel injectors that came with my kit also. I like your fuel rails and lines also. Is it real expensive? Thanks again. Your engine may need cleaning just like mine but your pcv and fuel set up are very clean. My engine has the hose from the top front of my right valve cover going to the throttle body. I notice you have that line running to the air intake plenum. Is that a mod or is your engine set up just different than mine?

 

If you look on the very rear top corner of the driver side valve cover there is a grommet and a hose connected to it. I cut that fitting and stuffed it inside 3/8" tubing. I routed the tubing around the back of the intake and around to the passenger side just like the oem set up.

I have an ls2 throttle body which does not have provisions for a hose to be attached to it. The fast 102 Intake has the Bung on it instead.

The brake booster line attaches to the backside of the intake manifold, it's a separate line. There is also a very small vacuum line that attaches to the back of the manifold as well, this is for the hvac system. And lastly you have the map sensor on the back side too.

Regarding the fuel rails they aren't cheap. It costs approximately 2-300 to change them and run braided line like mine.