02 LS6 to 04 LS6 PCV Conversion?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 4,669
Likes: 1,850
From: Erlanger, Kentucky
02 LS6 to 04 LS6 PCV Conversion?
Hello.
I was going to replace my PCV valve in my 2002 Z06 with the LS6 engine with a stock GM LS6 PCV valve. When looking into buying one, the GM LS6 PCV valve is about $100 (way over priced for a PCV valve but I like stock parts).
Looking into things further, I read that on 2004-2005 LS6 engines, GM moved the PCV valve from the external hose between the valley cover and the intake manifold to inside the valley cover itself.
The 04-05 valley cover also costs about $100. I am now thinking of changing out the now as it would give a little bit cleaner appearance under the hood.
Has anyone done this and is this as simple as it seems?
Thoughts? Opinions?
I was going to replace my PCV valve in my 2002 Z06 with the LS6 engine with a stock GM LS6 PCV valve. When looking into buying one, the GM LS6 PCV valve is about $100 (way over priced for a PCV valve but I like stock parts).
Looking into things further, I read that on 2004-2005 LS6 engines, GM moved the PCV valve from the external hose between the valley cover and the intake manifold to inside the valley cover itself.
The 04-05 valley cover also costs about $100. I am now thinking of changing out the now as it would give a little bit cleaner appearance under the hood.
Has anyone done this and is this as simple as it seems?
Thoughts? Opinions?
Last edited by Spaceme1117; Apr 25, 2018 at 07:42 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 203
Likes: 31
From: Baltimore MD
The LS6 cover is a great mod because it eliminates much of the PCV plumbing. The later LS6 cover uses a .1 inch "fixed orifice" instead of an actual PCV valve. I installed the earlier LS6 cover back in 2004. When the external PCV hose rotted, rather than pay for the way over priced replacement hose, I bought the hose for the latter valley cover, which cost only a few dollars. I drilled a .1 inch hole in a short piece of metal rod, and placed it inside the hose, thus converting to a fixed orifice type of PCV system. Works great.
Last edited by fmvette9; Apr 29, 2018 at 10:32 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 144
Likes: 22
From: Lees Summit MO
Hello.
I was going to replace my PCV valve in my 2002 Z06 with the LS6 engine with a stock GM LS6 PCV valve. When looking into buying one, the GM LS6 PCV valve is about $100 (way over priced for a PCV valve but I like stock parts).
Looking into things further, I read that on 2004-2005 LS6 engines, GM moved the PCV valve from the external hose between the valley cover and the intake manifold to inside the valley cover itself.
The 04-05 valley cover also costs about $100. I am now thinking of changing out the now as it would give a little bit cleaner appearance under the hood.
Has anyone done this and is this as simple as it seems?
Thoughts? Opinions?
I was going to replace my PCV valve in my 2002 Z06 with the LS6 engine with a stock GM LS6 PCV valve. When looking into buying one, the GM LS6 PCV valve is about $100 (way over priced for a PCV valve but I like stock parts).
Looking into things further, I read that on 2004-2005 LS6 engines, GM moved the PCV valve from the external hose between the valley cover and the intake manifold to inside the valley cover itself.
The 04-05 valley cover also costs about $100. I am now thinking of changing out the now as it would give a little bit cleaner appearance under the hood.
Has anyone done this and is this as simple as it seems?
Thoughts? Opinions?
Last edited by Roman 1; Apr 26, 2018 at 12:55 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 31,977
Likes: 487
From: Guinness Its whats for B'fast JAWGA
CI 3-4-5-9 Veteran
I would not bother with updating the valley cover and the required mods to go the LS6 route. I would go with a Mighty catch can that uses both valve covers
https://www.mightymousesolutions.com/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...0FlXbxB64/edit
https://www.mightymousesolutions.com/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...0FlXbxB64/edit
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 159
From: LaGrange Park, IL IL
St. Jude Donor '13, '15
Do the pcv valves in the later 04 models (the ones under the valley cover) go bad? Heck of a location to put them as the labor to get to it for such a small, usually cheap, part is crazy.
Last edited by imgn tht; Apr 26, 2018 at 01:46 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
There is nothing to go "bad" as it is simply a fixed size hole rather than an actual valve. Worst case scenario is that it gets clogged somehow.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 535
Likes: 92
From: Raleigh NC
So I was pondering the pcv restrictor vs pcv valve thing the other day. Typically a pcv valve is basically a one way check valve, so it doesn't let air flow backwards into the crankcase. For NA applications, that's not a big deal because you normally have vacuum in the intake. But for forced induction guys, a pcv restrictor would be an issue right? That doesn't really affect me as I'm NA, but just curious.
My other thought was regarding the flow capacity of the pcv restrictor. If it uses a 0.1" fixed orifice, can that flow enough? Perhaps for a stock application, but what about applications that inherently have more crankcase pressure?
I just installed the 04+ LS6 valley cover on my motor (just finished the rebuild), and I'm running it with an Elite Engineering catch can. No issues at the moment, but I only drove the car for the first time last night, so it's too early to make any determinations.
My other thought was regarding the flow capacity of the pcv restrictor. If it uses a 0.1" fixed orifice, can that flow enough? Perhaps for a stock application, but what about applications that inherently have more crankcase pressure?
I just installed the 04+ LS6 valley cover on my motor (just finished the rebuild), and I'm running it with an Elite Engineering catch can. No issues at the moment, but I only drove the car for the first time last night, so it's too early to make any determinations.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 4,669
Likes: 1,850
From: Erlanger, Kentucky
I would not bother with updating the valley cover and the required mods to go the LS6 route. I would go with a Mighty catch can that uses both valve covers
https://www.mightymousesolutions.com/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...0FlXbxB64/edit
https://www.mightymousesolutions.com/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...0FlXbxB64/edit
It is more work but will clean up the hoses a little bit and any excuse to turn a wrench on my car is a good thing.
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Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 740
Likes: 83
From: MN
So I was pondering the pcv restrictor vs pcv valve thing the other day. Typically a pcv valve is basically a one way check valve, so it doesn't let air flow backwards into the crankcase. For NA applications, that's not a big deal because you normally have vacuum in the intake. But for forced induction guys, a pcv restrictor would be an issue right? That doesn't really affect me as I'm NA, but just curious.
My other thought was regarding the flow capacity of the pcv restrictor. If it uses a 0.1" fixed orifice, can that flow enough? Perhaps for a stock application, but what about applications that inherently have more crankcase pressure?